Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-16
SCHLEY'S CONDUCT
WHEN UNDER FIRE
Commander Mason Says 1t Was Excellent
In Every Particular Was Calm.
Collected and Brave

ing my first engagement and might
have made some remark. II Is some
thing some one might have misunder'
stood, but that reark never made"
What do you mean by 'irritated al
the delay?"
Delay of not going Immediately into
this work"
Explain what you mean by imme'
diately'
Mr.. Raynor--Just one moment. Does
the state Of his irritation enter into
this case? He said he never had such
q conversation. Suppose he was irri'
ated about II. Does that affect this
ase?
Judge advocate--If the court please
II Is not the irritation | am directing
questions about, but II Is the delay. He
says he was irritated at the delay,
think 1t is fair TO tell II, fair TO the
applicant that he should state what
delay he has referred to; whether 1t is
the delay on that particular day In go
ing In, as we understand there was a
delay on that day, or whether II is the
general delay as compared with preN-
Gus days while the vessels were In that
vicinity.
Mr.. Raynor--1 do not object to that.
IRRTTATED AT HIGGINsoN.
The wltness--As l recall, l was ir-
ritated at Capt Higginson's request
to delay the reconnaissance until after
the mems dinner, remember that
very WELL
The court questioned Commander
Sears on various points covered by his
testimony of yesterday. He said in
reply to these questions that on the
morning OF July 3, the Brooklyn had
begun turning TO starboard immediate
ly after the engines were started; that
the helm of the Brooklyn had been put
aport when the helm OF the Viscaya
was put aport.
1T was" he said, "a practically sim
ultaneous movement He also said
that when he had said to Commodore
Schley during the battle that he
thought the Brooklyn was about its
tactical diameter from the Viscaya, he
did not mean that the distance was
less than had been reported by Yeoman
Ellis. The tactical diameter of the
Brooklyn had not then been determined
and he had supposed II 10 be about $50
yards. The Viscaya had been passed
long after the Brooklyn's turn and they
ran along together for some time. After
the Colon had passed the Viscaya she
had out footed the Brooklyn and II was
then that she was 1900 yards from the
Brooklyn, as Indicated by the stadi-
meter, which the witness said he did
not consider an accurate instrument.
After that time the Colon, having ex-
hausted her best coal, lost her speed
and the Brooklyn gained upon her,
Asked how much time had been con-
sumed In the Brooklyn's turn, Com
mander Sears said that II seemed very
short. that II might have been Is or 20
minutes.
The last OF the courts questions was
concerning the relative positions OF the
Brooklyn and the Oregon during the
chase OF the Spanish ships. The Ore
gon was not. he said, so near the
Vizcaya as was the Brooklyn, but
might have been nearer the Oquendo.
1--WE were always nearer the Colon
during the chase" he said, nearer
during the chase and at the surrender"
COMMANDER MAsoN's STORY.
Lieut.. Com. Sears was then excused
and Commander Mason was called as
the first new witness Of the day
Commander Mason detailed the siege
of Cienfuegos and also referred to the
blockade Of Santiago.
Mr. Raynor then asked the witness
hoy many times he had seen Commo-
dore Schley under fire, 10 which he re-
piled:
''Dgring all the engagements"
What was his general conduct. man
ner and bearing on these occasions?"
Excellent. In every particular He
was calm, collected and brave"
Asked to give brief account OF the
battle Of July 3. Commander Mason. al
ter giving the preliminaries, said:
"As soon as ] reported the battery TO
Capt. Cook In the coming tower.
asked him II we should commence firing
He replied: Fire as soon as you are
ready. Immediately gave the order 10
Lieut.. Simpson to fire as soon as he
could. giving him range Of $500 yards.
i think the first gun was fired within
iive minutes or very close TO five min
utes after the first alarm. The rest or
the battery took up the fire at oncs
and continued to fire on the port bow
until the ranges commenced 10 get
down 10 1880 and 1900 yards. ! asked
Capt. Cook as 20 which way he was
going round, II being necessary for me
to know on account OF changing the
battery below, shifting from one side t.
the other. He answered that he was
going with port helm. gave the nee
essary orders on deck and went be-
low.
AS arrived In the after cabin the
after hye-inch gun was fired for the
last time on the port side and the star
board gun took up the FIRE Immediately.
The starboard battery then was en-
gagged for the rest Of the action. The
range al the time we turned. as far as
remember. was about l.i0O yards, al
though ] have recollection OF i.io0
Yards being sent 10 me once. As 10
The position Of the enemy they were on
The port bow outside OF the harbor
when We made the turn with the mort
helm. At the end OF the turn they
we're On our stqrboard beam and quar-
Ter with one Of them a little ahead"
Mr.. Raynor-What time was II when
he Colon ran ashore?
81 took no time. | only know by the
WI ~ ihc blitt thdi II was ABOUT
LIZ nm"
After the surrender was accomplish
a. where dii the BROOKLYN ro?"
when Capt. Cook retufnad On boprd
We were sent 10 the eastward AZ once
Nv the commodore 10 Inherent span-
sh man-of-war that was reported first
~ the Resolute and then by tho Viz
m"
did YOU Intercept any Spanish man.
,f.war7"
About dnsk we met the Austrian
.riiiser Maria Teresa"
Was that the vessel you were ORDER
a 10 interceut9"
WE ARE AUsTRIANs.
Il imagine that II was the vessel. be-
'ause We had some difficulty "a distln-
The difference between the
Austrian and Spanish flags when they
we're not holding out straight 20 much
% that the commanding officer Of The
Austrian hois;ed an International sig
lal We are Austrians "