Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-10-03

modore ScnIey, Commander Sharp said
that he had been placed on picket duty
at the east end of the line on the night
of May 90 and had continued this duty
afterwards He was about miles from
shore, he said, and probably miles
from the mouth of the harbor He said
the entire fleet could not be discerned
at night and that the shore line could
only be discerned as black mass in the
distance.
Took Headlight For Torpedo Boat.
Mr.. Hanna-"Could you have seen a
vessel undertaking to pass out near the
shore under those conditions"
Commander Sharp-"Unless she had
shown no lights and made no noise do
not believe we could.
did you at any time suppose your
self TO have discovered a torpedo boat
attempting to escape?"
zone night we sighted q light, run.
ming apparently along shore with good
deal of speed and sjgnalled that it was
a torpedo boat escaping. It turned out
TO be a locomotive headlight on the
railroad"
Under those circumstances, could
you have seen the train had no head.
light beer displayed?"
81 rhink not. Ali we saw was the
light"
Commander Sharp said that the Vixen
had carried Commodore Schloy from
the Brooklyn to the Mars On May 81 be.
fore beginning of the bombardment of
the Colon, and that when he had asked
what course he should pursue in the ap.
preaching action, Lieutenant Sears had
replied for the commodore that the lat
ter had directed that Commander Sharp
6eep his craft clear, as she was vulnef.
able and should not assume any risks
He thought the commodore had after
wards spoken to him to the same effect.
Mr.. Hanna-"Passing on to the bat
tie of July 3, did you see any portion of
the loop made by the Brooklyn?"
"Whan / tirs5 saw the Brooklyn
think she was headed about south and
swinging very rapidly under her port
helm. -
Did you at any time have any con-
verSation with any person in the pres.
ence o: Commodore SchLey with respect
to the direc1On i'll which the Brooklyn
turned on that Ocoasiou?'
ElIc:In Was Put to Fort"
Eyes. sir. took on board the Brook
lyn coDy of the notes taken by Lieu
tenant Harlow, the executive eE1cer of
the Vixen during the engagement, and
showed them TO Commodore Schley.
The commodore was seated at his desk.
as now remember it. and at various
times different persons came into the
cabiu. Captain Cook was there, think,
at one time. The navigator of the Brook.
luo i Id L.
| think Commander Eaton was In at one
time and, ii | am not mistaken, Captain
Barker was III. / was talking to the
commodore about those notes and at
one part of the conversation of the way
the helm of the Brooklyn had been put
to form the so. called loop. I stated that
the helm was put to port, Lieutenant
Hodgson spoke up and said: No, you
are mistaken; the helm was put to star
board. l said: No, no, you put your
helm to port. He said. L can prove it
to you Look at this chart. said: 4
don't want to see the chart. You swung
with the port helm. Y"
"Was it conceded finally" asked
Captain Lemley, ''that the helm had
been put to port to make the turn?''
81 am not positive" was the reply,
''but it is my impression that it was"
'By whom was the concession NADER"
II do not remember" "
"Were there any instructions at that
time to the navigator in regard to en-.
tries in the log?"
''Not that remember. -
"Did you see the Texas during the
battle off Santiago?" asked Mr.. Hanna.
Il saw the Texas about the first time
I saw the Brooklyn" responded the
witness. "The Texas was then appa-
rently lying dead in the water. I re-
marked TO some officer standing near:
The ships will never stare and those
fellows will get away The Brooklyn
was then swinging around toward the
Spanish fleet.
"How near was the ship to the Texas?"
81 could not give an estimate of the
distance"
On cross examination the witness was
questioned in great detail by Captain
Parker in regard to entries in the log of
the Brooklyn and the period covering
the Cuban campaign. He referred to
the entries concerning the Vixen S firing
upon locomotive engine on shore near
Santiago, taking it for a gunboat. He
elected from the witness the statement
that at that time the Vixen must have
been VerY near the shore