River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-09-26

| diately stepped back, and then I said:
My Lord, captain, we are out Of tie
fight He said: Look at the Brock
lynn ] turned around, and right
ahead Of US this big gray ship doomed
out of the smoke. For a second I
thought my heart was in my mouth.
We were Steaming with a heavy helm
and she steered by Us. When | saw her
she was practically ahead Of us. That
is the first l saw. She sheered off and
went to sea, should say about 1000
yards, and then on to westward As
soon as the Brooklyn cleared us we
rang to go ahead, and started up forced
/ draft again. After that we simply fol-
lowed on as fast as we could on line
that was just inside the line where the
Oregon was engaging the ships. just
before this turn of the Brooklyn the
| Iowa and the Oregon were both close
to us on the starboard helm. We con-
tinued the chase until the Colon
hauled down her flag, when the cap
tain gave the order to stop forced
draft"
The Time of Greatest Danger.
AT what time during the battle of
Santiago do you consider that the
Texas was in the greatest danger?"
asked Capt Lemly.
Mr.. Rayner objected, contending
that such opinions were shut out by
previous ruling of the court Mr.
/ Hanna said there were many minor
/ points on which the court must from
time TO time ask the opinion of wit
nesses. The point was also argued
on the one side by Capt. Lemly and
on the other by Judge Wilson.
/ The court oyerruled the objection.
and the question was repeated.
Looking back responded the wit
ness, Il know that the time of the
| greatest danger of the Texas was
when the Brooklyn doomed up out of
the smoke right ahead of us"
Compliments Capt Philips.
He said in response to questions
that he had never sailed with man
who had quicker sight or who
1 handled his ship to better advantage
than Capt. Philip. He added that
the captain had on this occasion
/ given successive orders and that the
Texas had backed until it was dead
III the water" He said that on ac-
count of this incident two or three
minutes had been lost and that fully
/ three miles were lost to the ship. A
part of this delay had, however, he
said been caused on account of the
4 fault of the ships blowers. render
ing the vessel slow in getting up
steam.
| An Inaccurate Official Chart.
When the court convened at two
o'clock Mr.. Bayner continued his
cross-eNalnination of Commander
/ Heilner. He asked him especially
concerning the official chart of the
battle oil Santiago, exhibiting the
/ chart. The witness said he had
been one of the board of nayigators
who had prepared the chart. He
had testified that the Brooklyn was
only $50 yards distant when she
crossed the course of the Texas, but
he stated that according to the
chart the distance was about 500
feet when the Brooklyn was maxi
ing her famous loop.
But" he said, 1--WE are poinc
through lot of matter here which is
| worthless"
"Oh, it is worthless, is ito" ques-
toned Mr.. Rayner. According to the
map the two vessels were never near
er than within 2,4oO feet of each
/ other
The witness replied that he con-
sidered the map inaccurate.
Mr.. Hanna interposed to saw that
if the point intended to be made was
that the chart is inaccurate the gov-
eminent would concede at once that
this was true.
1T is a great pity that you never
conceded that before" said Mr.. Ray
ner.
Eve have never had the opportu-
nifty" responded Capt. Lemly.
/ Mr.. Rayner then commented quite
4 vigorously upon the fact that the
chart was an official document. After
I 81 iNtAA ANtttNA4Ou u the map. NOiH-
mander Heilner revised his state
ment saying that the distance was
about half a mile, as shown by the
! chart.
Commander Heilner also said that
the chart made the Brooklyn go half
a mile out to sea in making its loop:
that on that point the chart was also
inaccurate. At the time he said the
Texas was going at the rate of about
4 II knots an hour.
Creates "a Laugh
The witness stated that he had not
in his examination in chief meant to
say that the ship had lost three miles
in as many minutes. but that in all
that much time had been lost. II
saw bright smile on your face when
said it." added the witness to Mr..
Rayner, "and thought you misunder-
stood" Thereupon all laughed, the
members of the court included.
The witness was asked by Mr.. Raw
ner concerning the stoppage of the
Texas when the Brooklyn appeared in