Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-06-01
SCHLEY A GOOD FIGHTER
It Was Not Expected He Would Lie Still Out
side Of Santiago.
IS NOT THAT KIND OF AN OFFICIAL.


Ing circumstances.
New York. June IA special to the
Times from Washington says:
Washington is working itself up to
the hope of official news from Schley
to match the news from Dewey. With
various corroborative dispatches at
Santiago it is made plain that what
ever the plan may be for eventual CO.
operation at Santiago de cuba Of the
navy and army, there is no restraint
upon Commodore Schley to prevent
him from reducing the forts at the en-
trance of the harbor destroying Ger
vera's fleet and making the city unin-
habitpblo to the Spanish if he chooses
to do so.
The news from Commodore schlcy
contained in the press dispatches
caused no surprise to those who have
known him and his record. He Is
not an officer to remain quiet while
there is Il chance for enterprise so
close at hand. His adventures In
In Corea when he took part In the at
tack on the native ports, his particle
patton In the Greedy expedition, and
more recently his recent stand for
American rights in Valparaiso, indi-
Gates tho character Of the American
who is the commander in Santiago,
carrying with him very poor opinion
Of the military ability of the Spanish
people. He heard the opinions Of
these people respecting this country
and II was his belief that the United
States ought to have an opportunity
TO show these contemptuous scoffers
that they did not understand the peo-
,,Ia I'M fpF un
is also known that Schley was eager
to meet the foe and that he and his
men have fretted all Fort Monroe
while Dewey was making himself
famous. Schley's friends insist that
he will never stop work at Santiago
until he has demonstrated the ability
of American ships and American sail
ors to overcome Spanish ships and
sailors under difficult circumstances.
Since Commodore Schley's fleet has
been reported at Santiago,a great deal
Of calculation and speculation has been
INDUCED In as to the possibility of his
acting effectively against the fleet OF
Admiral Cervera without entering the
harbor. Some of the naval men here
have taken all things into account and
have concluded that with the l3-inch.
12-inch and S-inch guns on the Massa-
chusetts.the Iowa and the TeXas.he can
reach the city Of Santiago itself II he
can get the range. II he could OBJ
tain the mornings of the Spanish ves-
sells, which it Is ssumed he has done,
so definitely as to be able 20 chart
them, no doubt is entertained OF his
ability to direct a destructive fire up
on the ships at distance of five or
six miles.
According to the dispatches received,
comparatively little attention appears
to have been given to the fortifca-
lions The assumption among naval
men who are discussing the engage
ment before particulars are Obtainable
In that he has directed just enough fire
at the forts TO occupy them and has
employed his most effective hong range
guns In peppering the Spanish vessels
In the harbor. Admiral Cervera, 1t Is
believed. has found himself Mt a terri
BILE disadvantage in being penned up
in the harbor. The bay OF Santiago Is
scarcely a mile wide in its widest part
1t Is navigable for vessels of such
drauGht as the four armored cruisers
OF CerVera's fleet for but part of Its
width. 1t is considered to be out of
the question for Cervera to protect
himself to any great extent by maneu-
Nering. Having once got the range of
Cervera's vessels. either at anchor or
moving up and down the bay. Com
modore Schley may sink or disable
them all, At the same time he may
keep his vessels constantly in motion,
playing on the fortihcatiOns and the
spanish fleet while the forts and the
imprisoned fleet are wildly endeavor-
Ing to hit lot OF moving vessels
Army men are hearing the news
from Santiago with some concern.
They have accepted as true the reports
that there is to be land force dis
patched to Santiago and they imagined
that all preparations were to be de-
ferred until the army was In readiness
n ma Col 20 f., "a
tiagp and to win a share OF credit for
Its capture While Commodore Schlav
does NOT appear to have been made aC-
quainted with this view, the army Of
Ulcers who have heard of the attack
upon Santiago by Schley say that It
viii be ms impossible for him to mako
complete job Of the reduction of
Santiago as it is for Admiral Dewey to
take possession Of Manila without the
aid of large number Of troops.
Secretary Long does not look for any
report from Commodore Schley until
he has completed the job that he is re-
ported to have begun His complete
liberty for him to use his own dlscre-
tlon about attacking. and under his
instructions he Is expected To dcstrov
or capture the fleet Of Admiral Ccryera
If he can do it,
Use the utmost pndeavors " tba Il,
strn1ions issued to Admiral Dewey
We're repeated 10 SChley when he WIS
found to have curnered the Spanish
Meet; These instructions viii not pcr-
mt MN to lie idle outside the harbor.
and his temperament and ntnbitjn,
WIN stimulate him to the greatest nc
Commodore Schlcy win not run ont
OF provisions or coal. OF ammunition
me department win forward to him an
at Key West and of coal he seems iii,o-
ly to get all that Admiral Cervera "x-
pected to have and much more.