The Washington times., 1901-10-09

Then there was great deal of discussion
as to the relative positions OF the ships.
OF course 1t was impossibIe 20 get the
positions by bearings, and the only thlng
We could get was the relative positions
We knew that the distances on tho chart
used at that time were Inaccurate, and
the final decision was to reconcile the dif.
ferenCcs AZ nearly as possible. II would
have been impossible to have plotted IN"
positions correctly even II We had cor
rect chart, hut u gave a general idea OF
the different positions OF each ship dur
ing the battle
Ry the Judge Advocate:
Q.-Where there were differences or
opinion between the members OF the
board In regard to distances and ranges.
those differences Were reconciled as far
as possiblcT
bers OF the board agreed to the chart as
tn" nearest possible positions which we
could obtain So far as | know. none of
tho members OF the board was satisfied
with all n the positions
Mr. Raynrr-The report SAYS that the
positions of the United States ships were
established hy known bearings aud dis
tsuCcs from the MORO. Was that sol
No. sir. they were established by ca
timatpd distances.
Q-Then that is a mistake I'm the re-
port
A-That is a mistake I'm the report
Q-Nas the position OF the New York
plotted by the revolutions Of her en-
sines3
A.-The revolutions of her engines were
used in plotting.
Q-Were any other officers az the ships
giving testimony before your board eN-
cept the navisators7
A-Captain cook, Of the BROOKLYN. and
1ap'ain Chadwick Cf the New York. ap-
peared. l DO not recollect any other OH
Ger.
Q.-you did the hest YOU could with the
evidence YOU haJH
A-Ihat IS correct
Q-And You made Your report feeling
that under the circumstances this chart
Is as nearly coE.Sct as possible SO long
after The ensagement?'
BY the Court;
o.-Werc the positions OF the ships as
shown by the chart obtained from tcsti-
u1onN taken ny the beard or from general
discussion ot the members of the board?
A-Ainost entirely from general dis
Captain Chadwick and Captain Cook did
appear and discuss the matter with the
board.
Q What orders If any. were submitted
by the Brooklyn TO the fleet during the en-
gagement OF July 8?
Al saw none. did not see the Brook
lyn.
o.-Did amy one of the Spanish vessels
change her course to the southwark as
If with an intention to ram one of the
heet2
Al saw no signs of it,
Observations by Bristol.
Testimony about the blockades' of Cien-
fuegos and Santiago by Schiey's squadron
was given by Lieut., Marx L. Bristol who
was a watch and division officer on the
Texas in the Spanish war. He told of
seeing earthworks at Cienfuegos and that
no attempt was made by SchIey's ships
to destroy them, and then the recess hour
arrived.
Resuming his testimony after recess,
Lieutenant Bristol described schley's
blockade of Cienfuegos. During the
day he said, the ships lay of the port,
drifting about, al distance oI five or
six to ten miles. At evening they formed
column and steamed slowly in toward
the harbor TO distance of two or three
miles, then out to the southwark about
ten miles. At daylight they rounded slow
ly in again.
He said that the diffic Ilty os coaling the
Texas at sea on the re'rosrade move
ment was due to the Ca -lel' between
that ship and the collier, which had Eeen
badly placed and not lHited to the cOndi-
tion CT the weather. On it's arrival OF
Santiago on May Z6 the squadron was so
far of. he said, that the port could not
be seen. 1t was more than twenty mile s,
he estimated In maintaining the block
ade of Santiago the ships passed from
three and one-haff to five miles to each
side Of the entrance. This, he said, was
a very accurate statement. There were
times, said the witness, when the col
umn, which was about a mile and ha [
long, with four ships for the first two
nights. and about two miles long with
five ships afterward, doubled on itself in
turning after passing the entrance.
Describing the attack or reconnaissance
OF May 81, the witness said the shots from
the Spanish batteries and ships fell into
the water On the day the squadron
reached Santiago he had examined the
batteries through a long glass and salts
fed himself that they amounted to moth
iriS.. and this had been confirmed by en-
gaging them SuhSeuuently On the dav
the army landed, the Texas alone had ST.
lenced the Socapa battery in forty-two
minutes. although not firing continu-
Ously.
The distance maintained by day off San
tiago by Schleys squadron was from six
to eight miles. He thought the Marble
head and Vixen we're in the line Of ships
during the day, but was not certain He
was certain. however. that they were in
side AT night.
Coming-to the day of the battle, Lieu
tenant Bristol said that five minutes after
the alarm was given that the enemy was
escaping he saw two of the Spanish ships
turn TO the westward, The Brooklyn. said
the witness, was 500 to 900 yards behind
the Texas Twenty minutes after the
battle began the Spanish vessels were GO
ing TO the westward and the Texas turned
to run parallel with them. He did not
see the Brooklyn execute the loop, as he
was in turret at that time
In telling of the chase after the Colon
Lieutenant Bristol said the Brooklyn was
as far outside the Oregon as the Colon
was inside the Oregon From his posi-
tion on the Texas he saw that ne Brook
gon was closer to the Colon, being nearer
inshore.
Defends His Chart.
Under cross-examinatIon by Mr.. Ray
ner. Lieutenant Bristol said that a chart
which he produced, showing the positions
of the American and Spanish ships in
the battle principally from his own per-
sonal observation, was made by him be-
tween the date of the battle and July 25.
The second and third positions were not
from his own observation. He had begun
to make the chart he said, the day after
the battle. He had depended on what he
remembered OF the battle, and from what
officers on board other ships, including
Lieutenant Sears, Admiral Schleys flag
secretary, had told him. Lieutenant
Sears had informed him that just before
the battle began the Brooklyn was $500
yards. or about three and one-half miles,
from the haTbor, and that within i've
minutes after the battle began the Brook
lyn had fired her first shot at 1,400 yards.
The tactical diameter given by the wit
ness to the Brooklyn in making the loop
was 800 yards. Lieutenant Commander
HodFsOn's statement that the Brooklyn $
tactical diameter was GO yards was called
TO the attention OF the witness, ard he
said TO a question by Mr.. Rayner that
Mr. HodGson knew more about it than
himself
Then your map is wrong?" said Mr.
Rayncr.
Il have stated that it was as regards
the initial positions OF the ships and the
positions after the third and that the rest
was from calculations made after consul
tatiOns with officers Of other vessels" q"
Mr. Hanna objected to Mr. Rayner put
ting his questions In the form of assertions
and Mr RayRer raised a laugh among the
spectators by saying that If the Court