The Washington times., 1901-09-22

me- Cdil get diOnB WltnOul saw
Commander Harber. angrily.
II do not intend it in the way of men
ace, Mr.. Rayner responded.
1T looks badly. at any rate, remarked
Commander Harber.
There was much more of this cross
examination without anything important
being developed and then Mr.. Rayner
came to the matter of the loop made by
the Brooklyn in the battle of July }. ke-
ferring TO Commander Harber's testimony
Friday. he said:-
Il understood you to say that you had
been told that tire engines of the Texas
had been reversed at the time of the turn
of the Brooklyn. Now. l ask yon Il those
engines had been reversed, would there
not be a note in the steam log of the snip
showing the reversal of the engines!
A There ought to be.
@. Now look at the steam log OF the
Texas and tesi-rne whether it shows that
the engines were reversed at the time the
Brooklyn made the turn?
A (After examining the log). ] am
ready to make a remark in regard to that,
answering your question, to say that this
log does not show it: but from the fact
that it does not show a great many other
things. l should consider that log worth
less piece of evidence. 1t does not show
that they went ahead at full speed. 1t
ought TO, show that. 1t does not show
anything about that. 1t does not say that
the forced draft was turned on, al
though it refers to forced draft.
Later, under examination by Mr.. Han
ma. Commander IIarber said that the
steam log in general would have only the
most important things. He said also
ho I'D
while the Flying Squadron was at Glen
fuegess In response to more questions,
Commander Barber gave his opinion that
the Texas could have gone from Cienfue-
gos to Santiago at rine knots with the
Eagle in tow but not with the heavier
Merrimac in tow ssWith the 400 tons of
coal on the Texas. she could have kept
constant steaming on blockade ten
days, the witness explained.
TO Judge Wilson. of Admiral Schley's
counsel he said that he did not remem-
her a signal from the Brooklyn off Santi-
ago in regard to picket boats.
Captain Parker, of Admiral Schleys
counsel. brought out from the witness
that tho Texas sprung a leak while coal,
ing from the Merrimac. Some plates were
indented. he said, and a little water came
in, but not much.
The Indented Plates.
Captain Parker said that the weather
was then rough enough to cause the
Texas to collide sufficiently hard with
the collier to spring "a leak Commando
Harher explained that the end timbers on
the float used as a buffer between the
Texas and the collier caused the indenta-
tion, -
Commander Harber explained that the
ships came in contact with the end rlanks
of the float, so that the entire weight Of
both ships. when there was any move
ment of the water at all, was taken up
by this piece OF corner pieces. These cor
ner pieces made slight indentations in the
plates"
The judge advocate then read a ques-
tioF BY thesCSrt.
What was the state of the sea when
the Texas coaled on May %. as compared
with the state on the 26th?"
a. The weather was cooler, somewhat,
7 beiieve.ffore favorable
This concluded Commander Harber's
testimony. and Rear Admiral Higginson.
formerly captain of the Massachusetts,
was recalled and asked by Solicitor Han
ma whether he desired to change his
statements of Friday that the night po-
sitions of the blockading ships We're far
ther in than the day positions off San
tiago.
ITO the. best of my recollsction.' said;
the admiral, I'VE were closer in at night
than We were in the daytime. I think,
however. after thinking more particular
ly, that L placed the fleet rather closer
in than we went at that period of the
blockade. We did go within two or three
miles later on; but 1 think at that period
we were about five or six miles That is
the only correction can make"
BY later on, admiral, TO what time do
you refer; after the LIST of June or be-
fore?"
After tine Ist Of June in the latter
part of the blockade; but think we were
closer in at night than we were in the
daytime"
admiral Sampson arrived June -
Q. And the distance?
A l think We were closer in at night.
Perhaps four miles st night and five or
six miles in tha--day; 1 don't remember
exactly.
~~Q:stet me siss~y6G, Admiral, whether,
three years having elapsed, your recollec-
ton upon this point is
A. 1t is very indistinct.
@. Very indistinct?
A. Yes; don't pretend TO be precise.
@. What distance could you have
with the vessel under your COM
mand having on board 500 tons of coal?
A. Let me see. / could steam 80 miles
a day on 80 tons; that would be 500 miles
to the hundred tons. ! could steam be-
tween 2000 and 5000 miles. / should say
about $500 miles or upward.
Mathematical Calculation.
Admiral Higginson had to do ~ome fig
uring with pen and paper to find cut
how long he could have kept up the pro-
cess of steaming backward and forward
before Santiago. After he had figured he
said: ., %.
Il don't think, cruising as we did. at
four or five knots. that we used over 30
tons. Will say. ]. think. if we were using
between 30 and 40 tons day, We could
have stayed there about twelve days at
that kind OF work, with 500 tons in the
bunkers."
Captain Parker. of Admiral schley's
said he had some questions to
ask the witness. Was there ever a
time" he said, when that fleet went off
twenty miles at night after they arrived
there on the 29th?"
NO. don't remember any" answered
Hisginson.
, You would know 1t as captain of the
ship if You had had any such orders to
go off twenty-five miles, would you not?"
Yes: Il had had orders TO that effect"
'It would unquestionably have been
entered in the log book. would it not?'
II think So"
Q. Their that story. by whomsoever
told, about going of twenty-five miles at
night is not true?
A. We'll. l don't remember it. That is
the most I could say about it. Yes, I
think the log book would have shown It.