The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-24
THE PART PLAYED BY
THE TEXAS OFF
SANTIAGO
Navigator of the Texas Tells
Of the BrookIyn's
Loop.
ACROSS THE TEXAS BOW
She Passed at From 100to $50 Yards,
Says Heilver, Disputing
His Chart.
THOUGHT THE TEXAS IN GREAT DANGER
Mr.. Rayner Says That Admiral schley Wishes
10 Prove That the Blockade Was Main
tanned According to Simpsons
instructions and Policy.
lBy the Associated Press.l

(By the Associated PreSs.)
Washington, Sept. 23.-The part played
by the battleship Texas in the naval bat
tie off Santiago, July 3rd, 1898, in which
the Spanish fleet under Admiral Cervera
was sunk was the basis of the greater
part of today's proceedings in the Schley
naval court OF inquiry.
OF the four witnesses examined during
the Texas, during the battle and two OF
them were new witnesses. These were
Commander George c.. Heilner who was
navigator on the Texas, and Commander
Alexander B. Bates, who was the chief
engineer on that oattleship. Commander
Harber, executive officer and the chief
surviving officer of the ship since the
death of Captain Philip, was recalled.
The fourth witness was Commander
Seaton Schroeder, executive officer on
the Massachusetts, and now Governor of
the Island of Guam
The testimony several times during the
day was somewhat exciting, 1n1 it w3s
especially so when Commander Heilner
described the battle and the part the
Texas had taken in it. He said that
when the Brooklyn made it's loop at the
beginning of the battle It uad passed
across the Texas bow at distance not
to exceed 100 or $50 yards and that at
the command of Captain Philip the
Texas had been brought to a dead stop.
Engineer Bates testified that the star
board engines had been stopped, and
said he thought this also had happened
to the port engines. Commander Heilner
expressed the opinion that three miles
had been lost by this manoeuvre, and
the fact that part of the machinery was
deranged. He said he consideral that
the Texas was in greater danger when
the Brooklyn crossed her bow than at
any other time during the battle.
The day closed with an animated con-
troversy between counsel as TO the policy
of bringing Admiral SIMPSONS name into
the trial.
1t was authoritatively stated today
that the Navy Department has no inten-
ton, at present, of bringing Admiral
Sampson to Washington as a witness or
to participate in any other manner at the
inquiry.
SCHROEDER is RECALLED.
After the introduction of the log books
of number of the vessels engaged III
the Santiago campaign Commander
Schroeder was recalled and asked if he
desired to make any corrections in the
Off "a, 81 Sc l.;
urday. There is one omission from Ad-
miral Schley's remarks on the Massa-
chusetts on the day of the bombardment
,of the Colon, which l overheard which 1
should like to supply" he replied
1T is this: He said when he came
aboard that Admiral Sampson would be
there on the following day He made
that statement in connection with his re-
mark that he was going in to sink the
Colon
Commander Schroeder was then asked
concerning the coal supply of the Massa-
chusetts, and when he replied that he
had no information on that point, he was
asked to read the log to secure this in
formation. The purpose of this inquiry
was to develop what Messrs. Lemly and
Hanna considered an error in Admiral
Higginson's testimony He said that the
Massachusetts could not have remained
on blockade more than II days, and that
then the vessel would be without coal
and powerless to coal. Reading from the
log Commander Schroeder said it showed
that the Massachusetts had over 800
tons of coal aboard, when it arrived at
Santiago.
Commander Schroeder said the Massa-
chusetts could have remained on block
ade duty twenty days with that supply of
coal, or could have remained 16 days and
had enough coal left to reach Key West
NAVIGATOR OF TEXAS TESTIFIES.
Lieutenant Commander L. C. Heilner.
who was navigator fthe Texas, during
the Spanish War, was next called He
said he had heard no guns fired when the
approached Cienfuegos To his
knowledge no effort was made to ascer-
tain whether the Spanish fleet was in the
harbor at that roint or to destroy Span
ish works there. Nor had there been
any effort to communicate with Cubans