The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-10-11
CHART is FAULTY.
Commander wainwright Testifes
That Map of Santiago Battle Is
Not Absolutely Correct.

usual preliminaries in the Schley
naval court of inquiry Tuesday Lieut..
G. w. Dyson, of the bureau of steam
engineering of the navy department.,
was recalled to continue his testi-
mony regarding the coal supply of
Admiral Schley's flying squadron at
the time of it's arrival off Santiago
harbor on May 26, 1898.
The proceedings of the day began
by the recall of Capt. w. M. Folger
for the purpose of correcting his
testimony of Monday. Advantage
was taken of his presence to ask him
further questions concerning the
blockade of Santiago. Among other
questions he was asked by Capt.
Lemly if he had had any CONVERSE
ton with Commodore Schley during
the blockade. He replied:
Toward h eAvening of one of the days.
the 30th, there was an extended. very Sc
we're rain-storm, so severe that I feared
Cervera had gotten out, as it was sufficient
ly long to have permitted him to do so. I
went on board the flagship the next day,
thinking 1t my duty to tell the commodore
what l had seen as to the blockade as kept
by the Japanese off the port of Wei Wei,
NiClO ~ Oil . liCSl was
in a fortified harbor. I said to the commo-
dore hat the adoption of the tactics of the
Japanese, forming a circle directly in
front of the harbor, would. in my opin-
ion, be preferable, as then it would be diff
ficult for anything to get out. He did not
agree with me as to the necessity for
that
Capt. Folger said thai he had no recol-
lection of a picket line on the inside of the
American fleet.
Az tho ~ 6 CoDt L. of oo,,~
sci for Admiral Schley, the witness exam
ined the log of the New Orleans for May
SO and 81, 1898, for the purpose of determin-
ing accurately the state of the weather.
but he declined to modify his statement of
Monday that the weather on those days
was bad.
Capt. Folger was then excused and Lieut..
Dyson was called. He was questioned by
Capt. Lemly concerning the steaming con-
dition of the Brooklyn on July 8. 1t was
shown that on the morning of July 3, both
forward engines were uncoupled; there
were banked fires under three of the main
boilers. The other boilers were what we
call dead" no steam in them. Judging
from the time it took to start fires in these
boilers after the Spanish fleet came out
of the harbor, the furnaces were not even
primed, and two of the boilers had to be
run up to the sea steaming level. 1t took
from 9:S5 to ten o'clock to start fires.
In response to questions from Capt.
L Le Sdlu lldl TIE NEW 1Ork QaO not
had her engines coupled on the day of bat
tie and that the Brooklyn had made all the
speed necessary.
After Lieut.. Dyson was excused Lieu
tenant Commander Hodgson was recalled
for the purpose of correcting errors in his
testimony as printed in the official record.
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson being
excused Commander Wainwright was
called. Capt. Lemly began his examina-
ton by drawing from the witness the fact
that he had been a member and latterly
senior member of the board which had Of
ficially acted in making the chart showing
the positions of the American and Spanish
ships at Santiago. The witness told how
conclusions We're reached by that board.
Asked by MIR. Rayner about the places as
signed to the Brooklyn and the Texas while
the former vessel was making her loop
Commander Wainwright said he did not
consider them correct.
On redirect examination Commander
Wainwright said that in making the chart
all the members of the board We're at lib
erty to contribute whatever data they had
or make whatever arguments they might
desire. He also said that the chart was
a compromise of opinions.
In response to further questions the wit
ness said he did not see the Brooklyn on
the day of the battle off Santiago.
Were the positions of the ships as shown
on the chart in question obtained from
testimony taken by the board or from a
6ShSi i QlSCuSSlOH by the members OIL the
ooard?' was asked by the court.
Almost entirely by general discussion
by the members of the board. Capt. Chad
WICK and Capt Cook appeared and dis
cussed the matter with the board"
Commander Wainwright was then ex-
cused, and Lieut.. M. L. Bristol, former
watch and division officer on the Texas,
was called. He had only related the arrival
OF the Texas at Cienfuegos and detailed
conditions there when the court took a re-
cess for luncheon.
Lieut.. Bristol continued his testimony at
the afternoon session of the court. Speak
ing OF the blockade Of Cienfuegos, he said
mat during the day the ships lay from five
TO ten miles from the shore, steaming in
nearer at night; then going farther out and
returning nearer at daybreak. He had, he
said, observed the signal lights on the
shore near Clenfuegos, but had not under
stood their significance. With respect to
coallng, he said that on one occasion while
on Clenfuegos, Capt. Philip had signaled
to the flagship that he considered it Ian
gerous to put the collier between the Texas
ana the Iowa, meaning by that said the
witness, that 1t was dangerous to a coll
Her TO put 1t between two battleships re-
CARELESS of the weather." He also told of
the injury to the Texas in coaling while off
Santiago, but said it was not due to the
weather.
Mr.. Hanna here asked the witness: 'If
the vessels of the Spanish squadron had
suddenly appeared, what orders had you to
meet such a contingency"
mo orders were turned over to me in
regard to a contingency Of that kind re-
piled the witness.
AS watch officer. should you have had
such orders?"
II should have had"
The witness described the engagement Of
July 8, saying that the Spanish fleet had
come out only sufficiently far to clear the
shaol near the mouth of the harbor before
turning to the westward. He cid not think
this was to exceed 1900 yards out from Cay
Smith, which is inside the harbor.
Lieut.. Bristol said that after the engage
ment began he went below and fired three
shots from the Pinch guns. When he
came on deck the first of the Spanish ships
was going ashore. W. We're then" he
said, headed to the westward, with the
enemies ships running close along a point
seven miles west of Santiago
You did not see what is known as the
ioop?' asked Mr.. Hanna.
II did not"
Lieut.. Bristol then detailed the part the
Texas played in the battle. giving the de-
tails of the chase up the Cuban coast, de-
scribinS the close of that pursuit. He said
that the close of the chase of the Colon the
| BrOOklVn was laa6ipp the Oreono