The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-24
INQUIRY WAS LIVELY
PART PLAYED BY TEXAS CAUSES
WARM TALK.
CAN'T KEEP SAMPSON OUT.
LEMLY's EFFFORTs TO THIS END
WILL NOT SUCCEED.

Navigator Heilner of the Texas
Proves AN Interesting Witness-He
Says That ycsse. Was ENDANGERED
by the BroolSlyn's Loop, That She
Was Compelled to Slow Down and
Lost Much Time-His Estimate of
the Distance Differs Considerably
From the Official Chart, which He
Helped to Prepare, and Which Is
Admitted to Be Inaccurate.
Washington, Sept. 23.-The part
played by the battleship Texas in the
naval battle of Santiago, July 3, 1898,
in which the Spanish fleet under Ad-
miral Cervera was sunk, was the ba-
sis of the greater part of to-day's pro-
ceedings in the Schley naval court of
inquiry. OF the four witnesses exam
ined during the day, three had been
officers on board the Texas during the
battle, and two of them were new wit
nesses. These were Commander George
C. Heilner, who was navigator on the
Texas, and Commander Alexander B.
Bates. who was the chief engineer on
executive officer and the chief surviv-
ing officer of the ship since the death
of Capt Philip, was Nrecalled. The
fourth witness was Commander Sea-
ton Schroeder, executive officer on the
Massachusetts, and now governor of
the Island of Guam.
The testimony several times during
the day was somewhat exciting and
it was especially so when Commander
Heilner described the battle and the
part the Texas had taken in it. He
said that when the Brooklyn made it's
loop at the beginning of the battle it
had passed across the Texas bow at
a distance not to exceed 100 OF $50
yards and that at the command Of
Capt. Philip the Texas had been
brought to a dead stop. Engineer
Bates testified that the starboard en-
gines had been stopped and said ne
thought this also had happened to the
port engines. Commander Heilner ex-
pressed the opinion that three miles
had been lost by this maneuver and
from the fact that part of the ma
chinery was deranged. He said he con-
sidered that the Texas was in greater
danger when the Brooklyn crossed her
bow than at any other time during the
battle.
The day closed with an animated
controversy between counsel as to the
policy of bringing Admiral SIMPSONS
name into the trial.
1t was authoritatively stated to-day
that the Navy Department has no IN
tention at present of bringing Admiral
Sampson to Washington or to partic-
ipate in any other manner at the in
quiry.
After the introduction of the log
book of a number of the vessels en-
gagged in the Santiago campaign, Com
mander Schroeder was recalled and
asked if he desired to make any cor
rections in the official record of his
testimony of Saturday
There is one omission from Admiral
Schley's remarks on the Massachu-
setts on the day of the bombardment
of the Colon which 1 overheard, which
/ should like to supply" he replied.
'It is this: He said when he came
aboard that Admiral Sampson would
be there on the following day. He
made that statement in connection
with his remark that he was going in
to sink the Colon"
Commander Schroeder was then
asked concerning the coal supply of
the Massachusetts and when he re-
piled that he had no information on
that point, he was asked to read the
log to secure this information. The
purpose of this inquiry was to develop
what Messrs. Lemly and Hanna con-
sidered an error in Admiral Higgin-
sons testimony. He had said that the
Massachusetts, could not have remain
ed on blockade for more than twelve
days, and that then the vessel would
be without coal and powerless to pro-
ceed to coal. Reading from the log
Commander Schroeder said 1T showed
that the Massachusetts had over 500
tons of coal aboard when 1t arrived
at Santiago.
Commander Schroeder said the Mas
sachusetts could have remained on
blockade duty twenty days with that
supply of coal, or could have remain
ed sixteen days and had enough coal
left reach Key West.
Lieut. Commander L. c. Heilner, who
was navigator of the Texas during the
Spanish war, was next CALLED. he
said he had heard no guns fired when
the squadron approached Cienfuegos.
To his knowledge no effort was mace
to ascertain whether the Spanish fleet
was in the harbor at that point or to de-
stroy Spanish works there. Nor had
there been any effort to communicate
with Cubans on shore until Capt Nc
Gala arrived on the Marblehead.
The Battle of July 3.
The witness was then asked to de-
scribe the battle of July 3, said:
The Texas had been heading about
east when the enemy was seen com
ing out of Santiago. Lieut.. Bristol,
who was officer of the deck at the
time, rang to go ahead full speed and
put helm hard to starboard to make
a turn.
when 1 got on deck he informed
me of what had happened and | sent
him below and assumed charge of the
deck. The captain told me that he had
eased the helm until he could find out
which way the ships were going, and
he also rang half speed. ! suggested
full speed. He said the battery was
not ready l told him ii would he
ready before the ship was in position
to fire, and then he said All right,
and rang full speed. When the second
of the enemys ships followed the first
to the westward he put the helm hard
to starboard. l made several re-
ports to him about the Brooklyn re-
garding her signals. He said, Never
mind I also referred to the way ]
thought the Brokolyn was standing
up to the fight-very nicely. The cap
tain said OH Crackie Never mind
the Brooklyn. You look out for this
ship The Brokolyn then was about
on her port beam. so I said All
rfphf Canfafp I will 1ook he