The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-18

apO-tG / answered The helm Is mar
aport, turning as rapidly a. possible.
AS / watched the Texas, the bow OF TN
Brooklyn seemed first to point to he
bow. / never saw the ~starboard DOE
OF the Texas, and changing her bear
ing very rapidly. the bow of the BROOK
Ign passed along the port side OF tne
Texas until there was a clear opening
between US and the stern of the Texas
We made a complete turn, a very QUICK
turn, with helm hard aport until we
came around and paralleled the heef
on the other side. AS we parelleled the
Spanish fleet the Viscaya-"
TEXAS NEVER IN DANGER.
Admiral Dewey--"May I interrupt?
How near did you pass TO the Texas!
Il never thought of a collision. II
never entered my / never for a
m had one idea or vissitude IN
hat respect. We passed / judge,
about 400 yards. I had handled the
ship under all circumstances n got
SO 1 could judge pretty correctly and
my impression is we were about the
distance we sailed in squadron; but a
collision / never thought of. She turn
ed perfectly clear of the Texas. came
around and then we had the Viscaya
on our starboard bow, and about a
beam was the Oquendo and then the
Colon. At the time / thought it was
the Teresa, but 1 soon discovered this
vessel was dropping out and heading
for the beach. That was about the
hottest time of the action. 1t was a
critical time. There was not any time
for indecision and / do not think there
was any. I I've always felt in my
mind, in studying the positions, that
the chances would have been for a dis
aster had we shifted helm at such a
time. However. we got round and We
had those three vessels. l looked ard
could see nothing but smoke astern and
vessels seemed enveloped in this smOke.
l could not understand it. 1 could not
understand exactly how We got there.
They were all three firing on the Brook
lyn, when almost Immediately, faster
than | could tell it. 1 saw a large white
bone in the water and through this
smoke [ saw the bow of a vessel. /
exclaimed at the time, what is that
the navigator, who was near me, said
it was the Massachusetts or something
to hat effect. 1 said she was away
and then said: That is the Oregon
l felt perfectly assured from thai mo-
ment. She came up very rapidly. Size
was making more speed than we Were
at that time.
Where was the Oregon with respect
to the Brooklyn at that time?"
Il estimated 600 yards. She passed
in between the Texas and the Iowa.
oHe SOl III DetWeen mat opening, came
to the northWard of the Texas and came
out about 800 yards from US. Il mean =
perpendicular course) and that would
account for just what we made to the
southwark in turning. We made more
than the tactical diameter because We
passed part of that distance with helm
half a port-about $50 yards"
Was it easy to handle the ship I'M
der such circumstances"
Il never have SaaD ODa ao11a1 fo bo~ -
was the starboard engine of the
Brooklyn reversed during that turn?"
1t was not. There was some ques-
ton about that The reason I fell
positive of that, is that in recalling the
circumstances my impression is it
may have been the commodore or the
navigator, one of the two, said some
thing about backing the %starboard en-.
CINE. My reply. I remember very well.
was / did not a to lose the speed
OF the ship; that she was turning all
right and rapidly and I wanted to keep
the speed of the ship"
AT the time you saw the Oregon
coming out of the smoke was she on
| your s~tarboard?"
"Starboard quarter"
And between You and h Spanish
ships?'
Never between US and the Spanish
ships"
'NNAN liz SdplSH SlllDS at Cndl
time?'
There never was anything between
US and the Sapish ships. She was OF
our starboard quarter"
Nearer in shore?"
yes"
Referring back now to certain points
In the story, as 1 did not care to in,
terrupt you you state You heard the
commodore say at one time hard aport
that was after you had begun to make
the turn and the helm was hare
aport?"
Yes. the helm was aport, but no
hard aport; my impression is now al
though it was not at that time. 1t wa!
ABOUT as near the same time as ha!
been given. There was perfect under
standing between the commodore anC
myself. Never a question of any kline
during the action"
q will ask if your recollection i:
clear as to whether the helm was pu'
hard aport by yourself first or, that YOU
did it in obedience to an order from tn,
commodore"
Il ave the order on my own respon
sibility. No question about that. L
was not after having heard the commo
dore. He called out to me as 1 hav
stated which 1 now think was simply
to confirm himself in the idea that sht
was turning with a hard port helm
A that time did you hear n con
%versation between the commodore anc
the NAVIGATOR"
Il did not"
Die you see any torpedo boats"
81 did"
Were you afraid of being rammed a
the time the turn was being made?"
No. There was something said abou
it, but I did not give it a second though
from the fact that I knew they coul
not ram unles they got within my turf
ing circle"
Were you afraid of bIanketing tn
fire of our fleet by turning one way o
the other?'
1--WE might have done 1t by turning
the other way"
Had you turned with a ~starboard in
stead of a port helm would such actiol
made by You advance you so far a
bringing up within the line of move
ment of the enemy's ss1ps?"
provided they had taken advantag
of it; that is to say, if they had con
tinued or their course southeas
straight for us and We had turned s
as to bring them within our turning cir