Evening star., 1901-10-09
LIEUT.. BRISTOL'S CHART
EXPLAINS 1T TO THE COURT OF
INQUIRY.
Croxs-Examined by MIR. Rayner-GoOd-
fectiveness of the Blockade.

| and division officer on the Texas during the
| war with Spain, occupied the attention OF
| the Schley court of inquiry yesterday at
| ternoon after The Stars report of the pro-
ceedings of the court was closed. He was
cross s-examined thoroughly by Mr. Rayner.
who had not concluded his examination OF
| the witness when the court adjourned.
Lieut.. Bristol was ready Witness speak
Ing in a clear voice that could be heard all
over the room He was prompt In his re-
plies, and was generally positive about
his recollections of what transpired ON the
| coast of Cuba at Cienfuegos and Santiago.
| Considerable time was taken up by con-
| troversy between counsel representing the
| government and Admiral Schley's legal ad-
visers. the former objecting to the way Mr..
| Rayner questioned the witness.
! Lieut.. BristoFs Chart.
Mr. Rayner examined the witness In re-
latioE to the showing of six positions of the
| American and Spanish fleets during the
battle of Santiago. This chart had been
made by Lieut.. Bristol chiefly from per-
| sonal observation.
In response to questions from MI Kay,
| ner Lieutenant Bristol said that ne mao
| made his chart because Of his interest ID
the battle and that he had prepared 1t
| few days after the battle. He had started
the work the day after the engagement
| and had depended partly upon memory In
| it's preparation.
Mr.. Rayner asked the witness if his
| chart was not wrong except in the nrst
| positions assigned
| NJ Hanna objected to this method OF
examining the witness, and-a spirited col
loquy occurred between counsel.
II should like to know where you were
when the witness made his statement SAID
| Mr.. Hanna.
Mr. Rayner: Il was here and heard what
! he said"
Mr.. Hanna: Il think it is outrageous for
wrong?'' -
| Mr. Rayner: 81 will make the style as
pleasant as possible. 1 think my style is
| all right
Mr.. Hanna: You have a good opinion
of it, no doubt.
Mr. Rayner: IT will say is the map
right except in reference to the first po-
stions.' Do you object to that?''
| Mr.. Hanna: THAT is very much better. y
| Captain Lemly: That is not what you
mean, is it?''
| Mr.. Rayner: THAT is not what I mean.
1 mean it is wrong, but 1 want the witness
| to answer"
| The witness: ""To the best of my knowl-
edge and belief it is right
| Mr.. Rayner called attention to the fact
| that the witness had said that at the begin
| ming of the battle the Brooklyn was head
| ing north and east while Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson. who had been aboard the
| Brooklyn, had said the vessel was heading
north and west (which is right?' he
| asked.
Il believe 1 am right the witness re-
| pliod.
| You can't both be right"
| THAT is right, too"
| In response to further questions Lieuten-
| ant Bristol said his chart had been stored
away for some time. but that previously
he had had several blue prints made of it.
| Distance From the Spanish.
| At Mr.. Rayner's request the witness
made measurements showing that accord
| ing to his chart at the beginning Of the
| fight off Santiago the nearest Spanish ship
to the Brooklyn was 1890 yards
| Mr.. Rayner asked: How can you rec
oncile that with the statement of Lieuten-
| ant Commander HodgSon that the range
| of the Brooklyn was 400 yards?'
| Il cannot reconcile my statement with
| that of Lieutenant Commander Hodgson.' -
| Then those two statements are perfectly
| irreconcilablo?"
| "A range of 1.400 yards at the time of
| the turn of the Brooklyn is absolutely ire
| concilable. My idea is that with a sta
| dimeter at 1000 yards 1t Is not an accurate
| instrument, and that is what they state
| they took the measurements with. Also in
| smoke of battle it is almost impossible to
| take ranges accurately. 1t was good deal
| of an estimate. Also, ! have heard, 1 do
not know how true it is, the ranges on
| board the Brooklyn were taken by an en-
/ listed man. l do not question the enlisted
| mans accuracy, except that / would think
| that an officers accuracy would be greater
than that of an enlisted man."
Mr.. Rayner: And those are the reasons
you give for accounting for this wide di-
| vergence- You do not think the stadimeter
Is as accurate as it ought to be?''
| Those are the reasons / have ALWAYS
had in my mind for reconciling those two
| statements. Another reason for thinking
myself right was the speed of the ship,
u q fo h,lf
| 1t at full speed-take her initial position
and she could not arrive at a certain point
| which would give her that range, 400
yards
Mr. Rayner: Then the stadimeter is not
| to be relied upon at all in comparison with
your operations, 1 understand it in this
fnStance?'
| The Stadimeter's Accuracy.
| THE stadimeter at 1900 yards and over
| Is well known to be inaccurate for meas
| uring distances among officers in the navy
because the graduations are so close to-
gether small error in observation makes a
! large error in the result
| Mr.. Rayner: us it possible for the sta
| dimeter to have made a mistake of OOl
yards? Don't you think If that is the case
you had better abolish that Instrument"
| II do not believe Mr. Hodgson took an
accurate observation. l don't want To
make that positive statement, but do want
| to make the statement of what know in
regard to the instrument. The instrument
as / use 1T Is accurate at lower ranges
and inaccurate at higher ranges"
The Cienfuegos Blockade.
! Mr.. Rayner then questioned the witness
as to the stay Of the flying squadron at
| Cienfuegos. The latter said he had not
considered that they maintained a block
| ade there. I'VE were merely lying off the
port" he said, "apd at night anything
| could have passed in so far as we were
concerned without being seem" He admit
| ted that the Dupont and Castine had been
| kept inside the line at night but that he
| had not been able to see them.
| Mr.. Rayner then undertook to compare
| the estimate of the distances which Com
| modore Schley's fleet went to the east and
| west of Santiago harbor with that of
Captain Folger.
Mr.. Hanna suggested that the practice
| of quoting from the testimony of former
| witnesses, while not Objectionable from a
legal point of view. was calculated to pro-
| duce delay, and therefore not desirable.
| When Mr.. Hanna had taken his seat Mr.
Rayner replied. referring to Mr.. Hanna as
his learned and solemn friend" This char
acterization brought Captain Lemly to his
feet. This" he said "is eminently inn
proper. All these left-handed compliments J
thrown around are entirely unusual"
| Mr.. Rayner-'I withdraw it,"