The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-21
PUTS SCHLEY
TO THE FRONT.
Official Report of the Vain
wright Naval Board
Shows the Brooklyn in the Lead
July 3rd.
WAS 3.4 MILES AWAY
When the Spanish Flagship
Surrendered.
Sampson Was Still 8 1-2 Miles
Behind With His Ship.
WAS S.4 MILES AWAY

Behind With His Ship.
washington, oct. 21.-The report Of
khe Wainwright board convened for the
purpose of determining the positions
and courses of the ships engaged in the
action at Santiago, July 3, was made
public today. The report is as follows;
U. s. F. S.. New York, First rate,
Navy Yard, Oct. 8, 1898:
Sir
In obedience to your order Of Sep
TENDER 2, 1898, appointing US a board 70
plot the positions of the ships OF Ad-
miral Cerveras squadron, and those OF
the United States fleet in the DaIIle OF
JtlIv 8 1898 off Santiago de Cuba, we
have the honor to submit the following
report accompanied by a chart show
ing the positions at seven different
2lThese times, as taken by the Unit
ed States ships engaged, with the Incl
dents noted are as follows;
No. 1. 9:35 a. malaria Teresa came
out Of the harbOr-
No 2, $3.50 a. m.-Pluton came out.
No 8, 1O:15 a. m.-Maria Teresa turned
to run ashore.
No. 4, 1920 a. m.-Oquendo turned to
run ashore.
No 5, 1880 a. m-Furor blew up and
Pluton turned to run ashore. =
No 6, 1:05 a. m.-Vizcaya turned to
run ashore.
No. Z. Els o. rn.-CoIon surrendered.
sine CfaTE S6leGIGQ the DOaId IOE
plotting is H. O. chart No. ZIG, 1854
West Indies, eastern part Of Bahama
Islands. with part of Cuba and north
coast Of San Domingo.
4-The positions of the United States
ships were esta blished by known bear
angS and distances from the MORO at
No 1, with the exception Of the New
York, whose position is plotted by the
revolutions of her engines during a run
of As minutes east from her position s
z. u s. z of the MORO, 5000 yards.
Position No 2 IS plotted DV all ships
cording to their relative bearings from
each other, the operations of their en-
gines from 9:35 to $50, the evidence of
the officers on board and the ranges
used in firing at the Spanish ships. Pc
HittOn No. g. is plotted from observations
of the officers Of the United States
ships, with regard to their nearness to
each other, and relative bearings of
themselves from the Teresa with ran
ges in use at the time, the performance
of the engines and general heading of
the ships. Position No. 4, same as No.
8, substituting OQuendo for Teresa.
Position Nos. >, 6 and are plotted on
the same general plan
b-BefOre plotting these positions, the
board took each ship separately and
discussed her data for the position I'M
DER cOuS1dera UOn-thiS data being OBJ
tained from the report of the command
ang officers, notes taken during the &C
ton and the evidence OF the members
OF the board. In recOnciling differences
OF opinion in regard to distances, bear
angs, ranges, etc, full liberty was given
~ Tie representative OF the snip under
discussion to bring in any argument or
data he considered necessary and the
BOARD submits this report with feeling
that, under the circumstances it is as
nearly perfect as is possible so long at
ter the engagement.
Very respectfully,
(SignatureS)
RICHARD WAINWRIGHT.
Lieut.. Com. U. S. N Senior Member
S. P. COMLEY,
Lieutenant q. s. N
L. Q. HELLER
Lieutenant q. s. n.
w. Il. Schultz,
Lieutenant U. s. N
A. Q. HODGESON,
Lieutenant U. S N
W. H. ALLEN,
Lieutenant U s NJ
EDWARD CAPHART,
TO the Commander-in-C Chief
Ihe above report needs the accompa-
HyIhg cnart TO make clear what were
the positions of the ships during the ia
nous battle of Santiago on J11Iv 2
measurements upon the charts showing
the positions Of the vessels at the spec-
aned times named in the report will give
as fair an idea. of the work of the hoard
as can be made without the chart itself
Hosltlon No I, 9:S5 a. m.-Wheu the
Maria Teresa came out of the barI1oTs
Lne New York was nine miles east of
44orro' accompanied by the Hist and
Ericsson The Brooklyn was three
miles southwest of MORO, being two ana
tWo-tenths miles from the shore west
u the mouth OF the harbOr. The Texas
was elght-tenthS of a mile east of the
brooklyn. The Iowa was one and
elght-tenths miles east and south of the
brooklyn, and the Oregon a half mile
east or the Iowa, the Iowa being three
dllles directly south of Moro. The In
oAana was two and two-tenths miles
southwest of MORO and the Gloucester
one mile almost directly north of the
1ndlana and mile and four-tenths
from Moro.
POSITION No. ?, $3.50 a. m.-When the
fiuton came out, all the Spanish YES
sSIs had come out of the harbor and
Ihere were; Maria Teresa, two and 2
half miles southwest of MORO and the
Nizcaya, Colon and Oquendo in the or
der named, behind the Teresa and from
four-tenths to half mile apart The
position Of the American vessels were.
The New York had moved up two and
one-tenth miles westward. The Brook
Ayn was eight-tenths of a mile from the
N5zcaya- At position No. 2, the Texas
nrst went east a half mile, swinging to-
ward the harbOr. then turning to the left
she is at NO.2, a half mile directly north
OF her first position. The Iowa was a
mile and fOur-tenths from the Vizcaya.
the oregon being tWo-tenths of a mile
behind the Iowa, the Indiana three
tenths behind the Iowa. The Gloucester
was one and seven-tenths miles from
the nearest Spanish vessel, the Oquen-
= do.
Position No. 8, 1O:15 a. m.-Maria
Teresa turned to run ashore. She was
nve and half miles from Moro. The
Vizcaya was two and three-tenths miles