The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-11-03
ADMIRAL SIMPSONS STORY.


Declares Ho Could Have Taken the City
Preparing to Enter santiago when
the Town Fell.
Washington. 1.-The Navy Department
has made public that portion Of Adj
miral Simpsons report covering the
conduct OF the feet under his COM
mand, in it's operations in the West
Indies for about two months prior 10
the destruction Of Admiral Cervera'a
ships on July 3D.. II is madesup large
ly Of official DISPATCHES and records OF
the movements OF the feet, with ex.
plantations and comments by the Adj
miral.
The report is dated August Sd, on
the flagship New York, and begins
with statement OF the determination
reached by the Navy Department to
send a squadron TO the Windward pass-
age for the purpose OF observation,
because Of information received OF the
sailing on April 10Th OF Admiral Ger
vera's luadron from the Cape Verde
islands. On the voyage eastward from
the naval base at Key West, which be-
gan May 4th Admiral Sampson reports
there was experienced endless trouble
and delay, because Of the inefiiciency OF
the two monitors accompanying the
other ships and which had to be taken
in tow. Their coal supply was so
small that il was evident that they
must either frequently coal or be
lowed.
The Admiral says: Had the sea
been rough, or had the enemy appeared
at this junctIre the squadron would
have been in much better position
for an engagement had the monitors
been elsewhere. Subsequently, when
engaging the batteries OF San Juan it
was evident that their shooting was
very bad Owing to the quick rolling
of these vessels, even in very moder-
ate sea, they were unable to fire with
any degree OF accuracy"
On May sth there was consultation
on board the fiaghip, and the Admiral
says that he decided to stand on to the
eastward as far as San Juan, Porto
Rico, on tile chance OF finding the
Spanish squadron in that port, where,
if theyswere not successful in destroy
ing it, it could be at least blockaded
and held. The squadron arrived off
San Juan on the morning of the 18th,
and the bombardment of the place en-
sued.
Regarding his action at this place,
the Admiral says; 1T was clear to
my mind that the squadron would not
have any great difficulty in forcing the
surrender OF the place, but the fact that
we should lie held several days in com.
plotting arrangements for holding it;
that part of our force would have to be
left to await the arrival of troops to
garrison it; that the movements Of the
Spanish squadron, our main objective,
were still unknown; that the flying
squadron was still north and not in 8
position to render any aid; that Ha
vana, Cervera's natural objective, wa,
thus open to entry by such force al
his while we were a thousand miles
distant, made our immediate movement
toward Havana imperative. thus re
luctantly gave up the project agains
San Juan and stood westward for Ha
yana.
Shortly after news was received tina
the Spanish feet had appeared off Gu
racoa. West Indies, and the squadron
under orders from the department, pro
eeedel to Key West, to which plac
the flying squadron under Commodor
(now AdmiralD Schley had alread,
been ordered.
Arrangements were then hurried,
made and the flying squadron, aug
mented by the other vessels undo
Commodore Schley, was sent off Glen
fugos. Then came the reports tina
Cervera was at Santiago, and Schle
was ordered to go there Sampson
dispatches show that he was firml
convinced that the Spanish were a
Santiago. Schley found Cervera'
feet in the harbor, as Sampson pre-
dicted. Admiral Sampson made ar
rangements to proceed to Santiago wit
a number OF his vessels, He arrive,
there June LIST.
] Then follows historical resume G
J the doings OF the feet while off Santi
] ago, OF the bombardment of the ports
) of the taking of the lower bay at Guam
tanamo by the Marblehead and tn
Yankee, copies of memorandums re
/ garding methods of blockades; tele
} grams bearing the proposed army move
} ment at Santiago, etc, and PRACTICAL
: all of what is told in official kilograms