The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-11

>lDlS ana q ltlT0 al l''"' ltIl~- ll'
first shot at 500 yards fen short, and ]
learned that an the others did.
Q.-Whaf did YOU learn about the bat
teries2 Had you any orders To make
notes
Al made no notes whatever We went
I'm with the Outstanding that W" were
Co fire at the Colon and Try to sink her.
MI. Rayuer announced that he
had no questions To- ask upon
cross-oNaminauou, hut Captain Park
er euquir,d as To the statement made
10y the witness that the tim. had been
taken 10y a yeomau The witness said
that this WAS the official method OF TAX
ing time and that h- knew that the yeo-
man was an enlisted man.
by the Court.
Odd You take coast bearings or use
other means 60 determine tb, MasSachu-
setts' position at any time between May
- and SiH
O.-W,rc you ordered Co direct the fire
ot your division at the Colon or at the
batteries
AT the Colon.
On;ciaI Report of the Attack.
/ The witness was excused and Captain
/ i.gmIy said De would read and place in
evidence q letter from Commodore SChIey
dated June ] 20 tho Secretary Of the Navy
and his report dated June s. upon the
! matter of the attack ON the Colon. The
/ 5uGc, advocate read the letter. showing
/ that the ships started i'm at 1905 AT a speed
/ or Ten knots. THE distance having de
I creased 20 about IUll yards headed east
I and nj . the Colon. having opened out in
/ The entrance. commenced firing with our
port battries using the guns of greatest
{ range ON the Colon and the smaller ones
against the Qualifications"
1 Continuing rart.~r
! ships ceased firing at 2.le and at Z;23
! stood out OF range. The shore batteries
/ and the Colon continued firing until 3 D.
! IN. The reconnaissance developed the
[ fact that the Spanish vessels are in the
Z haThor and the forridcations are well
provided with long range guns OF large
/ Calibre- They use smokeless powder al
/ most exclusively. with the exception Of
| the batteries to the westward Of the en-
| trance" The report upon the same sub
/ ject made practically the same statement
in regard TO the reconnaissance
ADMIRAL DeNey's Nephew Called
Lieut. Z. G. Dewey. nephew Of the
President OF the Court. was the next wit
ness. He was aboard the Massachusetts,
. and in command Of the after 13-inch tur-
ret. After few preliminary questions,
/ the judge advocate asked:
/ Q.-Describe the character Of tle block
I ad, off Santiago.
] A-After we arrived Of Santiago the
| ships steamed generally in an east and
west direction across The entrance of the
haTbOr, double distance apart. about 500
( yards. the Brooklyn leading, the Massa-
chusctts second. The distance from the
{ entrance Of the harbor as I remember
1 II, was from five TO eight miles The
. small ships. / think, took positions inside
I The Marblehead was one and one was a
. yacht, ! can't remember which one We
steamed across the entrance Of the har-
/ nor at a speed Of three or four knots,
| and countermarchcd every TWO hours
Q--HUw far east and west. respective
( ", did the column steam
/ A--The line was six or eight miles
/ that is, three 70 four miles on each side
/ Of the eutranCe-that is, the line Of
/ steamiug.
Q.-Was there any difference in the
/ blockade at night than by day.
9 About the same IN the daytime as
J at night, so far as the distance was con-
4 Ccrned from the entrance 10 the haTb0r
I But We were not steaming in the day
Z time
! Q.-What particular formation. il any.
/ did you observer
! Al do not remember that there was
| any particular formation.
/ Q--When YOU were at the western end
I Of the blockade with the leading vessel
\ making the turn, what orders II any did
/ YOU have for attacking the enemy II they
/ A.-There were no orders that I have
/ any knowledge Of. / do not think that
! we would have seen them
/ Q--Why2
A-Owing to the darkness and the dis
| tance from the harbor.
| The witness said the case would have
been the same when they were turning At
the eastern end Of the line
Odd you participate in the fire Of
Al did. was in charge OF the after
: 13-iuch turrets
ODD you have any conversation with
! the commanding officer OF the Flying
squadron. OF WITH anyone IN his preSe nee
on that day relative 20 the firing on the
/ COlOn2 What We're your instructiOIs2
! A-Shortly before We started into the
/ entrance / was informed that t',e com
l mOdOre wished 90 see the turTet officers
| in the pilot house. ! went TO tse pilot
1 house and the commodore said that he
intended TO go IN a few minutes and have
| a Try at the COiOn and that ne hoped we
| would sink her ! asked what speed we
{ would make Was told about ten knots.
/ ] remarked al the time that / thought
/ II was giving us very little chance at the
/ Colon. as she would be- In sight but two
I minutes and that the smoke from the
! guns would make our fire slow To the
best of nay recollection the commodore
/ stated that We would have 20 do tn, best
| we could; that the speed would Dee ten
/ knots.
/ Q.-what range did YOU employ in FIR
iug2
Al had only one shot going and one
/ shot coming. ] fired the second shot on
D
/ fired by the forward guns. they having
the Colon iu sight first J was told that
the first shot fen short / raised my
range 20 $500 yards ] could not see how
I il fen. but ] was told that r. fell short.
too on the return my range was now
$50 wards. ] understood. also. that that
/ fell short.
Did YOU al any time make any
notes or observations concerning the bat
| terIcs on shore
A-NOt particularly. except that they
did not seem 90 BE- troubling ue particu-
! larry. None of the shots Of the Colon
| came near us One or two felI near the
/ Iowa. and / think one went over her.
Q--N hat was your conclusion about
] the calibre Of the guns
Al did not think they were guns Of
| very large calibre by observing the
! shots I should say they were about six
| inches.
Odd YOU have any further opportu-
| nifty TO reach a conclusion with regard 70
| the strength Of the batteries and the cal
/ ihre Of the guus2 Was there any bonn
! bardment later.
| A-After MAY 81 while the NiassachU-
| setts was stiu on blockade. we went iu for
! bOmbardmcnt on three occasions. June s
] and l6 and July 2 After fe.v minutes
| fire from the guns the Spaniar6s evident
| ~ deserted the guns and sought shelter
| The guuuers remained quiet until we
| withdrew. then they would return to their
| positions on the batteries and let drive
| ono shot at each ship.
| Captain Lemly concluded and Mr. Ray
ner announced that he had no questions.
BY the Court:
| Q.-Were YOU ordered % direct your fire
| on the Colon or on the batteries on May
3I2
| A.-On the Colon entirely.
| Q.-Rv whom were you so Orderpd2
| Al cannot reCOllcCt whether the order
| was given by the commanding officer Of