The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-10-09

Cuban coast. Describing the close Of
that pursuit, he said:
We continued on with the chase of
the Colon. which was then ahead of
the Fizcaya. in the same relative posi-
ton, the Brooklyn, Oregon and Texas
and afterward at the end Of the chase,
the New York joined in I forgot to
mention that the Vixen was outside
the Brooklyn during this time and
along at the time the Vizcaya sheered
inside and kept about abreast of US
until overhauled. and ahead until the
Colon finally turned inshore and hauled
down her Tag. The Texas then joined
the rest of the ships at the prize and
remained there that night"
Mr.. Raynor called attention to the
fact that the witness had said at the
beginning Of the battle the Brooklyn
was heading north and east, while
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson. who
had been aboard the Brooklyn, had
said the vessel was heading north and
west.
Which is right?'' he asked.
replied.
You both can't be right
That is right, too"
At Mr.. Raynor's request the witness
made measurements showing that, ac-
ccrding to his chart. at the beginning
of the fight off Santiago. the nearest
Spanish ship to the Brooklyn was $500
yards.
Mr.. Raynor asked: How can you re-
concile that with the statement of
Lieutenant Commander HodgsOn shat
the range at the time of the turn of
the Brooklyn was 400 yards2''
1 cannot reconcile my statement
with that of Lieutenant Commander
Hodgson."
Statements Irreconcilable.
Then those two statements are per-
fectly irreconcilable2 ''
A range of AGO yards at the time of
the turn of the Brooklyn is absolutely
irreconcilable. My idea is that with a
stadimeter at 1000 yards IL is not an
accurate instrument, and that is what
they state they took the measurements
with. Also in smoke of battle it is al
most impossible to take ranges accu-
rately. 1t was good deal of an es-
innate. Also I have heard, I do not
know how true it is. the ranges on
board the Brooklyn were taken by an
enlisted man. do not question the
enlisted mans accuracy. except that
would think that an officers accuracy
would be greater than OF an enlisted
man"
Mr.. Raynor-And these are the rea.-
sons you give now for accounting for
these wide Emergencies? You do not
think the stadimeter is as accurate as
it ought to be2
-AOoC dIC ISdSOUS L nave always
had in my mind for reconciling those
two statements. Another reason for
thinking myself right was the speed
OF the ship, which was given to me as
half speed. Take it at full speed, her
Initial position, and she could not ar
rive at certain point which would
give her that range, 1,400 yards"
Reliability OF Stadimeter.
Mr.. Raynor-Then the stadimeter is
not to be relied upon at all in com
parison with your observations, as
understand it in this instance?
The stadimeter at 1000 yards and
over is well known to be inaccurate for
measuring distances among officers of
the navy, because the graduations are
so close together that a small error in
observation makes a large error in the
result
Is it inaccurate under 1000 yards? ''
1t Is more accurate under 1000
yards. but if the instrument has not
err"
Mr.. Raynor-Is it possible for the
stadimeter to have made a mistake of
1000 yards? Don't you think if that is
the case, II would be better to abolish
that Instrument"
II do not believe Mr.. Hodgson took
an accurate observation. 1 don't want
TO make the statement of what know
III AC5a4A ~ ll4C instrument. ne l.
strument as [ use it is accurate at
lower ranges and inaccurate at higher
ranges"
Squall at Cienfuegos-
Mr. Raynor then questioned the wit
ness as to the stay of the flying SQUAD |
ron at Cienfuegos. The latter said he !
had not considered that they main
tanned a blockade there.
we were merely lying off that port" /
he said. and at night anything could /
have passed in, so far as we were con- |
cerned."
Mr.. Raynor then undertook to COM |
pare the estimate of the distances /
which Commodore Schley's fleet went 1
to the east and west of Santiago har- /
Dor with that Of Captain FOlger.