The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-09-30
To-DAY's TESTIMONY
Commander Miller of the Merrimac
Tells of Nasty Weather.

Commander Miller of the Merrimac
r- Tells of Nasty Weather.
Washington. Sept sO-The schIey court
OF inquiry resumed it's work to-day. Cap
tain Lemly and Mr.. Hanna were engaged
from the early morning in preparing the
program for the day. There Is much in
the way of detail to be done each morn
ing and they come direct to the court
building, where they have their list OF
witnesses, files of documents, printed mat
ter and everything else bearing upon the
case They began the days proceedings,
according to custom, by recalling the
witnesses Of previous days. Captain
Lemly's- program provided that these
should be followed by Commander Miller,
who commanded the collier Merrimac in
the early part of the Santiago campaign;
Captain Jewell. who commanded the scout
Minneapolis; Lieutenant Commander
Sharp, who had charge of the Vixen, and
Lieutenant ]. G. Doyle OF the Brooklyn.
1t was also contemplated to call at very
early period Rear Admiral Evans, who
was captain Of the Iowa. Much interest
was manifested in the probable appear
ance OF the rear admiral and also in the
prospect of seeing Captain Miller who
1t will be remembered, surrendered with
great reluctance the command of the Mer-
rimac to Lieutenant Hobson who after
Santiago harbor.
While Commander Sutherland was on
the stand he was asked by the court
whether, If the feet of Cervera had been
in the harbor at Cienfuegos. it could
have been seen by the vessels blockadlng
the port. He replied
cannot definitely say. Not unless they
had anchored In the lower harbor just inside
of the entrance in the deep water where
the schooner to which I referred to before,
was anchored. l do not believe they would
have anchored in that spot.
Commander Miller In Questioned
The first new witness Of the day was
Commander James NJ. Miller, who was In
command Of the collier Merrimac while
that vessel was part of Admiral Schley's
flying squadron. Commander Miller said
that he had assumed command of the Mer-
rimac on April II at Norfolk He had
taken on board at Lamberts Point soon
afterward about 5000 tons Of coal Hia
vessel had, he said, been capable at first
Of making between nine and ten knots,
but afterward he had trouble with hts
pressure machinery, so that by May 28
and "A he would have hesitated in trying
to secure a speed of more than seven
knots. He read from the Golfers log to
show that the Iowa, the Massachusetts,
and the Castine had been coaled on the
23d and oath. No record was found Of
the coaling of any vessel on the 25th OF
the 26th, the time consumed in proceed
ing from Cienfuegos to Santiago.
''The sea- he said, ION the 25th wag
nasty, quite nasty. The Merrimac being
q heavy vessel. its speed was affecteSS
but If l had had a smaller vessel 1 should
have felt it very much" He also said
that the weather for that day was bad.
Late in the afternoon of May 26 the in
termediate valve Of the collier was brolf-
en-, but previous to the arrival off SAM
tiago she had not been broken down,
disabled or delayed" AS to the condition
on the 26th the witness said:
| should say l could have coaled, as And
here consulting the log) we were making
ten knots at one time. We got up to twelve
knots. l find the weather could not have
Teen very boisterous. / read here from the
leg: "At o'clock seven knots. then SIX"
and so on. We got up to ten. There is one
entry here that we got up to eleven knots.
On that date l find, 'steaming- with the
squadron east to quarter north" and I hnd
by the entry between o'clock in the morn
ing and meridian OF that date that we made
from ten to twelve knots.
Mr.. Hanna-What was the condition Of tha
sea?
Witness-The sea had then smoother,
should judge from the way we were going.