The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-16
THOSE WHO KNOW.
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account of the fear of torpedo attacks.
The judge advocate then asked the
following question:
I'm regard to the conversation in the
ward room of the Massachusetts, as al
legged, on May 81, in order to refresh
your memory in regard to that matter,
you are informed that Lieut. Potts,
Lieut.. Grant, Lieut.. Glennon and Ma
jor Wood are supposed to have been
present and participated in that con-
yersation.''
81 do not recollect it at all. It could
not be possible I said such thing
They have misunderstood what l said.
/ was irritated at the delay. In the
ward room talk something might have
been cons trued in that way, as state
m entS often are, but it is entirely i'm
possible that could have said that. I
was impatient, excited, perhaps, it be-
ing my first engagement and l might
have made some remark. 1t is some
thing some one might have misunder-
stood, but that remark I never made"
What do you mean by irritated at
the delay?'"
Delay of not going Immediately into
this work."
Explain what you mean by i'm medi-
ately?'''
Mr.. Rayner: Just one moment. Does
the state of his irritation enter into
this case? He said he never had such
d conversations suppose he WAS
tated? Does that affect this case?"
Judge Advocate; IF the court please,
it is not the irritation I am directing
questions about, but it is the delay. He
says he was irritated at the delay, I
think it is fair to tell it. fair to the
applicant that he should state what
delay he has referred to; whether it is
the delay on that particular day in go
ing in, as we understand there was a
delay on that day, or whether it is the
dn1a V nc N ad wit
Gus days while the vessels were in that
vicinity"
Mr.. Rayner: 81 do not object to
that
The witness: "As recall, I was ir-
ritated at Capt Higginson's request to
delay the reconnaissance until after the
mems dinner. I remember that very
WE'LL
The court questioned Commander
Sears on various points covered by his
testimony yesterday. He said in reply
to these questions that on the morning
of July g. the Brooklyn had begun turn
ing to starboard Immediately after the
engines were started; that the helm of
the Brooklyn had been put aport when
the helm of the Viscaya had been put
aport. lit was" he said, "a practically
simultaneous movement" He also said
that when he had said to Commodore
Schley, during the battle, that he
thought the Brooklyn was about it's
tactical diameter from the Viscaya, he
did not mean the distance was less than
had been reported by Yeoman Ellis The
tactical diameter of the Brooklyn had
not then been determined, and he had
supposed it to be about $50 yards. TIE
Viscaya had been passed long after the
Brooxlyn'S turn and they ran along to-
gether for some time. After the Colon
had passed the Viscaya she had out
footed the Brooklyn and it was then
that she was 1900 yards from the
Brooklyn, as indicated by the stadime-
ter, which the witness said he did not
consider an accurate instrument. After
that time the Colon, having exhausted
her best coal, lost her speed ard the
Brooklyn gained upon her.
Asked how m UGH time had been con-
sumed in the Broo2xlyns turn. Com
mander Sears said the time had SEEM
ed very short to him; 1t might have
been Is or 20 minutes.
The last of the courts questions was
concerning the relative positions of the
Brooklyn and the Oregon during the
chase of the Spanish ships. The Oregon
he said, was not so near the ViScaya as
was the Brooklyn, but might have been
near the Oquendo. 1--WE were always
nearer the Colon during the chase" he
said Nearer during the chase and at
the surrender"
Lieut. Commander Sears was then
excused and Commander Mason was
called the first new witness of the
day.
Commander Mason detailed the siege
of Cienfuegos and also referred to the
blockade of Santiago.
Mr.. Rayner then asked the witness
how many times he had seen Comno-
dore Schley under fire, to which he re-
piled: During all the engagements
What was his general conduct, man
ner, and bearing on these occasions
Mr.. Rayner asked.
Excellent, in every particular. He
was calm. collected and brave
Asked to give brief account of the
battle of July 3, Commander Mason,
after giving the preliminaries, said:
AS soon as I reported the battery to
Capt Cook in the coming tower, 1
asked him if we should commence
firing. He replied: Fire as soon as you
are ready. I Immediately gave the or
der to Lieut.. Simpson to fire as soon as
he could, giving him a range of $500
yards. I think the first gun was fired
within five minutes, or very close to
five minutes, after the first alarm. The
rest of the battery took up the fire at
once and continued to port on the port
bow until the ranges commenced to
come down to 100 and 600 yards
asked Capt. Cook as to which way he
was going round, it being necessary for
me to know on account of changing the
battery below, shifting from one side
to the other. He answered that he was
going with port helm. gave the nee
eSsary orders on deck and went below.
"As I arrived in the after cabin, the
aIter o-lncH gun was Hfeu LOT the last
time the port side and the starboard
gun took up the fire Immediately. The
starboard battery was then engaged for
the rest of the action. The range at the
time we turned. far as I remember.
was about 400 yards, although I have
a recollection of 1, 100 yards being sent
to me once. AS to the position of the
enemy they were on the port bow out
side of the harbor when we made the
turn with the port helm. At the end of
the turn they were our starbOard
beam and quarter with one of them
little ahead
Mr.. Rayner: What time was it when