The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-21

away from the speaker when heard this.
remark made"
Did you hear it distinctly"
81 heard it fairly distinctly There was
a bit of confusion going on at the time
caused by persons walking around" =,
CAPT. HARBER'S TESTIMONY.
Capt Giles P. Harder. now naval at
tache at Paris and st. Petersburg, who
was executive officer on board the Texas
during the Spanish war, was asked in
the absence of Capt Philip, to give a
detailed account of the operations of
that vessel during the war and he did
so. The Texas had been a part of the
flying squadron and the witness said
that when they steamed for Cienfuegos.
the flagship had signalled. I'VE go to.
Cienfuegos to bag the Spaniards; wish
you good luck" In reply to questions he
said that when Cienfuegos was reached,
ea-thworks were discovered there, but
no effort was made to destroy them
Now, captain the judge advocate
said, g want to ask you as executive
officer of the Texas, in case of the AId-
den death or disability of Capt. Philip,
who would have taken command of that
VeSsel?
81 would naturally have" was the re-
ply;
ten or verbal, respecting the order of
battle which the flying squadron was to
follow in case the enemy should suddenly
appear?"
commanding officer never gave me any
nor die l know that he had any,
You had no knowledge then of the ex-s
iStence of any order of battle, or written
or verbal instructions, covering such a
contingency?
NO, sir"
The witness said that while lying on
Cienfuegos he. with others, had seen
lights from the shore winch, from their
nature, they took to be signals, but that
no attention had Teen paid to them until
the oath, when the Marblehead had ar
rived and, he understood. had responded
to the signals and communicated with
those on shore.
He also said that tie Texas had been
in no great need of coal while lying off
Cienfuegos, but that it could have taken
more and would have been glad to get
1t. The
IOWA HAD CoALED
there, he said Describing the sail to
Santiago, the witness said there had been
rough weather, but that the Texas could
have made better time thar it did. He
said that when the squadron arrived in
sight of the Yale and other American
vessels off Santiago on the evening of
May 26, all the vessels Gle AIRED for action,
thinking they were vessels of the ere
my When they discovered their mistake
Capt. Philip haG signalled Capt. WISE
of the Yale, saying: Have you got them
in there?'' To which the Beply was, Il
think we have" Mr. Hanna, who con-
Quoted the examination of this witness,
asked him particularly concerning the
trip from Santiago toward Key West
when the squadron started for the latter
place in order to coal He said that no
effort had been made ON the 26th, the
Gay OF the arrival off Santiago, to coal
the ship. The sea was somewhat rough,
but the witness expressed the opinion
that the coalIng could have been accom-
pushed. He had succeeded in that op-
ar q
equally rough.
The questions and replies on this point
were as follows:
Have you had any experience in coal
ing vessels in the waters OF the West
Indies or in that part of the world?'
81 had some experience shortly before,
while lying at TortugaS.
IF as an officer of the Texas, you had
received instructions at that time, on the
18th, to coal ship, what would you have
done?"
Il would have coaled ship, probably
was there anything in the conditions
of weather or the sea then prevailing TO
have prev ented the Texas from taking
coal on the 26th?"
ION the evening of the 18th 1 do not
think the sea was any heavier than eX-
listed when l successfully cCaled snip at
Tortugas, although the collier was
heavier vessel. l coaled ship in Tortugas
with a considerable sea, the collier hay
ing only about $3.50 tons"
COULD HAVE COALED SHIP.
"Of course, I can understand you don't.
go to sea to coal ship, but in an emer-
gency do you think you could have coaled
the Texas on that day."
L believe we could have taken coal on
the Texas, yes
Relating the particulars of the return
TO Santiago, after, st rdng for Ky West,
the witness said that coal Tad been tax
on the night of the tn. VIII apt.
Philip had been asked if the Texas could
coal. he had Replied: I'VE can try" Toe
trial had been made and the effort had
proved successful. the witness said.
Capt. HaIber also It'd of sc g the
Colon Inside the hlIb5r at SANTIAGO on
the morning of May % and sad it had
remained there until June l. The Amer
lean fleet. he said, lay seven or eight
miles from the mouth of the harGor at
night and farther than that in the day
time.
Asked concerning his knowledge of the
BrooklynS loop during the battle of San
tiago, the witness said he did not see the
loop made. He said, IN reply to ques-
lions. that the blockade was maintained
by the vessels steaming in column back
and forth in front of the mouth of the
harbor at a distance of from seven TO ten
miles out the greater distance being that
ma ntained at night
that on May q, before the new supply Of
coal was taken on the Texas, there ware
about 400 tons of that fusl on the vessei.
THE FAMOUS LOOP.
Recurring to the Brooklyn, he said he
had seen that vessel Immediately after it
had executed the loop when it was on
the port bow Of the Texas about 500 feet
distant.
Capt Harder was then asked concern
ing the position On the Brooklyn relative
to the Texas and to the other sips, when
he first saw her after the turn.
1.-The Brooklyn" he replied, was on
the port bow of the Texas, standing at
an angle of l should say. approximately,
one-half point to the southward Of the
heading of the Texas. At that time the
Oregon was Just forging past. on the
starboard side, in-shore. The Iowa was
still farther in-shore and pointing up so
that her bow over.apped cur bow. At
one time I know that we fired across the
stern Of the Iowa"
Where We're the Spanish vessels with
reference to the heading of the Texas?'
''The head of the line was then on our
starboard bow / should say,approximate-
ly. four points on the bow
The Texas was not then moving at her
full speed because the Greg IN was pass.
ing her. If the Texas at that time back
ed or stopped he was not aware of the
circumstances. At this point the court !.
adjourned DrOmDtiy at o'clock until II