New-York tribune., 1901-10-15

1
then gave the order Hard aport' to the helrnsman
| and ran through the opening between the shield
| and the coming tower to the other side pur-
| pose to see own feet and relative positions
Quicker than I could tell it, the Commodore called
/ TO me, Cook. har aport' rs your helm aport?
I answered. The helm is hard aport turning as
/ rapidly as possible, AS I watched the Texas the
| BOW OF the Brooklyn seemed first TO point 10 her
| port bow. I saw the starboard bow Of the
/ Texas. and changing her bearing very rapidly the
bow Of the Brooklyn passed along the port side of
| the Texas until there was clear opening between
/ US and the stern OF the Texas. We made COM
plete turn. very quick turn. with helm hard aport
| until we came around and paraHeled the feet on
the other side AS we paralleled the Spanish fleet
! the ViZcaya'-
| DID NOT FEAR HITTING THE TEXAS.
| Admiral Dewey-May interrupt? How near did
| you pass 10 the Texas?
Il never thought of collision. II never entered
| my head I never for a moment had one idea or
| Viciss1tude in that respect We passed. I Judge
| about four hundred yards. had handled the ship
under all circums tances and got so I could Judge
/ pretty correctly, and my impression was that we
| We're about the distance we sailed in squadron
| Bat collision 1 never thought Of She turned
| perfectly clear Of the Texas. came around and
| then We had the Viscaya starboard bow and
| aoout abeam the Oquendo and then the Colon
| At the time I thought it the Teresa but 7
| soon discovered this vessel dropping out and
| heading for u" leach. That about the hottest
| time OF the aaSHn- 1t critical time. There
| was not any time for indecsion, and 7 do not
think there was any. have always felt in my
| mind in studying the positions that the chances
would have been for disaster had shifted helm
| at such time However. we got around, and we
/ had those three vessels 7 looked and could see
nothing but smoke astern, and the vessels seemed
enveloped in this smoke I could not understand
| It I could not understand exactly how we got
! IAereA They were all three firing the Brooklyn
| when almost Immediately. faster than could tell
| IT, saw large white bone in the water and
through this smoke saw the bow Of vessel
exclaimed at the time. What thatr The
| navigator, who was near me, said II was the
| Massachusetts or something that effect I said
| that she was away and then said. That is the
! Oregon I felt perfectly assured from that mo-
ment She came up very rapidly. She was max
| Ing more speed than were at that time She
had all her boilers on had shifted boilers that
morning from forward 10 aft She had steam and
| hot water on"
! Where was the Oregon with respect to the
] Brooklyn at that timer
7 estimated six hundred yards. She passed in
between the Texas and the Iowa She got in be-
tween that opening. came to the northward Of the
Iexas, and came out about eight hundred yards
| from US. mean perpendicular course and that
would account for Just what made TO the south
ward IN turning. We made more than the tactical
diameter. because We passed part CT that dis
tance with helm half aport-"
What Is the tactical diameter Of the Brooklyn
| About $50 yards"
Was it easy to handle the snip under such cir
| cumstances?'
i have never seen equal 20 her"
Was the starboard engine OF the Brooklyn re-
| versed during that turn"
1t was not There was some question about
that The reason I feel positive OF that is in re-
calling the circumstance Ny impression is, it
may have been the commodore or the navigator
one OF the two said something about backing the
starooard engine. Ny reply I remember very
Well. was, did not want TO lose the speed OF the
/ snip. That she was turning ali right and rapidly
/ and wanted TO keep the speed OF the ship"
L ffra 81
| Of the smoke. was she on your starboard?''
"Starboard quarter"
And between you and the Spanish ships?'
Never between Us and the Spanish ships"
! Where were the Spanish ships at that trne?'
| There never was anything between and the
/ Spanish ships. She was our starboard quarter"
Nearer IN shore?
Yes"
| Referring back now 10 certain points IN the
story. as did not 70 interrupt you you state
| you heard the Commodore say AT one time Hard
/ aport" That was after you had begun TO make
| the turn and the helm hard aportr'
| Yes; the helm was aport bur not hard aport.
/ my impression IS now. although It not at the
/ time II was about near the same time as has
/ been given There was perfect understanding be-
/ tween the commodore and myself Never ques-
| tion OF any kind during the action"
| Il VIII ask II your recoue ctiou Is clear as 10
/ whether the helm put hard aport by yourself
arst or II did II IN obedience TO an order from
| the commodore
! COOK ORDERED HELM HARD APORT
| Il gave the order on my own responsibility. No
! question about that II after having heard
| the commodore. He called out 70 me as have
stated which I think was simply 70 confirm
himself in the idea that she was turning with a
/ hard aport helm
| AT that time did you hear any conversation be-
| tween the commodore and the NAVIGATOR
| Il did not"
did you see any torpedo boatsr'
| Il did not"
Were you afraid Of being rammed at the time
| the turn was being made?''
! mo. There was something said about it, but I
did not give it second thought. from fact that
| knew they could ram unless they got within
! my turning circle"
Were afraid Of blanketing the fire Of our
! feet by turning way or the other%'
We might have done It by turning the other
| way
Had you turned with a starboard instead OF a
| port helm would such action have advanced you
so far 10 bring you within the line Of move
ment Of the enemy's ships?''
| Provided they had taken advantage Of it; that
| is 10 say. II they had continued their course
| southwest straight for US, and we had turned so
as TO bring them within turning circle. it would
| have made ramming possible. certainly
| How were they heading when this order Hard
| aport given?''
They heading southwest"
| Were they then headed so had you gone the
| other way
I think they would. The chart distance given at
| the time LOO yards. I estimated 1850 yards
and made it in report In the first place. We
| must have lost by shifting helm a such g. time.
| Then. If had turned the other way we must
have gone seven hundred yards. They would not
| have had such distance TO to get entirely
within our turning circle That is all con lecture
Sc,rTT Ey-S C,ONDTrCT pR ATSE0