The sun., 1901-10-10
7HE SCHLEY INQUIRY.
Lieutenant Bristol Continues His
Testimony.
BLOCKADE OF CIENFUEGos
witness Describes the Position of
Fleet on That Port and Also
Tells of the Battle Adj
mirnI Taylor Called.

1
of the day began with the reintroduc
tion of Lieutenant NJ. L. Bristol, for
mcrly watch officer ON the Texas, as
witness. He was under cross exam
nation
Mr.. Rayner began his examination
of Lieutenant Bristol with questions
concerning the accuracy of the stadi-
meter for the measurement of dis
tances Mt sea. He asked IL he would
rather trust his own visual observation
for 1000 yards range than the in
strument. The witness stated that the
rtadimcter was more accurate for dis
tances below 1000 yards than above |
that distance. At that distance he |
would make several observations for |
confirmation of visual observation.
1.-THE error" he said, .becomes greater
the greater the distance
"Could you give me" asked Mr.. Ray
ner, IA point from which 1t Is entirely
reliablei"
YES was the reply. AT zero 1t IS
absolutely accurate"
The witness considered the sextant
much more reliable in measuring the
distance between ships.
lie had he said, taken several OBJ
scrvations with the stadimeter just be-
fore the Spanish fleet came out of the
harbor and had checked these with the
sextant lie found the distance from
the Moro 10 be 800 yards.
BIoc,.ade of Cienfuegos.
Lieutenan. Bristol also was question
cd by MIR. Rayner concerning the dis
tance out Of the blockading ships at
Cienfucgos, but he declined to change
his estimate Of the day before that IL
was from eight to ten miles distant
from the harbor.
Mr.. Rayner--I will read you Commo-
dore Schley's report as TO the blockade
off Cicnflegos. He says. "A line of
blockade was established about four
miles oi1shore and at night an inshore
line was maintained consisting various
ly Of the Scorpion, Dupont and Chs
time, the last named vessel arriving on
the 23d conveying the Merrimac." IL
YOU are right, the commodore has stat
ed what has not occurred when he
says, "a line of blockade was estab-
lShed about four miles offshore at Ci-
enfuegoS" That is not a correct state
ment of the commodore, is it2
s'The statements | make are what
thought and what believe to be right
] do not question other peoples words. !
.'Now. refresh your recollection with
an official report. The statements you
have made are that during the daytime
the squadron lay OF Gienfuegos from
four to six to ten miles and during the
AZ,
questioning either Commodore Schle.
or yourself when read you his ofIica
report, do you still stand on your state
ment about six to ten miles?H
Il have to stand by my statement"
weather During Cruise.
Speaking of the weather during th
cruise of the flying squadron from Ci
enfliegos to Santiago, the witness SAT-
there were fresh breezes and that ther
was "A moderate sea small boa
could, he said. have been lowered II
any time during the voyage.
Mr.. Rayner also nterrogated Lier
tenant Bristol concerning his estimat
made soon after the arrival OF the fee
off Santiago that the Spanish shol
batteries amounted to hut little. II
had said that the elevation of thes
batteries was from 100 to 200 feet NJ
Ravner produced Il chart to show tn:
the MORO battery was 220 feet aboy
The water line and the Zocapa batter
230 feet.
Nov, then" asked Mr. Rayner, "al
YOU as positive about the distance ye
gave these ms i'll other cases which yc
have given distances?"
lieutenant Bristol said he was.
Mr.. Rayner asked the witne
whether there had been any menace
any of the American ships on July
from the shore batteries. Lieutena
Bristol replied that there was dang
to the Gloucester because that vess
was unarmed. He said that he d
not consider the New York in danger
Mr.. Rayner then read from repo
by Secretary Long saying that on til
day the New York had sustained t
undivided fire of the shore batteri,
'.Do you still say, in view of that stat
ment, that the shore batteries did II
amount to anything?" he continued.
You asked my opinion" the witne
replied, "and ! have given it to YOU
Admiral Dewey-We don't wa
opinions.
At the request Of Mr. Rayner t
witness made measurements from
chart to show the distance the Broe
lyn was from the Spanish ships dl
ing the fight off Santiago. The rel
was: '.'rhe distance of the Oquen
from the Brooklyn taken from I
chart lust before the turn is 4,f
yards, the Maria Teresa 3.700 var
Taken from the chart when the Ma
Teresa and Oquendo We're about
run ashore. which is practically
nearest point, the Oquendo was -
yards from the Brooklyn and the Ma
Teresa 1900 yards
Quoting Lieutenant Commander ii
sons statement that the shortest RAJ
Of the Broollyn's guns in the bal
was /, 400 yards and her greatest .!
yards and referring to the fact tha
number of the Brooklyn's five il
shells had struck the Spanish shi
MIR. Rayner asked number of qr
tions for the purpose of showing t
II the distance was as great as
chart shows ana the guns were SET
the range given it would have been
possible for the shots to go to the IN:
nIcptf II ral,tnip Ia pSlynH