Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-08

Washington, Oct. Safer the usual
prelimnaries In the Schley naval court
of inquiry today Lieut.. c, W Dyson, OF
the bureau of steam engineering Of the
navy department. was recalled to n
tlnue his testimony regarding the coal
supply OF Admiral Schley's dying
squadron at the time of It's arrival OF
Santiago harbor on May 26 1895 He
was brought In this morning at the in
stance OF Admiral Schley's counsel for
the purpose OF giving further testimony
concerning the availability Of the coal
supply in charging the enemy. 1t was
the understanding when court opened
that Commander Richard Wainwright
would be the principal witness OF the
day and that after he should be ex-
cused Messrs. Bristol, Grant and Potts
would be called In the order named.
The three last mentioned were all
watch officers on various vessels Of the
American fleet on July 81, when the ma
val engagement on Santiago was
fought II has been the desire Of the
court to secure as much testimony as
possible from the men whose especial
duty II was TO keep a look out and
these three officers were summoned TO
crafty this wish. There was a special
interest In Commander Wainwright
testimony because Of his prominent
Identification with the Spanish war and
also because OF the fact that he is now
superintendent of the naval academy
at Annapolis. During the summer Of
1885, Mr.. Wainwright commanded the
converted yacht Gloucester which
played a conspicuous part In the cam
paign against the Spaniards. In the
battle of July his vessel occupied a
position on the extreme right Of the
American column to the east of the In
diana and when the Spanish torpedo
boats Pluton and Furor came out OF
the harbor he attacked them fearlessly
and aided in their destruction, He also
was an observer, though at distance,
OK the battle between the big ships Of
the two fleets.
CAPT FoLGBR RECALLED.
The proceedings of the court began by
the recall Of Capt. VIM. NJ. Folger, for
the purpose Of correcting his testimony
OF yesterday Advantage was taken OF
his presence to ask him further ques-
lions concerning the blockade of Santl-
ago. Among other questions he was
asked by Capt. Lemly II he had had any
conversation with Commodore Schley
during the blockade. He replied:
Toward the evening OF one VI the
days, the 80th, there was ar extended,
very severe rainstorm. so severe that
| feared Cervera had gotten out as
II was sufficiently long to have permit
ted him TO do so. | went on board the
flagship the next day thinking II my
duty TO tell the commodore what | had
seen as to the blockade as kept by the
japanese of the port of Wei Hoi Hal
where similarly an enemys fleet was
within a fortified harbor. | said to the
commodore that the adoption Of the
tactics OF the japanese, forming a
circle directly IN front Of the harbor,
would. In my opinion, be preferable, as
then 1t would be difficult for anything
to get out"
Judge advocate--Was there any re-
ply by the commodore?
Il cannot testify exactly as TO his
reply | would prefer not TO do So
Judge advocate-Giye the substance.
"He did not agree with me as to the
necessity for that"
was there anything further said by
him."
Nothing further that recollect
Capt. Folger also said that he had no
recollection OF a picket line on the IN
side Of the American fleet.
At the request OF Capt Parker OF
counsel for Admiral Schley, the witness
examined the log OF the New Orleans
for May 80 and 81, 1895, for the purpose
OF determining accurately the state Of
the weather but he declined to modify
his statement OF yesterday that the
weather on those days was bad.
LIEUT.. DYSON CALLED.
Capt. Folger was then excused aud
Lieut. Dyson was called. He was ques-
toned by Capt, Lemly concerning the
steaming condition OF the Brooklyn on
July 3.
The judge-advOcate asked: what
does the Brooklyn's steam log show as
20 the number OF engines coupled up
and the boilers in use July 3, 1895, as
compared with the total engine and
boiler power OF the vessel"
The reply was: 1.-THE Brooklyn has
four main engines. two to each shaft,
connected together by coupling She
has seven boilers, Ave main and two
On the morning OF july
8 both forward engines were uncoupled
there were banked fires under three OF
the main boilers. The other boilers
were what we call dead no steam In
them. Judging from the time n took
90 start fires In these boilers after the
Spanish feet came out OF the harbor
I should say the furnaces were not even
primed, and two OF the boilers had 70
be run Up 10 the sea steamlng level
II took from 1856 10 10 o'clock 70 start
fires"
In response TO other questions the
witness detailed from the log Of the
all that was done or that
vessel TO get up speed.
Mr.. Raynor asked II II was not neces-
sary 10 stop the ship 20 couple the I'M
coupled engines, and the witness ne
piled that the ship could have been
kent going with one engine while the
other was coupled.
OREGON's GREAT SPEED.
The engines were designed. he said,
10 be kept coupled during war Dis
russlng the speed Of the various vessels
Of the feet on July the witness said
that the Oregon got up speed about
equal 10 the Brooklyn on that day
that on her trial trip
the Brooklyn made over p knots 20 the
Il knots. lie called attention
10 the fact that the New York had
made i6 OF Il knots speed on the day
n the battle In response TO questions
from Capt. Parker he said mat me
New York had not had her engines
coupled on the day Of battle an1 that
the Brooklyn had made all the neces'
sary speed
HoDGsoN EXPLAINS LETTER
After Lieut.. Dyson was excused
Lieut.. Com. Hodgson was recalled Tor
the purpose 81 correcting errOfs in his
Testimony as printed IN the OH rec
ord. lie took occasion 20 chang some
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