The age-herald., 1901-10-03

yacht vixen ourlnS tne OpdniSn war, was the first new witness of the day. He testified that he had first fallen in with the flying squadron on the morning of May 24 off Cienfuegos. He said that the weather on the cruise from Cienfuegos to Santiago had been "squally," but 1t had not been sufficiently bad to interfere with the speed of the Vixen. The vessel had not, he said, been in urgent need of coal on May 26.
 ''If had been," he said, land received orders to coal, should have tried to do so, though it would have been an uncom- fortable job, because lAe Vixen was a very small ship"
 Commander Sharp said that notwith- standing he had been aboard the Brook lyn several times, Commodore Schley had never discussed with him the retrograde movement toward Key West begun on May 26.
 Describing the service of the Vixen dur ing the siege of Santiago under Commo- dore Schley, Commander Sharp said that he had been placed on picket duty at the eastern end of the line on the night of May 29 and had continued this duty af- terward. He was about two miles from the shore. he said, and probably three miles from the mouth of the harbor He said that the entire fleet could not be discerned at night and that the shore line could only be discerned as a black mass in the distance.
 Could Not Have Seen Ship.
 MT. Hanna: Could you have seen vessel undertaking to pass out near the shore under those conditions?"
 Commander Sharp: "If she had shown no lights and made no noise, I do not be- lieve we could"
 Did you at any time suppose your self to have discovered a torpedo boat attempting to escapeT
 "One night we sighted a light running apparently along the shore with a good deal of speed, and signalled that 1t was torpedo boat escaping. It turned out to be a locomotive headlight on the rail- road"
 Under those circumstances could you have seen the train had no headlight been displayed.
 q think not. All we saw was the light"
 Commander Sharp said that the Vixen had carried Commodore Schley from the Brooklyn to the Massachusetts on May 31 before beginning the bombardment on the Colon, and that when he had asked what course he should pursue in the approach ing action, Lieutenant Sears had replied for the Commodore that the latter had directed that Commander Sharp keep his craft clear as she was vulnerable. and should not assume any risks. He thought the commodore had afterwards spoken to him to the same effect
 Mir Hanna: Passing on to the battle of July 3, did you see any portion of the loop made by the Brooklyn?'
 That Famous Loop.
 "When I first saw the Brooklyn think she was headed about south and swing ing very rapidly under her port helm.''
 Did you at any time have any conver- sation with any person in the presence of Commodore Schley with respect to the direction in which the Brooklyn turned on that occasion?"
 "Yes, sir took on board the Brooklyn copy of the notes taken by Lieutenant Harlow, the executive O -.cer of the Vix- en during the engagem ent, and showed | them to Commodore Schey. The commo- l dore was seated at his desA as now re- member it, and at various times different | officers came into the commodore's cabin. 1 Captain Cook was there I think at one | time. The navigator of the Brooklyn, | Lieutenant Hodgson, came in also. think l Com modore Eaton was in at one time | and if l am not mistaken Captain Bar | ker was in. I was talking to the com modore about those notes and, at one part of the conversation, in the way the 1 helm of the Brooklyn had been put to l form the so-called loop I stated the helm was put to port. Lieutenant Hodg I son spoke up and said: No. you are mistaken, the hem was put to starboard.'
 There Was Disagreement. | 'I said: No, no. You put your helm 1 to port He said I can prove it to 1 you. Look at this chart I said: T | don't want to see the chart You swung 1 w-sh the port elm. Was it conceded finally?' asked Cap tain Lemly. that the helm had been 1 put to port to make the turn" | T am not positive" was the reply. but it is my impression that 1t was" By whom was the concession nader" "I do not remember"
 Were there any instructions at that time to the navigator in regard to entries l in the log?'
 Not that I remember | Did you see the Texas during the battle of Santiago?" asked MT. Hanna.
 "I saw the Texas about the first time I saw the Brooklyn" responded the wit ness. 'She was southward to westward
 of the Brooklyn. The Texas was then | apparently lying dead in the water. I re- marked to some officer standing near: l The ships will never start and those fel- I lows will get away The Brooklyn was | then swinging around toward the Spanish | fleet"
 How near was she to the Texas?' | cOuiu not give dn eSlHiiile oL tne | distance"
 In cross-examination Commander Sharp l was questioned in great detail by Captain l Parker in regard to entries in the log of the Brooklyn for a period covering the | Cuban campaign. He referred to the en- l tries concerning the Vixen's firing upon a locomotive on shore near Santiago talk | ing it for a gunboat. He elicited from the witness the statement that at that the | Vixen must have been very near the | shore.
 | Captain Parker then questioned Com- mander Sharp concerning the notes made of the battle of July by Lieutenant Harlow on board the Vixen. This report l has occasioned no little contro- l versy, it being claimed by one of Admiral Schley's friends that after | a copy of the notes was delivered to the admiral (then commodore) by Command CT Sharp they were changed somewhat The witness said that he had taken a car- | bon copy to the commodore after the bat tie.
 Lieutenant HarIoW's Notes.
 "Do these notes state the truth of the battle as you saw it?" asked Captain Parker.
 'These are Lieutenant Harlow's notes !" replied the witness He took them, and I am not prepared to say yes or no whether they are absolutely correct in every particular or not
 times?"
 q have"
 Now, are you not prepared to say to fI.r I<-k <~l xI1I-