The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-15

So-~-~~o~~-~.~-~-~~~~
time. There was not any time for indis-
erection, and l do not think there was any.
l have always felt in my mind, in study
ing the positions, that the chances would
have been for disaster had we shifted
helm at such time. However, we got
around, and we had those three vessels.
L looked and could see nothing by smoke
aStern, and vessels seemed enVeloped in
this smoke. l could not understand it.
/ could understand exactly how we got
there. They, We're all three firing on the
Brooklyn, when, almost immediately. fast
er than 1 could tell it, 1 saw a large
white bone in the water and through the
smoke saw the bow of a vessel. l ex-
Claimed at the time, What was that?'
The navigator, who was near me. said it
was the Massachusetts, or something to
that effect ] said she was away and
he then said, the Oregon / felt perfect
up very rapidly She was making more
speed than we were at that time. She
had all boilers on
Where was the Oregon with respect
to the Brooklyn at that time?'
Il estimated 600 yards. She passed in
between the Texas and the Iowa. She
went in between them, came to the
northward of the Texas, and came out
pendicular course-and that would ac-
count for just what we made to the
southwark in turning. We made more
than the tactical diameter because we
passed part of that distance with helm
half aport.''
What is the tactical diameter of the
Brooklyn ~
About $50 yards.
Was it easy to handle the ship under
such circumstances?"
.. 81 never have seen one equal to her,
WAS the starboard engine of the
Brooklyn reversed during that turn
THE FAMOUS TURN.
cit was not. There was some question
about that. The reason I feel positive of
that is in recalling the circumstances.
My impression is it may have been the
commodore or the navigator, one of the
two, said something about backing the
starboard engine. Ny reply, I remember
very well, was l didn't want to lose the
speed of ship That she was turning all
the speed of the Ship
'At the time you saw the Oregon COM
ing up out of the smoke was she on your
starboard?''-
'Starboard quarter"
And between you and the Spanish
ships?"
Never between us and the Spanish
Ships.
where were the Spanish ships at that
timer
There never was anything between us
and the Spanish ships. She was on our
starboard quarter"
Nearer in shore?'
Yes
referring back now to certain points
in the story, as L did not care to inter-
rupt you, you state you heard the COM
modore say at one time, Hard aport.
That was after you had begun to make
the turn and the helm was hard aport9'
Eyes, the helm was aport, but not hard
aport. My impression is now, 1t was ABOUT
as near the same time as has been given.
There was perfect understanding between
the commodore and myself. Never
n,IQ of during
81 will ask if your recollection Is clear
as to whether the helm was put hard
aport by yourself first, or that you did
it in obedience to an order from the COM
modore?''
ORDERED BY COOK.
sibility.'
mo question about that?"
cit was not after having heard the
commodore. He called out to me as L
have stated, which l now think was
simply to confirm himself in the idea that
she was turning with a hard aport heln.
"At that time did you hear any con,
versation between the commodore and
the navigator"
81 did not
Did you see any torpedo boats?"
81 did not"
Were you afraid Of being rammed
at the time the turn was being madeY
mo. There was something said about
it, but did not give 1t a second thought
from the fact that knew they could
not ram unless they got within my turn
ing circles"
'7Were you afraid of blanketing the
fire of our fleet by turning one way or
the other?"
1--WE might have done it by turning the
other way"
Had you turned with a starboard, In
stead of a port helm, would such action
have advanced you SO far as to brlns
you within the line of movement of the
enemy's ships?"
provided they had taken advantage
of it: that is to say, if they had con-
tinued on their course southwest straight
for us and we had turned so as to bring
them within our turning circles, 1t would
have made ramming possible, certainly
How were they heading when this or
der hard aport was given?"
'.They were heading southwest
Were they then headed so had you
gone the other way they would have dis
covered the movement
Yes, 1 think they would. The star
distance given at the time was 1,l0O yards.
l estimated 1,5O0 yards, and so made 1t
in my report. In the first place we lost
we turned the other way. we must have
gone 700 yards They would not have
much distance to run to get entirely
within our turning circles. That is all
Mr. Hanna-What was the conduct and
bearing of Commodore Schley while under
fire on such occasions that you had the
opportunity of observing?
"I always regarded him as al enthus-
iastically brave and patriotic officer.
Never III any other way"
AT this point the court took its usual
recess for luncheon.
At the afternoon session of the court
Capt. Cook continued his testimony in
response to the interrogatories by MIR.
Hanna, who asked: "At the time the
turn of the Brooklyn was made wGre
you in such a position that you could
observe whether or not the enshes of
the Texas were backed Or reversed .'
"I think 1 ought to nave seen it at
the distance she was from u.s.
did you see Such?
II did not"
"In reference to Liuetenant Commander
Hodgson's conversation with the comno-
dore, you say you did no. hear the con-
versation between them?"
mot one word of it.
did Hodgson make any suggestions to
you or have any conversation with You
during the battle?"
"Quite a number of times
DID he have that conversation 0T tie
substance of it with your
TALK WITH HODGSGN.