The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-09

tory. He then said:
in that letter / did not accuse the
newspaper of lieing for printing that
statement. In fact it was to absolve it
from lieing that l gave the paper author
ity to use my name for the correctness
Of the gist of that statement The lie
ing was in the statement that
the Commodore displayed such trepidation
and cowardice on the Brooklyn the day of
that battle that he ran from the Span
iards and took the Brooklyn to the south
ward and away from the fight a statement
made to detract from the credit of the
fame of the Commodore in that battle 1t
was the words to that extent that char
acterized as Icing"
WAINWRIGHT TESTIFIEs.
t-Commander Hodgson being
excused Commander Wainwright was
called. Captain Lemly began his exami-
nation by drawing from the witness the
fact that he had been a member and lat
terly senior member of the board which
had officially acted in making the chart
showing the positions Of the American
and Spanish ships at Santiago. The wit
ness told how conclusions were reached
by that board. He said: \
lu0F0 Was d great zeal OF discussion
as to relative positions. OF course, it
was impossible to get any position by
bearings and there was nothing known
about the relative positions. 1t being also
known that the distances on the chart
were somewhat incorrect, the final de-
cision of the board was to reconcile each
one as near as possible, but none of the
positions was considered exact positions.
Acly hv ah bo r,lo
assigned to the Brooklyn and the Texas
while the former vessel was making her
loop Commander Wainwright said he did
not consider them correct.
For myself" he said. 81 was never
satisfied with the places assigned
On redirect examination Commander
Wainwright said that the chart was
compromise of opinions In response to
further questions the witness said he did
not see the Brooklyn on the day of the
battle off Santiago
Questions were put by the court and an
swered as follows:
"Were the positions of the ships as
shown on the chart in question obtained
from testimony taken by the board of
general discussion by the members of the
board?'
almost entirely by general discussion
by the members of the board. Captain
Chadwick and Captain Cook appeared and
discussed the matter with the board"
From the position of the Gloucester at
the commencement of the. battle of July
3 could YOU see both the Brooklyn and
the Texas
Il do not remember seeing the Brook
lyn and Texas at the commencement of
the battle.''
what orders, if any, were signalled
by the Brooklyn to the feet during the
engagement of July ?"
II saw none
Mr.. Rayner: "This does not mean that
no signals were displayed, does it,"
mo. It does not"
/ BY the court: did any one of the
Spanish vessels change her course to the
southwark as if intending to ram one Of
the aee.?"
Il saw no signs of It."
LIEUT. BRISTOL TESTIFIES.
Lieut.. Bristol, speaking of the block
ade of Cienfuegos, said that during the
day the ships lay from five to ten miles
from the shore. steaming in nearer at
night; then going farther out and return
ing nearer at daybreak. He had, he said
observed the signal lights on the shore
near Cienfuegos, but had not understood
their significance.
The witness also described the blockade
OF Santiago, saying that it was main
tanned by steaming back and forth in
front of the mouth of the harbor at as
slow rate of speed as the ships could
travel Cat 800 yards or double distance
apart.) The line was about one and u
half miles long. The vessels generally
steamed from three and half to five
miles to either side of the harbor, goir &
and coming practically over the same
| line. The Marblehead and Vixen were on
the inside but could only be seen at GER
tam times even when the weather condi-
tions were favorable. Frequently. in
fact, only the vessel next ahead could be
seen.
Mr.. Hanna here asked the witness: .If
the vessels of the Spanish squadron had
suddenly apparel, what orders had you
to meet such contingency?"
mo orders were turned over to me in
regard to contingency OF that kind,
replied the witness.
Lieut.. Bristol stated that the fleet lay
outside of Moro from six to eight miles
during the day. He spoke of the Spanish
shore batteries, saying: II personally
examined them the day we arrived there
and satisfied myself that the batteries
amounted to nothing
Lieut.. Bristol said that on the MOI n
ing of July he had fixed the position of
the Texas and also generally of the other
ships Of the fleet and had prepared a
chart showing these positions. He con-
sidered the initial positions assigned TO
the Texas, the Brooklyn and Iowa as ac-
curate. The witness described the en-
gagement of July 8, saying that the
Spanish fleet had come out only sufficient
ly far to clear the shoal near the mouth
Oh the harbor before turning to the west
ward. He did not think this was to ex-
ceed 1000 yards out from Cay Smith
which is inside the harbor
Lieut.. Bristol said he did not see the
loop made by the Brooklyn
Lieut.. Bristol then detailed the part
the Texas played in the battle, giving
the details of the chase up the Cuban
coast. As to the relative positions of
the ships at the close of the chase. he
said:
The Brooklyn and Oregon were con-
s1derably closer to us than the Colon
The Oregon was closer than the Brook
Iyyr t.n% =.