The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-08

of the ~bombardment or reconnaissance
of the CristobaI Colon.
Describing Commodore Schley'sI
blockade OF the harbor at Santiago
Captain Rogers said hat the fleet
maintained a position of seven or eight
miles out, with the Marblehead and
the Vixen inside the line.
BROOKLYN'S SUPERIOR Marks
SHIP.
The afternoon session Of the Schleyi
court began with Captain Rogers still
on the stand. He stated III reply to-
questions that he was the senior men,
Der Of the naval board Of survey ap-l
pointed by Admiral Sampson to exam
Inc the wrecked Spanish vessels.
The purpose Of this line of examina-I
ton was to bring out the witness
knowledge concerning the effect Of thel
Brooklyn gunnery in the battle off
Santiago Judy 3rd. Commander Rog-I
ers stated that the Brooklyn was the
only vessel that fired 5-inch shells, and
Mr.. Rayner said that a careful ompu-I
tation based upon the report Of the
board OF survey showed that twelveI
5-inch shells had been found on tEel
four Spanish vessels.
Mr.. Rayner presented a statement
showing the number of shells found on
the vessels of the Spanish fleet, and
the witness was asked to state the per-
centage of 5-inch Shells assuming thei
statement to be correct. Captain Rog-I
ers replied hat the total number OF hits
was t~hirty-five, and that, therefore, theI
5-lnch shell hits constituted "a per
cent. Of all the hits. Mr.. Rayner said
the the statement had been prepared
by Admiral Schley.
Mr.. Rayner read the dear Sc.lley"l
letter including the following extract:I
III l0fn- - L@,,II
vessels are at Santiago, we could thenI
assemble off hat port the ships best
suited for he purpose and completely
it. Until we. then, received
more positive information we shall con-
tinue to hold Havana and Santiago,"l
Mr.. Rayner remarked that he suppos-I
ed it would be conceded that the world
Santiago" as given above was a mis-
take and that it should be "~Cienfuegos."I
A TILT BETWEEN COUNSEL.
Captain Lemly replied that he. would
make no such concession and a tilt fol-
lowed counsel concerning thel
accuracy of government publications.l
1t closed with an understanding that
the original document should be sup
piled tomorrow.
The court asked a number of oues-l
tons of Commander Rogers, amongl
others being one as to whether the
Brooklyn and the Texas had been in
danger Of a collision on July 3rd. :
The witness replied that if there was
any such danger he had not seen the
two ships at the time. He had seen the
two vessels early in the engagement.
but they were then about a mile apart.
Later. he was called below and if there
had been such danger it was at thatl
time.
At the conclusion of Commander
Rogers testimony the question as to
whether the word in dear Schley"
letter should be Santiago or Glen
fuegOs'' again came up on a statement
by Captain LemIy who a he would
continue to hold to the Santiago YER
sion. Then occurred the colloquy mar
rated above. Mr.. Rayner saying he
would summon Sampson.
THE BATTLE DESCRIBED BY
HODGSON.
Lieutenant Commander Albion CT
Hodgsoa. navigator OF the Brooklyn,
then told the story of the battle Of SAM
tiago as seen from the bridge OF that
vessel. He said: L heard the eXecu-
tive officer, Lieutenant Commander
Mason, sing out Clear ship for action,
and the crew Immediately dispersed to
quarters, L having sounded the general
alarm previously. The commodore
shortly appeared on the bridge. Wei
were at hat time headed to the west-I
ward or northwest. | told him thatl
there vas nothing doing and he said
Go ahead I rang six bells and asked
if we had not better hold her head
steady to see what course the Spaniards
proposed to pursue. I do not remember
his reply exactly to that, because inn
mediatly afterwards l told him they
were evidently making for us, and he
said Go for Them m l rang four bells
and put helm aport.
Captain Cook appeared upon the
bridge at this time, and told him that
everything was connected up at theI
coming tower and that we were al
ready going ahead, and in fact we were
going ahead. The commodore took his
position on a platform he had built
around the coming tower where he
could be in easy communication with
the commanding officer inside and ]
remained on the bridge.
The executive officer had given pre-
viOuSly the order to man the ~starboard
batteries. l sang out to him we were
going int oaction with port helm and
he shifted owe to port battery. We
were then standing for the enemy and
as soon as the guns were brought to
pear Lieutenant Simpson fired a little
Off the port bow the first gun from the
Onward S-inch turret. From that time
on we went considerably in toward
them.
Il then went down to where the
commodore was standing to get into
the coming tower, when 1 heard him
sing out: Lookout Cook they are going
to ram you.'
Captain Cook said he would look
after that, and s~tarboarded the helm
a little to parallel the course of the
leading vessel, the Maria Teresa, which
had made a broad sheer to port. She
had hardly made h sheer however to
port before h fell off again, for the
reason apparently. that a shot was
fired from h Brooklyn's S-inch gun.
| THE BROOKLYN'S FAMOUS LOOP.
THE Teresa got abaft our port beam
n her helm was ported on the Brook
Ign, Immediately after that. We were
| swinging with port helm. 1 heard the
| Commodore sing out Hard aport' or