The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-19
SEARCHED FOR TEN DAYS
AND THEN STARTED BACK TO
KEY WEST.
Left Santiago On the Return, Trip
Without Ascertaining Whether
Cervera Was There-Difhcu1ty In
Coaling Was the Cause-Finally
Discovered the Enemy's Squadron.

from Admiral Schley covering that
part of the operations and movements
of the flying squadron from its sailing
from Key West for Cienfuegos, up to-
but not including the first lombard
ment. The report is as follows:
Flying Squadron, United States Flag
ship Brooklyn, off Santiago de Cuba,
May 80, 1898: Sir-I have the honor to
| report that the squadron sailed from
Key West on the morning of the 18th
| inst. for Cienfuegos, Cuba, in obedience
to orders from Rear Admiral Sampson.
In company with the flagship were tn
/ Massachusetts, Texas and Scorpion.
En- route, passed the Marblehead,
| Nashville and Wasp, communicating
with the last named vessel. Off Cape
| Antonio communicated with the Gin
| cinnau and Vesuvius, scouting.
! On the morning of the End inst. the
/ squadron stood in for the entrance of
! Cienfuegos harbor to reconnoiter, and
J later in the day passed the entrance
! twice, close in. AS I had heard the fir
ing of guns on the previous afternoon
in the direction of the port, and 20
there was considerable smoke observed
in the harbor, 1 was led to believe that
! the Spanish squadron might have ar
rived there. That day the Dupont
! joined me with dispatches from Admit
! raj Sampson, directing that the block
ade of Cienfuegos be preserved, and
! the Scorpion be sent to communicate
with the Minneapolis and Harvard, off
| Santiago. Also on this day the Iowa
Joined the squadron.
A line of blockade was established
about four miles off shore, and at
night an inshore line was maintained,
consisting variously of the Scorpion
Dupont and Castine, the last named
! vessel arriving on the 23rd, conveying
the Merrimac.
Also on the 2Srd inst, the Hawk ar
rived with dispatches from Admiral
Sampson, directing me to move east
ward with the squadron to Santiago,
/ if satisfied that the enemyS vessels
were not in Cienfuegcs. Not being
satisfied at this time that they were
not there, I held my position, being
further strengthened in my opinion by
( the fact that 1 was informed by the
captain of the British steamer Adula
that when he left Kingston a cable
gram had been received, on the Thurs
day preceding my arrival off Cienfue-
gos, stating that the Spanish squadron
had sailed from Santiago.
The Iowa. Castine and Dupont took
coal from the collier on that day, the
Iowa particularly needing coal, as she
had sailed from Key West to join this
squadron before completing loading,
md consequently was considerably
short.
ENEMY NOT THERE.
On the oath inst. the Marblehead,
Vixen and Eagle joined the squadron,
and the Nfarblehead and Eagle we're
( Immediately sent to communicate with
the insurgents to the westward of Glen
fuegos. and to furnish them with am
munition, clothing and dynamite. Upon
Commander NfcCalla's return in the
course of the afternoon, he reported to
me that he had obtained information
that the Spanish squadron was not in
Cienfuegos. Dispatches were at once
sent by the Dupont to Admiral Sampson
and to Commodore Renly of the de-
partment, indicating that this squad
ron would move toward Santiago de
Cuba.
Great difficulty had been experienced
in coaling-the Texas on account Of her
projecting sponsors, in any seaway
whatever, and only under the most
favorable conditions can she go along
side a collier. In anything more I'M
favorable than absolutely smooth wa
ter there is great danger of injury
either TO the Texas herself or the col
lier. In this connection. the advantage
of tumblehome to the side is very
marked, insuring great freedom from
accidents due to projections on the
ship's side.
After dark on the evening of the Path
the squadron stood to sea to the east
ward, with the Brooklyn, MaSsachu-
sets. Iowa and Texas in column. nat
ural order; the Marblehead. Vixen and
Eagle on the outer flank. and the col
lier inshore of the battieshiD. The
Castine was left at CienfuegOs to no
tify the Scorpion on her return, should
she not be sighted by US, to proceed to
Key West in company.
The run to Santiago was marked by
rain and rough weather to such an ex-
tent that the Eagle was unable to keep
up d speed Of 10 to SIS knots and fell
behind SO much as to seriously delay
the squadron. which was forced to slow
to a speed of from four to i've knots
for her to regain and hold her position.
AS this rough head sea continued, with
no apparent prospect OF abating. and
as the Eagles coal supply was becom-
ing dangerously low. she was sent to
Port Antonio for coal with directions
10 make the best of her way back to
Kew West.
On arriving off Santiago. the collier
Merrimac was disabled by the breaking
of her intermediate pressure valve
stem and the cracking of the stuffing
box. This served as a further embar-
rassment to the squadron and a source
Of considerable anxiety, as, with the
weather conditions that had prevailed
since leaving Cienfuegos, it appeared
absolutely necessary to abandon the
position off Santiago and seek place
where the vessels could be coaled and
the Golfers machinery repaired.
STARTED BACK.
Off Santiago. the ST. Paul. Yale and
Minneapolis were sighted and commu-
nicated with. The MINNEAPOLIS report
ed that She only had sufficient coal to
reach Key West and that her machin-
cry was in bad condition. The coal sup
ply OF the other two scouts was also
, / much reduced. ARRANGEMENTS We're al
once made whereby the Yale was tC
Tow the collier. and. as the prospect
did not seem favorable for replenishing
the meager coal supply of the other
vessels. the squadron stood to the west
ward, towing the collier. The operation
of taking the collier in tow proved 10
be quite difficult. owing to the size and
weight of the two ships and the repeat
ed parting of the towlines. Finally
however, after twenty-four hours up-
renting exertions, the GOLFERS chain
cable was gotten to the Yale and the
squadron proceeded. The st. Paul was
ordered to remain off Santiago until
her coal supply would no longer permit
of further DELAY
After standing to the westward for
about three hours. or about twenty-five
miles. the conditions became less I'M
favorable and the SQUADRON stopped
The Texas and Marblehead were sent
alongside the collier, whose injury had
been temporarily repaired, and coaled
during the night
lnasmueh as IL was known that, in
! q so ha Cnran.7ray, I1.T a1,fa