The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-09
NEW LIGHT ON THE BATTLE
POSITION or THE SHIPS N THE
FIGHT orr SANTIAGO.
OmeiaI Chart Inaccurnte-Speed of the
Oregon and the Neutrality-suspicious.
son Examined Again.

WARRINGTON. Oct. S.-There were two
new witnesses before the Schlcy court OF
inquiry to-day. They We're Commander
Richard Wainwright, who commanded the
Gloucester during the war with Spain, and
Lieut. NJ. /. Bristol, who as ensign was a
watch and division officer on the battleship
Texas during that period Lieutenant Bris-
fol had not concluded his testimony when
the court adjourned for the day. lie did
not see the loop made by the Brooklyn,
the greater part Of his testimony turning
on a chart he had made showing largely,
according TO his memory, the positions of
the various ships of the American fleet at
different times during the engagement Of
July 3. There were several spirited con-
troversies between counsel over questions
asked the witnss by Mr.. Rayner concerning
this chart
Commander Wainwright's testimony dealt
largely with chart making. He was for
time senior member of the board of navi-
gators which prepared the official chart
showing the position of the American ships
during the battle of Santiago, and he gave
"details OF the method of it's preparation.
He saiC ne did not consider the positions
assigned in shat drawing accurate, but that
they were given as the result Of a compro-
mise Of the views of the members of the
board.
The proceedings Of the day began by the
recall Of Capt. William +. Folger for the
purpose of correcting his testimony CT yes
terday. Advantage was taken of his pres
ence to ask him further questions concern
ing the blockade OF Santiago. Nothing of
great Importance was developed.
When Captain Folger was excused Lieu
tenant Dyson was called. He was ques-
steaming condition of the Brooklyn on July
3. The judge advocate asked: what does
the BrookIyn's steam log show as to the
number OF engines coupled up and the boil
ers in use July 3. 1898. as compared with the
total engine and boiler power Of the yes
sel?'
The reply was: 1.-THE Brooklyn has four
main engines, two to each shaft, connected
together by coupling. She has seven boil
ers. five main and two auxiliaries. On the
morning of July both forward engines
were uncOupled, there were banked fires
under three of the main boilers. The other
boilers We're what we call dead no steam
in them. Judging from the time it took to
start fires in these boilers after the Span
ish fleet came out of the harbOr, / should
say the furnaces were not even primed, and
two of the boilers had 10 be run up TO the
sea-steaming level IT took from 9:35 to 10
o'clock to start fires.
In response to other questions the witness
detailed from the log Of the Brooklyn all
that was done on that vessel to get up
speed
Mr.. Raynor asked if it was not necessary
10 stop the ship to couple the uncoupled en-
gines. and the witness replied that the ship
could have been kept going with one engine
while the other was coupled. The engines
were designed, he said. TO be kept coupled
during war. Discussing the speed of the
various vessels Of the fleet on July 8. the
witness said that the Oregon got up a speed
about equal 10 the Brooklyn that day,
Notwithstanding that on her trial trip the
Brooklyn made over twenty-one knots to
the Dragons seventeen knots He called
attention TO the fact that the. New York
had made sixteen or seventeen knots speed
on the day OF the battle. In response to
questions from Captain Parker he said that
the New York had not had her engines
the Brooklyn had made all the speed neces-
sary.
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson was re-
called for the purpose OF correcting errors
IN his testimony as printed in the official
record He took occasion to change some
OF the language Of his previous testimony
One or these changes was made in response
to the questions asked YESTERDAY as to why
guard the editor of a newspaper which
had originally printed the alleged coIloquy
He said he desired to alter the reply that
he had yesterday given to this interroga-
tory. He then said
IT, OF course, am very sorry that ever
so far forgot myself as TO write a letter
containing such Incorporate language 1t
was not written exactly for publication,
but under great provocation at the time
In that letter did not accuse this newspa-
per of lying for printing that statement
In fact, it was to absolve it from lying that
1 gave the paper authority TO use nv name
for the correctness OF the gist OF that state
ment. The lying was In the matter OF the
fact that the commodore displayed such
trepidation and cOwardice on the BROOKLYN
the day OF the battle that he ran from the
SpaniardS and took the Brooklyn to the
southwark and away from the fight in or
der TO detract from the credit of the fame
of the commodore in that battle: that they
wished also TO detract from the credit OF all
the officers Of the Brooklyn on account Of
the glorious part she took in the davis
fight IL was the words to that extent that
characterized as lying. There was no "
ing IN that collOQuy unless stuck TO
the verbal correctness of the words So l
did not characterize the paper as a liar for
printing that cOllOQuy"