The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-03
Lieutenant Harlow's Notes.

Tln INC nOlcS
Lieutenant Harlow's Notes.
Captain Parker also called the attention OF
the witness to the entry in Lieutenant Harlow's
notes. wherein he says: "1l.15 the Iowa is gain
ing on the Massachusetts" and asked if he had
read the notes at the time, at the same time
calling his attention to the fact that the Siassa.
cl,isctts was then at Guantanamo.
Commander Sharp replied that he did read the
notes, but that he thought he must have over.
looked this notation.
CAPTAIN Parker then asked whether II was not
true that all the changes from the original copy
appearing in the Brooklyn print had been made
by Lieutenant Harlow himself before he dclir-
cred tho transcript to him tSharp) tNr Commo-
dorc Sclcy. The witness replied THAT he did not
think so.
Captain rarkcr-You can hardly remember at
this time whether the Brooklyn was on the
starhoard or port how can you?
"Ycs, sir my impression is she was on the
port bow. After VIC had passed Acerradcros,
standing to westward, my impression is that the
Brooklyn was on her port bow during the entire
run to the westward until she turned in at Rio
Tar1uino.
Captain Parkcr-Now knowing that fact may
it not be possible that before you sent those
notes on board or took them on board to the
commodore the word "sarboard" may have been
changed into "port' or vice versa? II You read
the notes over before you took them to the
commodore and saw any inaccuracies or things
that ought to have been changed, you probably
would have changed them. would you not?
81 am afraid I did not read them over as
carefully as ! should have donc.'
'That is error undoubtedly about the
Brooklyn being on the starboard bow. 1t was on
the port side?"
at is stated there officially"
'Ycs, it is stated officially and signed by Lieu.
tenant Harlow. l think it is an error, and the
mention Of the Massachusetts, is an error as
she was at Guantanamo"
Mr.. Rayncr-Do YOU remember that when YOU
handed to Commodore Schley the typcwritten
transcript Of the Harlow notes from which the
pamphlet was printed, that YOU said: 'Commo.
dore Schley here are the true notes Of the fight,
which will stand.'"
Il have no recollection OF using such Ian
guage.''
In response to questions Commander Sharp
said that according to Lieutenant Harlow's notes,
as recorded in the Fixen's log, the flagship New
York had come up about an hour and fifteen
minutes after the Cristobal Colon had surren.
dered. The record read that the New York had
arrived three to five minutes after the arrival
of the Vixen, which had been at go.
Positions of Brooklyn.
The court here asked a number OF questions
"Werc the positions Of the Brooklyn and the
Oregon relative to the Vixen during the battle
of July taken from Lieutenant Harlow's notes or
from your personal observation?'
'From my recollection of the fight that day"
"Iow near were the Spanish ships to the
Brooklyn at the time You saw her turn to 90
south July 3?'
II could not give correct estimate"
''What signals, if any, were made by the Brook
d 49,.
battle of July 3?"
"Thc Brooklyn had hoStcd signal, Enemy at
tempting to escape. That is in the notes. There
may have been others. but / do not find any
here"
AT the time that the Brooklyn commenced to
make the turn you have referred to how near TO
her was the nearest vessel Of the cncmy?"
II could not state with any defnitcness."
Captain Sgsbce was then recalled to correct the
official copy Of his testimony of yesterday, but
before lie proceeded Mr. Rayncr asked him wheth.
cr "invew OF the weather and the sea on May
26th ships could have been coaled with safety to
them"
Captain Sgsbcc replied: "Possibly, yes, on the
evening Of the 10th, hut at risk of danger to the
ships. The weather had somewhat abatcd and
cannot say that it would have been impossible"
Captain sigsbee's Addition.
Captain Sigsbce also made an addition to his
of yesterday concerning any statement
that he might have made to Admiral Sampson or
any else to the effect that Commodore Schley
was blockading Santiago harbor twenty-five miles
out at sea. lie said:
~ did not, and never have stated that Admiral
Schlcy was blockading twenty-five miles out at
sea"
The court asked questions of Captain sigsbce as
follows:
"You have stated there were two meetings of
Santiago while you were blockading there, have
you not?"
~ stated that to the best OF my recollection
there were. am not too firm in that belief. I
am positive there was one"
"Upon what ship or ships were these meetings
hcld!'
"Eithcr the Yale or the Harvard. One, think,
was held aboard the Harvard Captain Cottons
vessel. II another was held at all, it was aboard
the Yale"
"Wcre The meetings accidental or by order OF
the senior officer prescnt?'
'By order OF the senior officer present"
"What was the object OF these meetings OF com
officers off Santiago?"
'rhey were informal meetings to talk over the
! remember objected to one because
the spaniards might come out and catch us out
OF our ships at any time, and wanted to so
aboard my ship The meeting was broken up on
that account 1t was referred to by Captain Wise,
and OF course, it shows meeting with Captain
Wise"
"wcre any orders of the navy department read
or discussed at these mectingsy'
AZ cannot now recoleot distinctly. | presume
they We're"
Estate as nearly as possible the substance OF
each Of these dispatches discussed and their
dates"
my recollection fails me. ] cannot do It,"
Can you designate the dispatches or reports