The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-19
Witnesses Said That Was the Apparent In
tenton OF the Viscaya.
INQUIRY is DRAWING NEAR TO ITS CLOSE.
Eight Witnesses Examined Yesterday and Schley's
Counsel Announced the Presentation Would
Probably Conclude Next Week.


would have been n waste of ammunition.
Commander Nicholson thought the Oregon
was nearer the enemy during the chase
than the Brooklyn, but the distance varied
somewhat At one time the Brooklyn had
apparently turned to head OF "A turn of the
Colon toward Cape Cruz.
The court asked questions Of Commander
Nicholson as follows.
WAS the Oregon in her blockading pc.
siti9n WHEN the Spanish ships started out?''
What was her course with reference to
the Morro?"
About four miles distant aud a little
eastward TO south Of II"
Whit was the distance between the
hlockading positions Of the Oregon aud the
BrooklyuY
From three to four miles In the day;
they were nearer together at night
what WAS the relative positions Of the
American ships when the Spanish vessels
came Outf'
''lhe Iowa was due south, the Texas on
her port holm aud the Brooklyn farther or
10 thc-ANcstWard.
"'rhc oregon was to the right of the
Iowa and the Indiana in shore to the east
ward, with the New YORK I'm the distance
remember Immediately lookieg for the
flagship and saw her off seven or eight
DID the Oregon at any time pass be-
tween. the Brooklyn and the Spanish
Not when they were Offering any active
resistance; she did Is the Spanish vessels
turned TO go ashore"
toward the Brooklyn had the Brooklyn
completed her turnf"
Il am under the impression that She
had she must have done so.
What was the position of the Oregon
when she turned with starboard helm dur
ing the battle Off Snntlngof'
she was lying Stil ia the water. and We
turned to head off the Spanish dcet We
| overlook all but the Colon very quickly
DR. Charles NJ Dcyalln followed Com.
mundcr Nicholson. lie said that he had
| been medical officer ON board the Brooklyn
| and had observed the battle of July 3 from
| the forecastle. He gave brief description
| OF the battle, saying he had been present
| when leomnn ELLIS was killed and chat
| he had observed Commodore Schley during
| the entire engagement.
| Ills conduct and nearing" said the wit
| ness, was all that could he expected. lie
| seemed to know what he was about and to
! he doing all that he wished to do. II was
| in perfect control Of the situation"
ON cross.eXaminatlon the witness said
| the order, helm hard aport.' and had
heard no one else give II. In response
| 10 question he said that he had at that
| time heard no colloquy or alteration con-
! corning this order
Haven't YOU stated heretofore that YOU
did hear cuCh cOnv 'rSatiouY
81 may have so stated, but / do not now
remember and can not repeat any CONVEX
satou Of the kind. "
Mr.. Raynor protested against the putting
Of this question without giving the names
of persons with whom witness was sup
posed Ia have had the conversation in ques-
tlon
Admiral Dewey sustained Mfr. Raynor's
point
Lieutenant Ward In Portsmouth, n. H.. on
August i6 that YOU had heard a converSl-
ton in which the word Texas WAS uscdf'
The witness said that On that date Mr..
Ward had asked him whit he would testify
to In the case and he had said ii was pos
slble that there had been conversation
If1,y ptft tt..It.
the BROOKLYN during the battle between
Commodore Schley and Lieutenant Com
mnndcr llodgson, hut the witness said shat
lac was unable to repeat 1t under oath. He
had no recollection Of saying anything at
that time about the Texas,
Captain John l.. Hannum was then called.
He was the chief engineer on board the
Brooklyn, and of the flying squadron dur.
Ing the Cuban campaign, Captain Han
NUNS testimony, aside from replies TO ques
lions by tho court. related entirely to the
| condition Of the collier Mcrrimac May -
aud Is He said that on the forenoon ct
! May - Commodore Schley had ordered him
tot 20 aboard the collier. That having been
, done, he soon found her Intermediate
valves entirely disabled He said that he
had taken the whole Of this part Of the
: machinery of the vessel aboard OF the
Brooklyn and that he had not been able
TO complete the repairs until May IS. lie
, also said that while the Merrlmac was not
entirely helpless her horse power was re-
duced ouethird and that she was unable
] 10 nODhlp along, only at the rate OF tulli
or five knots an hour.
The court asked Captain Hannum these
/ questions
, cal speed and how much coal per day did
. she burn nj that speed while you We're her
. chief ofhcer"
II never had an opportunity TO test tho
I vessel in order TO arrive at that. hut hel
Z 1 economical speed, ! think, was about ter
+ knots, burning from seventy TO seyenty-dvc
i. tons Of coal a day."
r Were the nres laid ready for lighting
/ under all boilers not in use by the Brook
5 lyn July 81 II not why notY'
81 think the furnaces were coalcd.
c ( am pretty sure they were ready to throw
: shovel fun or coal In them ana start
. them"
Q Captain Hanuum was then excused and
Q Lieutenant Thomas Il. Carter past ms
4 sStQnt engineer who was Ia charge of tn.
v brooklyn during the Santiago campaign
Z was called. lie gave testimony conCeuninl
a the condition Of the engines Of the Brook
@ lyn ON the morning Of July . saying:
S The after main engines were moi used
The forward main engines were dScon
y nected from the forward ones aud steam
! was on In three boilers
e Mr.. Raynor-Can Won tell me what won
/ on in the engine rooms during the dal
4 with respect to Increasing the speed Of
! Every effort was made 10 economic,
4 steam and get the most power ont OF. 1t
, tne most turns 81 the engines The fires
(. as possible Forced draught was mt on
, Then, of course. II was n question of HOW
: many turns we could get. The steam wa
' Z working 10 the best advantage. so ms /,
9 increase thr turns OF the engines Their,
was q steady Increase in the number q
! the turns. OF the engines from the begin
y ! ming to the end"
a We're the engines at any time stopped
{ reversed or slOwedT'
4 81 have no recollection OF thcr eve
v having been slowed or reversed "
Q The witness presented written memo
{ randum. which he had prepared shoyinl
l. the speed OF the Brooklyn during the On,
OF the battle and indicating gradual I'M
Y crease from eleven aud half knots Il
{ fourteen knots per hour. The memorandum
e was based on the basis OF the revolution
I OF the propeller,
a In response 10 questions by the court m
o witness stated that he estimated the entir
A distance traYersed between 0:3S a. M, AM
A t;lh D. m, nj hfty-two knots
a MIR. Raynor asked him whether he bal
received any encouraging messages durin
the, battle and he replied that he had
n saying:
9 "They were all Of general purpose In
> forming us as 10 what stage OF the acto
. had taken pilce-for instance that shi
= had been sunk had turned IN shore or nv
= shlps were on fire, etc. or course Tho
g were all enthusla stlcally received
e some Of the messages Were from Com
modore Schey, others from Captain Coo
n and still others from Assistant Esn~foa.o