Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-01


The first Witness of the day was
Commander James n. Miller, who was
in command of the collier Merrimac
while that vessel was a part of Adj
mlral Schley's flying squadron.
Commander Miller said that he had
assumed command of the Merrimac on
April IL at Norfolk. He had taken on
board at Lambert's Point soon after
ward about 5000 tons of coal. His YES
sci had he said, been capable at first
of making between 3 and 10 knots, but
afterward he had trouble with his
pressure machinery so that by May
% and "A he would have hesitated III
trying to secure speed of more than
: or s knots. He read from the col
lier's log to show that the Coma. Mas
sachusetts and the Castine had been
coaled on the 23d and cath. No record
was found of the coaling of any vessel
on the 18th or the 18th. the time con-
sumed in proceeding from Cienfuegos
to Santiago.
The sea" he said, ION the 25th
was nasty, quite nasty. The Merrimac
being heavy vessel its speed was
not much affected, but if | had had
smaller vessel l should have felt t
very much" He also said that de
weather for that day was very bad.
The witness said late in the after
noon of May 20. the intermediate valve
of the collier was broken but that pre-
yious to the arrival off Santiago she
had not been broken down. disabled or
delayed.
AS to the condition on the 18th, the
witness said:
II should say i could have coaled.
as | find here consulting the log) 1--WE
We're making 10 knots at one time. We
got up to II Knots l fancy the weather
could not have been very boiSterCus.
on that date | find 'steaming with me
squadron east to quarter north and
find by the entry that between s 4.
NJ and noon of that day that we mad"
from 10 to l. knots
Mr.. Hanna-"What was the condi-
ton of the sea-
The sea had then smoothed. I
should judge, from the direction We
were going.
Gould you have coalcd vessels on
the afternoon of the 26th?"
Il could up to the time was broken
down. at 80 that afternoon"
Witness said that each day from
May % to 81. except on the days when
en- route from Cienfuegos to Santiago.
and when disabled. the Merrimac had
had vessels alongside for the purpose
Of coaling and they had been coaled
from the collier
On cross-eXamination, Mr.. Rayner
questioned Commander Miller concern
ing coalng from the Merrimac on the
oath. He said the massachusetts, had
been coaled at 7.30 A. NJ. of that day.
He was then examined concerning sig
nails as to coaling the Texas. While
these questions were being put capt.
Miller said laughingly: Go ahead,
you've got me there.
He then proceeded: Il signalled over
L object to having two battleships
alongside of me. and Captain Philip
of the Texas signalled, l think to Cap
tain Higginson but l don't know
whether it was to the admiral or him.
X and NJ will crush c.
Mr.. Rayner-"You were not G. you
were X: G. was the Massachusetts"
Il was G. | THINK. Nhat objected
to was having two battleshps beside
me. They have a peculiar motion and
when two battleships are rolling they
would have a tendency to crush a col
lier between them.
How was the sea at that time?
II did not feel the sea very much
because my ship was peculiarly a
steady ship"
How was it as far as the other
ships are concerned?
'.Battleships nearly always have mo-
ton: that is my experience. AS far as
| am personally concerned l could
nave coaled.'
Continuing the witness said that he
..alwavs hated TO go alongside the bat
tleships. The Merrimac." he went on.
was always steady. but the battle
ships we're continually rolling.
Especially in rough sea-" sug-
gested Mr.. Rayner.
"In anv sea-" responded the witness.
cant Miller referred to his removal
from the command of the Merrimac in
order to turn the vessel over to Lieut..
uobson. He said on that point: When
was taken out summarily from the
x,r;r,,o ,aorIy everything | had was