The Washington times., 1901-10-04

the morning of either the 2Sth. 10Th, 3Oth.
| A.--No cross bearings; we used the
compass. with Morro Castle as one of the
| 0.-Was there a squadron night-order
| book on board the Brooklyn? .r..-
| A.-Not so fa.r as / know.
| Changes I'm the Log.
| Q.-How did Lieutenant Sharp con-
vince you that the entry you had made
| in the log of the Brooklyn in regard to
the helm while turning was wrong?
| Ave engaged in a discussion, my i'm
| preston being at the time that the
Brooklyn had turned by the starboard
| helm. But as Lieutenant Sharp had n
better position for observation. l con-
| cludcd that he was perfectly right and
| ! reasoned in my own mind that if | had
| been right we should not have had the
Spanish ships on our starboard quarter
| Lieu tenant Commander Clifford !
| BoUsh. now attached to the Naval Hy-
| geographic Office. testified to having
measured distances. on charts produced to
snow the shortest navigable routes he
| tween certain points in the West indies
and the positions of the Brooklyn in the
| battle of July 3. He testified also to
the correctness Of certain information
| prepared by himself showing the time
! OF sunrise and sunset, the duration of
! twilight and the phases of the moon.
Captain Parker announced for Admiral
! Schiey that he accepted the charts as
correct but reserved the right to make
! certain corrections in the positions of ves-
| sells plotted on them.
capt. William G. Dawson, of the Marine
| Corps, who was signal officer on the In
| diana in the war with Spain, followed
| Lieutenant Commander Boush. He is now
| on duty in the office of the Judge Advo-
cate General of the Navy. In the battle
OF July 3 he was on the flying bridge of
the indiana in charge OF signals. with
captain tnow Rear AdmiraD Taylor. The
"A CgGs Tor rr pNg-
tremity of the circular blockading line at
the beginning of the action, and the In
diana was at the eastern extremity. AS
the action began the Texas and the
Brooklyn headed in the same general di-
rection. northward and eastward. The
witness said he had a clear view of these
and other vessels of the feet in the ac-
ton.
What signals if any. directory of the
movements of the different vessels of the
squadron were made by the Brooklyn to
the fieet?" asked the judge advocate
None to my knowledge" was the
answer
Describing the action. Captain Dawson
said that the American vessels not hav-
ing secured as great speed as the Span
iards. at first were in danger of being
ICit behind. He first saw the Brooklyn,
he thought, twenty or twenty-five min
utes after the action began, when, turn
sag his eyes from the last Spanish ships
that came out of the harbor and looking
to the westward. he saw the Brooklyn
standing apparently due south directly
a right angles TO the course the other
American ships We're steering.
1t struck me very favorably, as the
others were in column, steaming west"
said the witness, and the great free
board OF the Brooklyn made all the more
striking and impressive. She was in close
proximity apparently to several others of
our ships. They appeared to be somewhat
hunched together at that point, the
Brooklyn steering south and firing with
her stern guns and the other ships close
aboard of her.
This appeared to be so remarkable
that | reported Il at once to the com
manding officer tCaptain Taylor. saving
| thought the Brooklyn was injured. She
however, continued. and soon | could see
that she changed her course and con-
tinued to the westward, we'll outside the
American ships. l think the Oregon, or
the Texas, was then in the lead of our
fleet, the Iowa following, and the Indiana
and the Brooklyn steered a course paral-
lei to the others. but the Brooklyn was
a mile or a mile and half to the north
ward; she appeared TO be skirting the
column formed by our iieet."
Captain Dawson estimated that the
Brooklyn when he saw her going to the
southwark at the time he had remarked
that she was out of action she went no
less than 1900 yards and perhaps more.
His Recollection Tested.
Mr.. Rayner cross-examined the witness
as to when his recollection was first di-
rected to these events. and Captain Daw-
son said he had thought of them several
times and had written home about them
He was questioned closely as to the di-
rection the Brooklyn was taking when
he first saw her, and he said it was
toward the harbor mouth.
Mr.. Rayncr explained that he was try
ing to bring out how the witness car
Tied this thing in his head" so long, and
questioned Captain Dawson about the dis
tances between the Brooklyn and the
Indiana at different tines in the engage !
ment How is it you can fix these
things you have testified TO and can't re-
member the distance between the Brook
lyn and the Indiana when you first saw
the Brooklyn turn southwark
Il can give you an estimate, said the
witness. 1t was about half mile or
little less"
How far did the Brooklyn. 80 SOUTH"
81 estimated it at about mile. "
Q.-How far were you from the Brook
lyn when she began to run parallel to you.
A.-Three or four miles.
Q.-How is il that you can go back and
plot these distances all right today after
a period of three years and three months
after?
Captain Lerliy was on his feet at once
with an objection. He said that the wit
ness had not attempted to plot the posi- |
tions Of the vessels. Mr.. Rayner offered
f.emly insisted that il be read as a sam |
pie question Captain Lemly spoke with |
apparent Indignation.
The question was then charged so as to !
ask the witness how it was that he was |
able to make statements to the posi- |
tions of the Brooklyn after three years !
and three months had elapsed Captain |
Dawson answered that he was on deck as |
the signal officer and to observe the |
movements of the other ships and he had |
given his recollection Of what he had |
seen without consulting any charts or |
anything else.