Evening star., 1901-10-30

~. captain COOK, IN MS testimony, teSii-
fed in regard to the coupling in general,
but he said nothing about any discussion
at any time with you in regard to getting
ready for the sortie. A. do not say that
it was a discussion. 1t was conference.
@. He said that he turned in that night
feeling the other way" A. Nobody had
any notice of the sortie. 1t was a mere
suspicion. l thought. OF course, it was
probable that they might come out
Q. You state that in response to your
message of July 2 the commander-in- chief
gave an order for the squadron to move in
closer on that night? A Yes. that Is my
Q. VIII you state what log books show
that you went in closer that night. A. 1t
was verbal communication. I did not
say it was a signal I remember on the
26th of June I had a signal from the COM
mander-in-chief to the same end and my
recollection now is that the tender came
around with that instruction.
Q. Was that on the same day? A No,
on the s26th of June when l signa1ed over
to him that there were suspicious move
ments In the harbor.
The Battle of July 8.
@. What was the first movement of the
Brook1yn's helm on the day Of the battle!
A. I think that the first movement was to-
ward the westward Of north. and 1 think
the first movement of the helm was to
port it. to attack the enemy
O. Was it northwest or to the westward!
A. In my direct testimony l tnink salo we
that direction. 1t would be impossible to
say whether we headed northwest mere
ly judged the general bearing, and 1t was
about northwest.
O. understood you to say that Capt.
Cook first gave the order to port the helm
A. That was at different period of time.
He gave the order to port the helm first
when we made the turn-not this time.
think Mr.. Hodgson gave that order
O. In making the turn did he give the
order to simply port the helm or did he say
hard aport? A. When I asked him whether
his helm was hard aport his reply was
either port hard aport, and by the way
the ship swung at that time I assumed 1t
was hard aport, because she went around
furiously.
O. Was that an important maneuver? A.
1t was important to decide the events on
that day.
Q. Did you mention this movement in your
report of the battle? A. No; because DID
not think it would be necessary to mention
it. Since it has come up for discussion 1
regard it as very important.
Q. Then Capt. Cook gave the order with,
out consulting you? A. Under his general
instructions. When went inside instruct
ed him what wanted him to do. we sig
nailed to keep about 1 900 yards Of the enc
my to be sure to keep outside OF the torpedo
range.
Q. This was when the turn was made to
the south? A. The ship had approached as
Capt. Cook considered as to the range
II.
movement was precisely in accordance with
my own, because 1 would have given the
order if he had not done so.
Assumes Absolute Responsibility.
Q. Being on deck, do you consider the full
responsibility of that movement rests on
you? A Absolutely. Because even II I did
not give it directly / approved of 1t after it
was done.
Q. Was there any order from the Brook
lyn in regard to the direction other vessels
should turn in order to secure uniformly
when this turn was made? A. They had al
ready made their turn, and our turn was
made to avoid getting into their cross fire.
Q. That was the purpose? A. Not entire
ly. The Brooklyn that day had to take
very important place. If we had sacrificed
her we might have lost the battle. 1t was
crucial or critical time of the battle.
Q. What indication did you give to other
vessels of the fleet to show in what direc-
ton the Brooklyn was going to turn? A. l
did not make any, because l did not think
1t in any danger. After the turn a signal
was made to follow the flag, and they fol-
lowed it.
Q. My question relates to the time before
the turn was made. I want to ask what
was your first signal in the action Of July
8? A: 1t was to, clear ship for action
think I stated so
Q. Where before this inquiry have you
mentioned the signal Follow the flag that
you state you made on July 3? A. l think
l have kept my mouth pretty close about
all these subjects.
Q. Where is there such signal on recorde
A. L know, as 1 said before, number of
these signals in the hurry of battle escaped
record.
Q. Do you know any record Of this sig
nal? A. recollect giving it, and 1t was
lying for twenty minutes. l think the
halliards that bore it were shot away. 1t
was some time before it got down.
Q. Did the Brooklyn on this occasion
stand IN and attempt to sink the Spanish
fleet in the channel? A. 1 think she obeyed
orders Yes, l started in, of course first
to have them help me. I had no idea the
ships would escape. 1 thought if we stopped
in our position the battle ships would rush
in and sink her.
Distance From the Harbor.
Q. How close in did the Brooklyn get? A.
1 should think we were near enough to get
the fire of the batteries. 1 should say the
shells were falling around us. I should saw
from the time the battle began we devel-
oped speed of twelve knots, which would
make a mile every five minutes. The first
flVe minutes would have brought us a mile
in-shore, and it would have brought them
a mile out. We continued on twelve or
fourteen minutes-that is a mere estimate.
as l did not pull out my watch to take the
tlme-l should say we certainly got within
mile and half Of the harbor. 1 did not
attempt to measure it exactly 1 merely
estimated 1t the only way 1 can esti-
mate 1T.
.. What is your estimate? A. 1 should
say mile to mile and half 1t looked
very close to me. 1 remember distinctly
the range was given as 1,1OO yards some
moments after that and before the shin
turned. The second ship of the SQUADRON
impressed me as being of course, closer
than Others because 1 remember this dis
tinct feature of the run.
q. How far off? A 1 should saw GER
ta1nly not more than 1000 yards
z. What alternative course had YOU that
could have been pursued by the vessels of
our fleet? A. There was nothing else to do
except to chase them in the proper way.
@. Nothing to do but chase? A. That 10
the case in any battle when people start to
run.
@. Was that the case in this battle?
Yes.
Q. want to ask whether there was anv
vessel of the fleet there present prepared
to chase that did not do SO? A. l think
there were several that did not chase be-
cause they could not.
Q. That would not fall within the scope
of the question? A. 1 only know that be-
yond the destruction of the Oquendo and
Teresa there was no one who could keen
I'D with the Oregon and RrookJvp