The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-01

WASHINGTON. Nov. so-The navy d.
partment today made public report from
Admiral Sampson. covering the operas ons
OF his blockaaing fleet of Santiago, after
the destruction OF cervera's squadron. The
report begins with a dispatch dated on the
flagship New York, July Is. and winds up
with one from the same flagship. dated
Guantanamo. August l. In the first re-
port Admiral Sampson tells of the dsmon-
stra'ion made against Aguadores hy the
Michigan troops under Duffieid. the point
of which was that soon as the ships took
part In the firing the Spaniards disappear-
Ell. He says the bomhardment OF Santiago
on the "a of July served no particular md.
because Skaters attack had been post
poned.
He quotes dispatches from himself to
Shafter, stating 1t is impossible TO force an
entrance 70 the harbor until the mines
have been removed, and that work cou q
be accomplished only after the troops had
taken the forts. Shafter replied he could
not tell when he could take the batteries
If. they We're as difficult as those against
which he was p.tted, 1t would take some
time and great loss Of life. Said he: II
am at loss to see why the navy cannot
work under destructive fire as we'll as the
army. My loss yesterday was over 800 m n.
BY all means. keep up the fire until tho
heights are demolished. ! expect, how
ever, with time and sufficient men. TO cap
turs the forts along the bay" s-s-+--'-sAs
An hour later on the same day. July 2.
Shafter again appealed to Sampson 10 I'M
mediaieiy force the harbor entrance. 20 as
to avoid further loss among his men. al
ready heavy.
He said: "You can operate with less loss
than / can"
In reply on the same day Admiral Samp-
son pointed ou, that the channel OF the
harbor was wen strewn with mines. which
would certainly result In the sinking OF
one or more OF his ships If he attempted to
enter the harbor, and that by sinking them
the harbor would be blocked against the
entrance OF others. He had hoped Shafter
would take the batteries from the rear. so
he might drag for the torpedoes. but II was
Skaters earnest desire that he should
force the entrance. He would prepare to
undertake II. thinking. however. the posi-
ton OF both the army and the navy would
be made more difficult II they failed in the
Guantanamo to caun,er-mne those at San
tlago. which would consume considerable
time. Said Sampson: ''It is not so much
the loss Of men. as the loss Of ships which
mas until now deferred me from making .
direc. attack upon the ships within the
port"
Admiral Sampson says that after the de-
s,rucsion OF Cervera's feet Shsfter renewed
the request that he should force the en-
trance TO the harbor, and II was arranged
by them that the outside forts should be
taken by the marines and Cubans after the
feet had shelied them. Then the hsrbor
sar to be forced by the fIeet. Admiral
Sampson says he does not know why this
plan was abandoned. and stnf believes
time and many lives nigh, have been saved
had Il been carried out.
Shrfter Accused of misrepresentation
..Tbus'' SAYS aarnY-=ea. II have been sur
r,-tsed 70 ses. published its the papers any
statement OF refusal on my part to en-
dea.or TO force my way Into the harbor,
and cannot Understandable case the news
raoer repnrt has been truthful state
man. ~ aha. was sent by lirn-~Gen Shaf-
ter,x sending any report of this kind.
'T here. moreover. would animadvert
anon the apparently sftfaDfolHsty open
re~s with which every detail Of hope. ef-
for. or suggestion on the part Of the army
;.aa f,een published. The Gnwisaom OF such
: procedure ls TOO manifest FOR discussion"
continuing Admiral Sampson SAYS: The
navy has been placed in such an inyidiots
and false position before the country
through tire very unwiae publication or
Cen. shafte-s tNfegrams thai I think this
matter in some way should BE- made clear
20 the public
Sampson Resents Reflections.
on July n. Admiral sarpson sent the fol-
lowing q, Secretary Long:
"July "a 1919.
The tuNlIsnexi kilograms of Gen. Shafter
r., re Herald of July reflect on the navy.
7 wtsh the department and the president TO
understand the first rtataisite-ta opening the
har-,4es OF saufiago is 20 Gccury the forts
and sutrenchulerfz az ifs entrance. guard
tns the rr,iTae feds and that the general
has ua,zer made a move 70 10 iris although
taso~e E1l< army landed he stated such was
.ha urinary object of his operations II
tfs general otouses TO ignore thA sea ap-
ys~oarsaex ard 70 attack Santiago 20 ire
ass. sza n7cth. that Is his affair but II
shouN he dearly understood that this at
tark f.ae9 not Improve the sl1uatiors al the
haraso~ entrance, from which his left dapk
fs distant not Less than four miles. I have
h4sn ready al any time during the last
three weeks to silence the works 70 clear
the entrance Of rnip~s and To enter the har-
tor whenever .he army viii Do the part
which the proper conduct os the war aa-
signs ~ IL. TO throw my zffipr to certain
destruction ustoa the nina ce3d would b..