The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-24
Officers of Philips Battleship Testi-
fy Before the Schley Court
of Inquiry.
Described as in Imminent Danger
When the Brooklyn Crossed
Her Bow.

any enOrC TO communicate WIN CuDdnS
on shore until Capt. McCalla arrived on
the Marblehead
He told how the fleet had proceeded
from Cienfuegos to within twenty miles
of Santiago. I'VE had," he said, good
weather; fresh wind and sea that was
moderate to rough. None of the fighting
ships had delayed the fleet, he said, but
some of the smaller vessels had. The
fleet was signalled that the rendezvous
would be twenty-five miles due south of
Santiago"
Commander Heilner said that while the
Texas was not in the engagement with
the Colon on May 81, he had seen some
of the shots from the enemy which had
fallen short.
The witness was then asked to describe
the battle of July 8, and said:
THE BATTLE AT SANTIAGO.
''The Texas had been heading about east
when the enemy was seen coming out Of
Santiago. Lieut.. Bristol. who was officer
of the deck at the time, rang to go
ahead full speed and put helm hard to
starboard to make a turn.
when I got on deck he Informed me
OF what had happened and sent him be-
low and assumed charge of the deck
The captain told me that he had eased
their helm until he could find out which
way the ships were going and he also
rang half speed: I-suggested full speed.
He said the battery was not ready. I
told him it would be ready before the
ship was in position to fire and then he
said, all right and rang full speed.
When the second of the enemy's ships
followed the first to the westward he
put the helm hard to starboard. | made
several reports to him about the Brook
lyn regarding her signals He said,
never mind also referred to the way
l thought the Brooklyn was standing up
to fght-very nicely. The captain said:
oh, Crackie! Never mind the Brooklyn,
you look out for this ship The Brook
lyn then was about on our port beam. So
[ said, all right, captain. 1 will look
at the Brooklyn no more and 1 turned
my back, looking on the starboard beam
at the ships getting out. After we
sheered around and got to the westward,
L suggested to give her a little port
helm to get closer in, and he did. Right
after he gave her this helm he sang out
through the sight hole to the men at the
wheel and at the engine room Indicator to
SLOW and then stop and I said, Captain
they will all get away from u.s. He did
not answer me, but Immediately stepped
back and then l said: My Lord cap
tain, we are out of the fight He said
look at the Brooklyn! 1 turned around
and right ahead of US this big gray ship
loomed out of the smoke. For a second
l thought my heart was in my mouth.
We were steaming with heavy helm
and she steered by us. When 1 saw her
She was practically ahead of us. That is
the first 1 saw. She sheered off and went
to sea, should say, about 1000 yards
ana then on to westward. AS soon as
the Brooklyn cleared us we rang to go
ahead, and started up forced draft again.
After that we simply followed on as fast
as We could on line that was just in
side the line where the Oregon was en-
gaging the ships. Just before this turn
OF the Brooklyn the Iowa and the Oregon
We're both close to US on our starboard
helm. We continued the chase until the
Colon hauled down her flag when the
captain gave the order to stop forced
draft"
NEARLY A COLLISION.
Capt. Lemly-How near was the Brook
lyn to the Texas at the time you saw
her loom up out of the smoke?
did not make any estimate at the
time, but l came to the conclusion later
that she was between 100 and $50 yards
from US, which was a much longer dis
tance that Capt Philip thought it was.''
capt. Lemly-Perhaps l Should have
asked you in the first place the posi-
ton of the Brooklyn relative to the
4exaS just before going into battle
She was almost astern of us. That is
because we were headed almost east.
She should have borne west by north
west She was heading for the land and
thought she was standing pretty nearly
on her north course. l did not see at
hrst amy indications of turning and I
thought she was going right in
Dld the Brooklyn give any steam
whistle signal to indicate her change of
course?' -
Ihat L do not know
Did you hear any?"
II did not hear any,"
70 you think you would have heard
it if there had been a steam signaIa''
NO. sir. We could never have heard
AT what time during the battle of
aantiago did you consider that the Texas
Lemly. N"p''
Mr.. Raynor objected, contending that
.iSin suGn opinions We're shut out by a previous
ruling of the court. Mr.. Hanna said there
were many minor points on which the
court must from time to time ask the
opinion of witnesses The point was also
anG fne on ntha the 10 one side by Capt. Lemly
Inc court overruled the objection and
the question was repeated
Looking back" responded the witness.
Il know that the time of the greatest
danger of the Texas was when the Rrooi5e
Iyn loomed up out of the smoke right
ahead Of u.s."
He said in response to questions that
he never had sailed with a man who had
quicker sight or who handled his shin
to better advantage than Capt. Philip.
He added that the captain had on this
occasion given successive orders. and thai
the Texas had backed "unti1sit wassdead
IN the water. He said that on account
OF this incident two Or three minutes had
been lost, and that fully three miles
We're lost to the ship. A part of this de-
lay. had, however, he said, been caused
on account of the fault of the shin's
blowers, rendering the vessel slow in get
ting up steam.
SCHLEY'S BLOCKADE.
Referring to Commodore schley's block
ade OF Santiago harbor, the witness said
that during the day the distance was five
or SIX miles out, but that in steamine !
across the mouth Of the harbor at nighf
the distance was gradually Increased. d
on the day when the enemy's snlps were
discovered the fleet had been closer in
He had, he saiG. on that day seen three
cruisers inside the harbor.
Asked If the opportunity was good at
that time for observing the enemy's yes
sci, the witness replied that after the
moon set, as it did early in the
evening, at that time, the darkness was
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