Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-10-01

| ne wouIu not IKE to say. AS a matter
of fact, she did not coal any vessels'
while in tow. On all days, from May 80
to 81, except on the days when enroute
from Cienfuegos to Santiago and when
disabled, the Merrimac had had vessels
alongside for the purpose of coRling and
they kad been cealed from the collier.
Mr.. Raypes-e esHoas Examines.
On cross examination Mr.. Raynor
questioned Commander Miller concern
| ing coaling from the Megrimac on, May
"a. He said the Massachusetts hasas been
coaled at 1880 in the morning Of thSt
| day. He was then examined copcNsss
| ing signals as to coaling the Texas.
! While these questions were being put
| Captain Miller said, laughingly:
"Go ahead You've got me there"
| He proceeded:
81 signalled over L object to having
| two battleships alongside of me, and
Captain Philips of the Texas signAlled,
think, to Captain Higginson, but Go
not know whether it was to the admiral
or to him, X and M will crush @. ="
| Mr.. Raynor-''You were not 'G, yop
were * &C. was the Massachusetts.
II was c. think.
"What l objected to was having two
battleships beside me. They have pc
culiar motion and when two battleships
are rolling they would have a tendency
of crushing a collier between them. It
was not 50 much on account of the
weather as it was the presence Of one
battleship on each side. "
''How was the sea at that timer"
81 did not feel the sea very much, be.
| cause my ship was peculiarly steady
| ship"
Could Have CoaIed Himself.
Chow was it as far as the other ships
are concerned"
"Battleships nearly always have mo-
ton; that is my experience. As far as
l am personally concerned could have
coaled. :"
"Well, how about the other vessels?"
"That is not for nae to judge"
"Then when you spoke of your oapac-
ity to coal you spoke about your own
ship?"
"Yes; that was ready for dsliYeryi
! am giving no opinion regarding ether
| ships. :"
Continuing the witness said he "al-
ways hated to so alongside che battle.
| ships"
1.-THE Merrimao," he went on, "was
continually rolling"
ESPECIALLY in a rough sea?' suggest
ed Mr.. Raynor.
Sin any sea-" responded the witness.
els not that especially -551-ug When the
warship has protruding sponsors as had
the Texas?"
"They were always nasty" the wit.
ness replied.
Mr.. Raynor questioned Captain Mil
Ter closely concerning the atate Of
| weather and of the sea on May 20, quot
ing from Admiral Cervera's statement
on that subject, but the witness would
| only say that his log was silent as to
| the condition of the sea at that time.
In this connection Captain Miller re-
ferred to his removal from the command
OF the MerriE@RC in orClST a-si'Vrn the
vessel over to Lieutenc~ Hon Ha-
said on that point:
Taken SummariIy From Merrimao.l
"When / was taken out summarily
from the Merrimac nearly everything
had was lost and the only thing I can
remember now, with the few notes
have here, is in this log"
The court asked: "Was there any
point near Cienfuegos where vessels
could have found protection from the
! S6h O0 MAY Sfs
The witness replied: IT do not think
that unless we had gone up probably to
the Isle Of Pines, there was any place -
so far as / can remember now, whe%
we could have found smoother weaI<er
than we found off Oienfuegos, Unless
going very far to the eastward ~
The court asked: "Conld you have
coaled anywhere else on May 20 had you
been ordered to do so?"
To this the reply was; II should
judge so, to the best of my knowledge
and belief. / say could coal, yesj
could coal at any time, but then / could
not have coaled comfortably. For the !.
other ships it was what we call nast<5
sea and equally rainy weather, arr,
had had my choice I would nos
coaled ON that day, that is May
AS he left the stand Captai5
asked that he might be excus5
had chown any tempeyss4AAs5fs AAs5s "A
Bit touchy aDets-4sAfIe Merrins
said.
| Admiral Dewey assured him that he
had displayed no temper.
| Shortly afterward the court took
recess for luncheon.