Evening star., 1901-10-04
VIEWED FROM The INDIANA
CAPT. DAwsoNs STORY OF THE
BATTLE OF JULY s.
He Was ON Deck as signal omcer and
Closely observed-Lteut. Dysou's
Statement as to Coal.

The chief feature OF interest In the pro-
ceedings before the Schley court Of inquiry
after The Stars report closed yesterday
afternoon was the action OF MIR. Rayner Of
counsel for Admiral Schley in calling for
an estimate of coal that would have been
used by the flying squadron when before
Santiago had IL been necessary to chase
under forced draught the Spanish feet from
that place to nearest port He also want
ed an estimate OF the amount OF coal that
would have been required to get back to
the nearest coaling base. This information
was called for when Lieut.. Geo. w. Dyson
Of the bureau OF steam engineering. Navy
Department, was the stand to give in
formation taken from the steam logs OF
the flying squadron in relation to the guam
tity OF coal In the bunkers OF all the ves-
sells composing that feet. The demand OF
Mr.. Rayner was generally accepted as indi-
eating in some measure the line OF argu-
ment that Will be advanced by the counsel
Of Admiral Schley.
Capt. Dawson'a Testimony.
After The Stars report was closed yes
terday afternoon Capt VIM. c. Dawson.
United States Marine Corps, who is now
attached to the office of the Judge advocate
of the navy, and during the battle OF San
tiago was signal officer on board the In
diana, was called to the stand. When the
call Tor battle was sounded, wnen The SPAN
fsh ships were seen coming out OF San
tiago harbor. the witness went TO his sta
ton on the flying bridge beside Captain
Taylor. He was then a lieutenant and was
second in command Of the marine battery
in charge of signals. Asked how the Brook
lyn was lying relatively to the Indiana. he
said: THE Indiana occupied a position at
the eastern extremity Of the arc Of the
blockading circle, while the Brooklyn had
been at the west end OF the line. The In
diana was heading approximately north and
the Brooklyn northerly and easterly. The
Texas was first east OF the Brooklyn and
was heading in the same general direction
as that vessel ] had clear view Of all
the vessels up to the time the Indiana was
directed to return during the chase OF the
Colon
when the Spanish Came Out.
AT the beginning all the ships turned
intoward the Spanish fleet which was
emerging from the harbor. The Spanish
vessels came out In a southwesterly direc-
tion and ported helm. continuing to the
westward practically parallel to the coast
line Our ships then not having as great
speed as the enemy's began to fall behind,
SO that the Indiana Oregon, Iowa and
Texas starboarded helm and made all the
speed they could In parallel course with
the Spanish squadron i did not see the
movement OF the Brooklyn. The first I
noticed her was twenty or twenty-five MN
utes after the action began, when 1 turned
my eyes to the westward and saw the
Brooklyn standing apparently due south
ward directly at right angles to the course
we and the other American ships were
steering. This struck me forcibly be-
cause the other ships were in column and
steamng westward. The Brooklyn was IN
close proximity to several others OF our
ships They appeared punched but the
Brooklyn was Teaming southwark ana
firing with her stern guns, while some OF
the Others could not distinguish which,
were close to her. The spectacle was 50
remarkable that l reported the fact to the
commanding officer Of our ship, saying that
/ feared the Brooklyn was injured and was
course and went west on a line well out
side that of the other ships. I think tho
Oregon was then in the lead, either the
Oregon or the Texas. with the Iowa follow
ing and the Indiana in the rear. The
Brooklyn steered a course parallel, but
mile or a mile and a half TO the south
ward. skirting along the column formed
by the fleet. BY that time the chase was
well under way and the relative positions
of the vessels were not changed
Mr.. Rayner's cross-examination of Cap
tain Dawson was directed toward showing
that his testimony based upon recol-
lection and that consequently he was liable
to be Inaccurate The witness admitted
that he testified only from memory, but he
said: "I was on deck as a signal officer and
1t was my duty to observe closely and make
report" He said that the Brooklyn had
gone about 1000 yards to the southwark
Lieut.. Dyson's Tnbulated Statement.
When Captain Dawson was excused Lieut.
c. w. Dyson of the bureau Of steam en-
gineering, Navy Department, was intro
duced to present a tabulated statement
showing the amount OF coal on board the
vessels OF the flying squadron from May IS
to June ], 1898. as compiled from the steam
log books Of the various vessels.
Mr. Rayner said that he would not OBJ
ject to the presentation OF this statement
but that he would ask that 1t be so extend
ed to show how long this coal In each case
would carry the vessel under forced
draught, leaving sufficient on hand to take
the vessel to any given base of supply.
Capt Lemly said he had no objection TO
supplying this additional information. but
at $50 pm. the court adjourned for the
day before the tables could be presented.