The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-10-05

Washington, Oct. 4.-Copies OF CORE
spondence between Lieutenant Hodgson
and Admiral Schley during the period
from June o. 1899. to Aug. .. 1901, were
given to the press today with the state
ment that the correspondence will be
submitted to the Schley court by Lieu
tenant Hodgson while on the witness
stand. Most OF il already has been pub
Iished III the newspapers, although a part
of IT has not been published heretofore.
On June 8. 1893, Admiral Schley wrote
Lieutenant Hodgson, enclosing an edi-
torfal from the New York Sun, alleging
that a colloquy had occurred between
Schley and HodgsOn on the bridge OF the
Brooklyn during the battle OF .Santago'
in the course OF which the admiral Is re-
ported to have said: . r..
herself" in reply to Hodgson renon-
STRANGE against turning the snip 10 star
tesnue lie. the admiral asked Hodgson to
write your denial of this oft repeated
calumny." -
very long letter, dated at the New YORK
navy yard denying he authorized the
ing a long explanation of what ne says
occurred during the battle he auQeu
that what was printed as part OF
conversation between you ana me IS SUP
stantially correct, though not as to the
manner in which it took place
Hodgson then tells of the rage with
which the Brooklyn heard the sinister
whisper. upon her return to Guantanamo
bay that they were gun shy and ne
saws he gave what he thought was a
true explanation of that turn to many
officers of the fleet, none OF whom 1dlled
to agree with him. He explains that Al
miral Schley made this turn as strlt-
eVicaI vancouver. looking to the further
part the Brooklyn was to play in that
DAVIS battle rather than as an effort 10
avoid interference with the fire of the
other vessels of the fleet In fact l
thought then. ] think now. that the
turn TO starboard caused more lhlerIer-
ence.'
Hodgson Explains the Turn.
Then Hodgson gives his explanation of
the turn. he tells OF the benet tnat eX-
listed, that Spanish ships outclassed the
Americans in speed, and that in the abb
sence OF the New York the Brooklyn was
4 the only American ship capable OF pre-
venting the escape of the spanish SHIPS
! should they escape the fire of the bat
/ tleships. The Spanish torpedo boats were
/ also TO be reckOned with.
Therefore" says Hodgson, after put
/ ting the helm TO starboard and TO por1
/ once or twice to counterfeit the efforts
of the Teresa and Niscaya 10 get into
/ closer action and ram Us, and after th'
/ leading Spanish ship had reached Just q
/ little abdft our port beam, you decided
/ 10 port the helm and turn around II
! chase to prevent the escape OF any OF th'
/ Spanish vessels.
] Hodgson writes that he suggested tina
! the Texas was aft their starbOard beam
I and that there was danger OF runnins
| into her and getting right across her lint
/ OF fire and that Schley replied that tn
: Texas would have TO look out for that
that it was imperative to get around i'm
mediately and by turning TO port yol
would be so close to the enemy that yol
( would expose yourself to attack from
I the torpedo boats; that a lucky shot o
/ two by the enemy might disable tn
/ Brooklyn and that you did not propos
| to run such a risk at that stage OF tn
| battle, when it was so unnecessary ant
when so much depended upon the spec
OF the Brooklyn.
Wanted to Move Quickly.
Hodgson writes that he then suggested
backing the starboard engine, "becaus
II would shorten the circler and Civ
the Texas a wider BERTH. and tina
Schley replied after a pause: NO. be
cause 1t would deaden our speed of turn
ing and you wish to get around as quicl
as possible. For weeks after the bat
tie Captain Cook was under the impress
sion that we had backed the starboar
/ engine"
Hodgson suggests that in making tn
suggestion. he was discharging his dut
as the navigator of the ship, charge
with her safety. and at the moment di
not consider the effect of the turn upo