The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-01
GAVE DETAILS OF FIGHT
Iowa Went into Battle without
 Signals from Brooklyn.
Turning Over Merrimac to Hobson is Tender Subject with Com mander Miller-Captain
 Jewell of Minneapolis
 Also on Stand.

Washington, Sept. so-Rear Admiral Evans who, as captain, commanded the battleship Iowa during the Santiago cam paign, was a witness before the. Schley court of inquiry today. His testimony covered the entire period from the time the Iowa left the port of Key West on the goth of May, 1898. until the 9th of July, when Admiral Evans testified he had conversation with Admiral Schley concerning the battle of the 3rd.
 Other witnesses of the day were Capt. Uheo J. Jewell. who was commander of the cruiser Minneapolis during the Span ish war, and Commander James J. Miller, who vas in command of the collier Mer- rimac until that vessel was turned over to Lieutenant Hooson to be sunk in the mouth of the harbor at Santiago. Ad- miral Evans had not concluded his tes- timony when the court adjourned for the day.
 The bright sunshine and fresh air had she effect of bringing all those connected with the court of inquiry and attendants upon 1t to the court building rather ear Her than usual this morning. Admiral Dewey, as is his custom. was one of the first members to put in an appearance, but early as was his arrived he found Judge Advocate Lemley and his assist ant MT. Hanna, there in advance of him self. The Admiral as usual wore only citizens clothing upon his arrival. but he was soon transformed into gallant tar by donning his service uniform. g..a
 Captain Lemly and NIT. Hanna were i.ngaged during the early morning in pre-
 airing the program of the day. There is
 iueh in the way 9h 9h.S desa @ t6 sIsn pe inae lhe habit of coming direct to the court building. where they have list of wit- laesses, files of documents. printed mat- Ter and everything eise hearing upon the Ease They began today's proceedings ae- -,-sssEding to custom by recalling the Wit net ses of previous days.
 Captain Lemlys program provided tha, these should be followed by Commander Miller, who commanded the collier Mer- Ftrnac, In the early part of the Santiago se%RAifhi scont Minneapofis: % %Lleutenant-command. CT Sharp, who had charge of the much taiked-of Vixen. and Lieutenant J. G' Doyle of the Brooklyn,
 It was also contemplated to call Rear Admiral Evans, who was captain or the Iowa. Much interest was manifested IT the probable appearance Of the Rear Ad- Cantain Miller who, 1t will be remem- bered, surrendered with great reluctance the command of the Merrimac to Lieu tenant Hobson, who afterward sunk the collier in the mouth of Santiago harbor.
 While Commander Sutherland was or the stand he was asked by the court whether if the fleet of Cervera had been U been seen by the vessels blockading the port He replied:
 "I cannot definitely say. Not unless they had anchored in the lower harbof just inside of the entrance in the deer water where the schooner to which re- ferred before was anchored I do not be- lieve they would have anchored in that spot"
 Commander of Merrimac.
 The first witness of the day was Com mander James M. Miller, who was in command of the collier Merrimac while that vessel was part of Admiral Schley's
 Comma nder Miller said that he had as- stunned command of the Merrimac on April 11th at Norfolk. He had taken on board at Lamberts Point soon afterward about 5000 tons of coal. His vessel he said. had been capable at first of mak- ing between nine and ten knots, but af- ure machinery. so that by May 9 and N he would have hesitated in trying to secure a speed of more than seven or eight knots. He read from the collier S log to show that the Iowa. the Massa- chusetts and the Castine had been coaled on the 23i and 24th. No record was found of the coaling of any vessel on the 18th or 26th the time consumed in proceeding from Cienfuegos to Santiago.
 The witness said that late in the after noon of May 26 the intermediate valve of the collier was broken. but that previous to the arrival off Santiago she had not been broken down, disabled or delayed" "
 The sea-" he said lon the 18th was nasty. The Merrimac, being heavy yes seI, its speed was affected. but if I had . had a smaller vessel, 1 should not have felt it very much
 He also said that the weather for that day was bad. As to the condition on the 18th the witness said: T should say l could have coaled, as find here (con- sulting the log we were making ten knots. I fancy the weather could not have been very boisterous. read here from her log: At 1 o0,,elock the knots There is one entry here that we got up C eleven knots. On that date l find s,,, aming with the squadron east to between s o'clock in the morning and meridian of that date that we made from ten to twelve knots
 0i The he sea had then smoothed. I should fudge from the way we were going. We | raised our speed rom seven to ter AI5e, "Do you find any entries as to th' ~i@Hi iThe wind was east-southeast and veer ed to southwest"
 AS to its courseT its course I have not here. On th' colliers we kept no regular log.
 .ftsG1Uo1 aGOHlG SGSp SSS the nsss sst6?S 6?S''O ~ ~
 .sf couid up to the time I was broker down. While I had control of the ship could have coaleo- ,, o,, we stopped at 5:3O o'clock that after noon."
 Did Not Coal While in Tow. Asked if vessel could have been coalec while the Merrimac was in tow Of thu Vale the witness replied that was sup Iosititious question and he would not nk tto saVS As a matter of fact she dit nct coal any vessel while in tow. On al days from g to S1. except on the day. 1' ao route from Cienfuego9Mto San *ingo and when disabled the Merrima had had vessels alongside for the pur nose of coaling and they had been coale' iIS,' Sr 'r rcross-examination. Mir, Raynol onsst,oned Commander Miller concerning s9aing from s MsTTi@ss on had the Seen n ano,sJ at .30 in the morning of tha SuaIeu %.os % ttan examined concernini