Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-14


400 yards | had handled the ship UNI
der all circumstances and got SO /
could Judge pretty correctly and my
impression was that we were about the
distance we sailed In squadron. But a
collision never thought Of She turned
perfectly clear of the Texas came
around, and then we had the Vlscaya
on our starbeard bow and about abeam
was the Oquendo and then the Colon.
At the time. thought II was the
Teresa, but | soon discovered this ves-
sci was dropping out and heading for
the beach. That was about the hot
test time of the action. II was a crit
ical time.
WAS NO INDIGESTION.
"There was not any time for lnde-
cIsion and | do not think there was
any. have always felt In my mind In
studying 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. looked and could SEE nothing
but smoke astern and vessels seemed
enveloped In this smoke. | could not
understand It. / could not understand
exactly how we got there. They We're
all three firing on the Brooklyn, when
almost Immediately faster than /
could tell II, | saw large white bow
in the water and through this smoke
/ saw the bow of a vessel | exclaimed
at the time What was thatY
IT WAS THE oREoN.
1.-THE navigator who was near me said
II was the Massachusetts or something
to that effect. | said she was away
and he then said that 1t was Oregon.
/ felt perfectly assured from that mo-
ment. She came up very rapidly She
was making more speed than we were
at that time. She had all her boilers
on, had shifted boilers that morning
from forward to aft She had steam
and hot water on"
where was the Oregon with respect
TO the Brooklyn at that timer
II estimated 600 yards She passed
In between the Texas and the Iowa. she
got in between that opening, came to
the northward Of the Texas and came
out about 500 yards from u.s. | mean
perpendicular course, and that would
account 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 II easy TO handle the ship under
such circumstances
II never have seen one equal to her"
ri of
Brooklyn reversed during that turn?'
1T was not. There was some ques-
tlon about that The resson ! feel posi-
tive Of that is in recalling the circum-
stances. My impression is II may have
been the commodore or the navigator,
one of the two said something about
backing the starboard engine. My re-
ply, ] did not want to lose the speed OF
the ship; that she was turning alright
and rapidly and / wanted TO keep the
speed OF the ship"
AT the time you saw the Oregon
coming out OF the smoke was she on
your starboard?"
"Starboard quarter"
And between you and the Spanish
ships at that time|"
Never between us and the Spanish
ships"
Where were the Spanish ships at
that time?"
There never was anything between
us and the Spanish ships. She was on
our starboard quarter"
Nearer in shore?"
Eyes"
referring back now 10 certain
points In the story as | did not care TO
interrupt. you you state you heard the
commodore say AZ one time Hard
aport That was after you had began
to make the turn and the helm was
hard aport?"
yes the helm was aport but not
hard aport There was perfect UNDER
standing between the commodore and
myself"
II viii ask II you recollect clearly az
to whether the helm was put hard
aport by yourself first OF that YOU did
II In obedience to an order from the
COOK GAVE THE ORDER.
II gave the order on my own res
No question about that.
II was not after that I heard about the
He called to me as have
stated. simply to confirm himself In the
idea that she was turning with a hard
aport helm"
AT that time did you hear any con-
versation between the commodore and
the navigator"
II did not"
Did you see any torpedo boats"
II did not"
Were you afraid Of being rammed |
at the time the turn was made2'
"No, There was something said |
about II, but did not give IL second |
thought from the fact that | knew they |
could not ram unless they got within |
my turning circle"
Were you afraid Of blanketing The |
lire OF our fleet BY turning one way or |
the other?"
I'VE might have done II by turning
the other day"
Had you turned with a starboard |
Instead OF port helm would such ac-
lion have advanced you so far as 10 |
bring YOU within the line Of move
nent OF the enemy's ships?'
Provided they had taken advantage
IF IT, that is 10 say. II they had con-
iinued on their course southwest
straight for us, and we had turned SO
IS TO bring them within our turning
'ircle Il would have made ramming
possible, certainly
How were they heading when this
,rder hard-aport was gwen"
HEADING SOUTHWEST.
They were heading southwest"
Were they then headed so had you
-one the other wayg'
And they discovered the movement?"
Yes. | think they would"
The chart distance given at the time
vas LOO yards. I estimated 1900
ards and 80 made It IN my report In
he first place we must have lost by
hitting helm at such a time. Then. n
We had turned the other way. We must
ave gone 900 yards. They would not
ave had much distance to run TO get
ntlrely within our turning circle. That
J all conjecture"
Mr.. Hanna-What was the conduct
nd bearing OF Commodore schle,
While under Are on such occasions that
ou had the opportunity Of observing?
Il slways regarded him as an entire