New-York tribune., 1901-10-19

COMMANDER NICHOLSON'S STORY.
Lieutenant Commander Nicholson was then called
and began his story of battle Of July ;. which
ne observed navigator of the Oregon He was
he said. on the deck OF the vessel. and added:
Occupying the position I did during the day OF
the engagement. i necessarily considerable OF
IL The incidents q that Gay began about SO
sbips were seen corning on Of the harbor-were
seer IN fsct by practicsIIy The whole crew at the
same time. When the first ship started 10 go
toward the harlor, and saw the irst ship. Her
bow making turn into the last reach OF the
oession BY the others. went to my station arst
on the bridge then down 70 ne eehlhs ing 80 sse
In the mean time the signal had been sounded 70
ing up an the boilers and blowers we're going full
tilt and a few minutes afIerward Captain lark
first the speed increasing al the time Turned
ship with starboard helm and started IN toNaIo .ls
much faster than we were al this time. BY the
tine We we're straightened out well 70 the west
ward they all ahead of US The IOWA star tsu
in. She being 10 the westward Of US apparently
Ne passed under her stern A few minutes after
that our course 70 The westward W W., % 80
water. I called Captain Clarks attention 10 mis-
of course fIing osgsn On oo1n ,s ef 1se har6or
We returned the fire al long range prooaoIy 'hIes
aS Wbe ht e 20 crS ,Sa nnSr the Texas stern We
the Iowa coming OUT on course near! pai ~ -
little abafi our starboard beam Captain Clark at
the same tine noticed he hSr an aa sSoIa collision
No collision was very imminent; but We e1a ctaztE
= the Iowa After The action commenced We passed
The Texas and N Iowa Lhe ol'.y zR SaR ~ her ac-
custouei position. Vel OF 20 ne NTslM,-a - ~
We Nere pursuing them. headng for the lssdins
ships. We noticed the Maria res iPt7. ~ an
5-1 @ - -i~.-~s m after that The Oquendo ap
-.a- ---7r n le
that she also was on fire WHICH protee Ah - s,er
STs~sed her helm seemed 10 head oft 70 The s9-h
ward and vest toward The bro2Atsn 80 - z,Ss
pulling out of batte and running alons NJ ~;2ET or
aTa nag more S Skes 10 toward the Brooklyn She
enea oet ssi go hs, rsn ss5ore also There is
e Iain.{e b, ,h VizcaTa pulling out % the gen
,i1 a.. 5f,e~ MS CAPTAIN clark turned around and
called my attention 10 some objects IN m. Va ~a's- -
that looked Ike floating hioZS Ppt, r ~ ZyeT
nets with torpedoes below them prona,ny 3 t-ToSI -
sc-s 7 ccy5Is DO ANYTHING We passed over The spot
ana found thar Ne Nere in the wake q the Nizeaya
SIGNAL CAME TOO LATE
Commander Nicholson then told az The chase 60
So ashore ana surrender Of Ihe colon He said ne
recalled some signals from the Brook.yn among
others one Al the beginning q the hattie 70 close
IN and another al the close OF the engagement say
ing Well done. oregon"
As for the first signal he sad Ne were al
ready closing il. and it did not influence Us
IN reply 10 questions from M f-AHneF ne W.
ness replied could not say posl'ney mat ie ia0
seen the Brooklyn make her turn, put ne ilAo seen
her change her position. He had never seen the
Rrooklyn and The Texas when they were closer TO-
rether than a nile or a mile and half he dl2
not remember any signal from the Brooklyn 10 ihe
Oregon 70 Use her lS-iuch guns on the Colon
Did the oregon use her 13-inch guns early IN the
oss. -2r-e god
on cross-examiration.
"Oh yes" was the response But she stopped
using them during the chase OF the Colon. as that
vessel was far that 10 use them would nave
been g waste Of ammunition
In response 10 another question BY Captain Lernly
Commander Nicholson said: i thought the Oregon
was nearer the enemy during The chase Than the
BROOKLYN but the distances varied somewhat Al
one time the Brooklyn had apparently turned 10
head o- q turn q the Colon toward Cape cruz
In repiy 70 Nr. Hanna the witness said he had
Observed ne Snanish fleet il came out OF the
harbor Al Santiago. They were in column and in
order three four ships lengths apart al 2oTte1
their helms and turned 70 the westward, apparently
with the intention OF going ashore i necessary. In
the early part OF the engagement he had seen none
Of the spanish vessels turning toward any Of the
American ships. and he was sure there was no well
developed movement in that direction. Yet the
smoke was dense. and he could not Be certain OF
al cetails.
QUESTIONS b1 4EE- NCSh-+
The court asked questions u Commander Niehol-
son As follows: Was the oregon in her proper
blocka5ug position when the Spanish ships started
outg'
practically yes"
What was her course with reference 70 the
Morro:"
about -FOUR miles distant and little eastward 70
south of 1T
What was the distance between the blockading
positions Of The Oregon and the Brooklyn
From three 10 four miles in the daytime they
we're nearer together al night"
What was the relative position Of the American
srfns when rhe Spanish vessels came out?'
The Iowa was due south. the Texas on her port
hand and the Brooklyn further or 10 the westward.
The Oregon 70 the right q The Iowa and the
Indiana in shore 70 the eastward with the New
York in the distance remember Immediately
looking for the flagship. and saw her OF seven or
eight miles toward Siboney.'
Did the Oregon al any time pass between the
Brooklyn and the Spanish ships
.Not when they were Offering any active re
sistsnce. she aid as the Spanish vessels turned 10
20 ashore"
When the oregon changed her direction toward
the Brooklyn had the Brooklyn completed her
tUrne'
4 am under the impression thar shs had; she
must have done 50.
what was the position % the Oregon when she
turned with starboard helm during the battle OF
Santiago"
she nas lying SIN in the water. and We turned
10 head or the Spanish feet. We overlook all but
the Colon very quickly.
scHLEY ~ PERFECT CONTROL
Dr. Charles NJ De Vain followed Commander
Nicholson he said that he had been medical officer
on board the Brooklyn and had observed the battle
Of July from the forecastle. He gave brief de-
scr!pt!on of the battle saying ne had been present
when Woman Ellis was killed and that ne had OBJ
served Commodore schey during the entire engage