The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-10-09
NEW HAVEN MoRNINa
Captain Lemly--"rhat is not what


Captain Lemly-'"rhat is not what
you mean, is it "
Mr. Rayner-"That is not what I
mean I mean it is wrong, but 1 want
the witness to answer.
Mr. Rayner called attention to the
fact that the witness had said that at
the beginning of the battle the Brook
Ign 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.
81 believe 1 am right" the witness re-
piled.
you can't both be right
THAT is right too"
In response to further questions,
Lieutenant Bristol said his chart had
been stored away for some time, but
that previously he had had several blue
prints made of 1T.
AT Mr. Rayner's request the witness
made measurements showing that, ae-
cording to his chart, at the beginning
of the fight off Santiago the nearest
Spanish ship to the Brooklyn was $500
yards.
Mr.. Rayner asked--"HoW can you
reconcile that with the statement OF
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson that
the range at the time of the turn of the
Brooklyn was 400 yards?"
IT cannot reconcile my statement
with that of Lieutenant Commander
Hodgson." ..
"Then those two statements are per-
fectly irreconcilable?
"a range of 1,400 yards at the time
of the turn of the Brooklyn is absolute
ly irreconcilable. My idea is that with
stadimeter at 1000 yards it is not an
accurate instrument and that is what
they state they took the measurements
with. Also in smoke of battle 1T is al
most impossible to take ranges accur-
ately. 1t was good deal of an estl-
mate. Also have heard, 1 do not
know how true it is, the ranges on
board the Brooklyn were taken by an
enlisted man. 1 do not question the
enlisted mans accuracy except that 1
| would think that an officers accuracy
would be greater than that of an en-
| listed man.
| Mr.. Rayner-"And these are the rea-
sons you give now for accounting Tor
| this wide divergence? You do not think
the satdimeter is as accurate as it ought
| to be?'
"These are the reasons I have 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 halt
speed. Take it at full speculate her
initial position-and she could not ar
rive at a certain point which would give
her that range, 1,4oo yards.
Mr.. Rayner-"Then the stadimeter is
not to be relied upon at all in compari-
son with your observations, as | under
stand it, in this Instance"
1.-THE stadimeter at 1000 yards and
over is well known to be inaccurate for
measuring distances among officers in
the navy, because the graduations are
so close together that smaller error IN
observation makes a large error in the
result.S
us it inaccurate under 1000 yards q
at is more accurate under 1000 yards,
but if the instrument has not been cor
rected recently it is likely to err
| Mr. Rayner-"Is it possible for the
stadimeter to have made mistake OF
| 1000 yards? Don't you think, If that
| is the case, you better abolish that in
strument?"
IT do not believe Hdgson took an ac-
curate observation. / don't want TO
| make any positive statement, but l do
want to make the statement of what L
know in regard to the instrument. The
| instrument, as / use it, Is accurate at
lower ranges and inaccurate at higher
ranges"
| Mr. Rayner 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 maintain
ed blockade there. I'VE We're merely
1av;ne off the port" he said, "and at
night anything could have passed IN SO
far as we were concerned without being
seem"
He admitted that the Dupont and the
Castine had been kept inside the line at
night. but that he had not been able TO
see them.
Mr.. Rayner then undertook to COM
mare the estimate of the distances
which Commodore Schley's fleet went to
the east and west of Santiago harbor
with that of Captain Folger.
| Mr. Hanna suggested that the prac-
tice of quoting from the testimony Oh
former witnesses, while not objectiona.-
blo from a legal point of view, was cal
cu1ated to produce delay and therefore
was not desirable. y.
| When Mr.. Hanna had taken his seat
Mr.. Rayner replied, referring to MI
Hanna as his Learned and solemn
| fr;ard This Characterization brought
| Captain Lemly to his feet.
sThis." he said, Us eminently 1mprop-
or All these left-handed compliments
thrown around are entirely unusual
Mr. Rayner-"I withdraw it.
nv Hanna-'It did not make me feel
solemn"
Mr.. Rayner-"I would not object to
vour calling me solemn
captain Lemly-"You are not solemn
l1 call YOU funny" Gaughter).
| Mr. Ravner-"I don't call you at all
funny" Laughter).
Admiral Dewey, speaking for th2
court then said that as there We're nc
lega1 obstacles in the way OF putting
the question it could be asked.
Lieutenant Bristol said in RESPONSE
l.T do not agree with Captain Folger as
treeards the fact that the ships were
nearer in at night than they were IN
the DAYTIME, because it is my flrm rec
election now that they were farther out
at night than they were in the Gay