The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-20

ships were trying to escape 60 the west to
follow--and OF course there was no signal
necessary to tell us to follow a fleeing
enemy.
1.-THE New York had left the hlockadng
line dying the signal disregard the move.
ments Of the commander IN chief a sig.
nal frequently made and we'll understood
nv the entire feet It did not transfer the
command. No signal WAS made for the
second in command to assume command OF
the h6ct which was usually doue Ivy tho
commandments before reaching the
limit Of signal distance when he proposed
FOR any reason Temporarily TO rclinqush
his command to the next ranking object
Tho following IS Admiral Taylors state
ment, AT the beginning Of the light the
New York was about rs far 70 the enst-
ward Of me as the BROOKLYN was TO the
westward The only signal received from
,he New York was at the very close OF ths
oght. when she slgnaued TO me 10 return
md guard tho mouth Of the harbor SO that
nothing come out to attack our transports,
7 rrceivcd no signal whatever from the
Rroolslvu. and should not have heeded any
n one had been made as ] considered Ad-
mlral Sampson In command. From her
positlon the INDIANA took full psrt in the
! sctnnl nrht rs the Spanish Sntps came out
NJ the harhcr. when they ran n tina vest.
ward the Indiana fell behind, but con
| +irued NribE at them, and at the torpedo
/ heats unNI al hut the Colon we're sunk
| or bescbhd 7 saw the Brooklyn turn SOD
| RIM OUT seawHrd seemingly over mills
ahout me time the rear one ut the Spanish
! ships turned to west. n instead 1t max
inr This loop, the BROOKLYN had stood
straight in toward the spspiards, as the
other American ships did, II seemed 20 mo
that the hght would have been settled
then without need Of the long chase
The following IL Commander VAIN
virginia statement: "At the outset # the
night the New York waE not much farther
away from me IN one direction than tre
Hrooklvn was in the other, and was 10 plain
SIGHT signal from Admiral Taylor ID
conpection with my moving forward 10 at
tnck the torpedo boats was the only slghsl
received. ! made one to thu New YORK
lust before the last torpedo boat sank. mo
New york at that time was coming up
under the IRE ~ the batteries. and herself
; drcd couple OF shots At the torpedo ooat'
= ar conr,e Admiral Sampson was present.
} and in command received no signals from
the BROOKLYN and would not have notleea
, her Mt all had II not been for the tact mat
when fine other vessels closed In sac mane
{ what has been since called the LOOP so
. mat nv attention was attracted by NOT
c seeing the Texas because she stopped ana
, hy not seeing the Brooklyn because sne
! went to seward away from the spanish
l vessels. In other words the lett or west'
= ward part of orr line was openen, ana ms
attracted my attention. because " seeme'
. IA me from where was that TINS per
t mittcd the Spanish vessels 10 wy an"
4 cnpc westward y
: The survey OF the damages ot the four
{ sropish war vessels shows that In additior
d 10 several score hits by the siS-pounuer anp
ro-nounder guns Of the American meet
q they were struck torty-three times oy th'
$ larger guns OF -four inches caliher ana over
70 The Colon, which came out lnside tn'
d others and did comparatively niue nsnt
n ing. received but three OF these mis-. III
u other three SHIPS, which bore tue orunt Q
II the action. received forty among tnem' y
"a these forty. eleven, according to tue Fepot
IT ~ tho board which examined into tnem
rs wore lv four.uch guns, ten by hye-inf'
Or guns. four ay either four OF hye.inch TN
hard could not determine which,, wnlt
* one eas either a i've or siyinch, twelT
Of were by eightIrch and two by tweire-lhe'
It. guns, -,
he All Of our big ships except the Texas ha
to olght.iucn guns only the Texas ana low
g. had twelvc-uch guns rhe Oregon ana IL
ig diana bad thirteeuiuch guns end the Iexs
e. had six-inch guns The only fonr'inc
be guns we're on the Iowa, and The only uv'
Sc inch guns were on the Brooklyn, raer'
ut fore. on the three Spanish ships that o.
RS the bulk az the lighting ont Ct the fort
ne large-calber shots that struck them eleve
sh certainly came from the Iowa, ten eertainl