The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-04

ships log that the vessel turned with
a starboard helm? Do you recognize
that log? (handing him the log of the
Brooklyn"
81 do"
Changes In BrookIyn's Log.
| The witness then, in response to a
request, read to the court that part of
the log book which relates to the turn
ing of the port helm. He then stated
| the original entry in the log had made
1t appear that the helm was put to
starboard instead of put to port, as it
appears in the permanent log. The
| change, he said, had been made on
July s. two days after the action.
Asked why he changed it, Doyle said:
| 81 changed it after l had had dis
cussion with Sharp. l had been under
the impression, as l have stated, that
We had turned with starboard helm.
| Sharp was aboard the Brooklyn on
July to luncheon with us and | had
| discussion with him that day on that
| subject. l think that is the time l
changed it,
| Mr.. Rayner then took the witness
and asked him if it were not true that
the change in the log was not due to
an error on the part of the witness
and to no desire upon the part of any
body to falsify the facts.
| "Absolutely,"- was the response.
| "And the error" continued Mr.. Ray
ner, occurred, as l understand you
to say, in this way: That during the
action you could not see on account of
the smoke and thought that the ship
| did turn with starboard helm and was
so entered?"
| yes" was the reply. eve lost
track of the enemy in the first in
stance with the port battery by our
own bow shutting the enemy out and
showing that at that time we must
have had our helm little starboard
or that the enemy was going with
starboard helm"
Knew of No Secret Code.
| Mr.. Rayner then stated to the court
that it was his desire to treat Lieu
tenant Doyle as witness for Admiral
| Schley. To this the court assented
and Mr.. Rayner asked the witness
series of questions calculated to bring
out a brief history of the Brooklyn's
part in the Santiago campaign and
full statement of his observations
while an officer on board that vessel.
Mr.. Doyle said in response to these
questions that while at Key West,
which port the Brooklyn had left at
/ the head of the flying squadron on
May 10, 1898, he had heard nothing
of the Spanish fleet, nor had he then,
| been informed of a secret code of sig
nails arranged by Captain McCalla for
communicating with the Cuban insur-
gents. Relating the particulars of the
blockade of Cienfuegos by the flying
| squadron from May 81 to "a he said
that he had observed three lights
/ which looked like bonfires on the shore
each night that the squadron lay off
Cienfuegos, but that neither he nor
| anyone else on board, so far as he
knew, understood their purpose. He
also told Of a reconnaissance Of the
harbor at Cienfuegos on the evening
of May %; of the conversation with
the officers of the British ship Adula,
and of the arrival of the Marblehead
and the departure of the entire squad
ron for Santiago after the last named
vessel had made communication with
the Cubans ashore
Called 1t a Reconnaissance.
Then, he said, on the night Of the
| oath ships formed in squadron and
started eastward, the speed at first
being nine knots an hour, but after
! ward being reduced to accommodate
the small vessels, the Vixen and the
Eagle. When they made their start
there was quite surf, a long swell
Of the sea-" and on the 25th the
| weather was still worse, making it
very difficult for the yachts to keep
up. Lieutenant Doyle placed the dis
lance Of the American feet off San
tiago from the mouth of the harbor
at from three to four miles, and said
there were picket boats on the inside
of the line. Speaking of the lombard
ment Of the Colon on May 81, he and
Mr.. Rayner designating it as recon
noissance, Lieutenant Doyle said its
effect had been to develop the fact
| that the Spaniards had new guns in
their land batteries.
Here Mr.. Rayner asked: When
was the circular form of blockade
| commeaced?"
While no mention was made of the
name of Admiral Sampson this ques-
ton was evidently regarded as an at
tempt to bring his blockade into the
case for purposes of comparison, and
| Captain Lemly was prompt in noting
sharp and vigorous objection.
Without waiting for any argument
| on the point the court Immediately
announced a brief recess. The mem
bers retired for a minute or two and
when they returned Admiral Dewey
| said:
"The court decides that all ques-
tons relating to the blockade off San
tiago must be confined to the time
prior to the arrival of the commander
in-chief"
The court then adjourned for the
| day.
Excursion Rates to the Psn-American
Exp"si'ion, Buffalo.
Via. the North Western line. will be
placed in effect Nav 1st. and on Tues-