The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-12
Santiago Victory Result.
Of His Plans.
THE NAVAL BOARDS VIEW
Inconslderable Part Played by
pD Schley In the Fight. "''",
1T WAS A CAPTAINS BATTLE.

NeW ioih' octs lz.--Altnougn IN
American fleet in the battle off Santiag
on July obeyed the general orders o
Rear Admiral Sampson, given in ad
vance to meet just such an emergency
1t was essentially captains fight
This is in substance the report OF tn,
Ing with a view to determining who
should be given the credit for the vic
tory-Rear Admiral Sampson or Rear
Admiral Schiey. 1t was q captains
fight, says the report. Rear Admira
Sampson was not present. and the two
orders signalled, CLOSE in" and cen.
gage the enemy did no good and were
unnecessary. for the ships already had
closed in and were engaging the enemy
when the orders were run up. As be-
tween the two admirals, the full credit
OF the victory is given TO Rear Admira
Sampson. because he was commanding
officer and the battle was fought under
his plans
The full text OF the report must come
from Washington. but interesting points
were obtained after the board finally
adjourned. The board finds that each
ship in the fleet knew exactly what to do
should Cervera come ont, and did il when
he actually came out. Each captain
fought his ship on plans prepared and or
ders given by Sampson. Even had
Schley directed the general movement
of the fleet in the battle. which II was
unnecessary for him to do. that would
have been because OF the preparation
made by Sampson and within his gen.
eral orders. The board proceeded
along those we'll defined lines in making
the inquiry:
1.-The relative positions OF the Amer
lean ships when Cervera came out, and
throughout the battle.
2-The course OF the Brooklyn immedi-
ately after the alarm.
S-The distance of the New York from
the Colon when the Spaniards surren-
dered
4-The signals made by the Brooklyn.
5-The orders issued by Sampson in
preparation for an attempted escape of
Cervera.
The findings of the board are summa-
rized as follows:
THE battle was fought and won
upon plans prepared by Rear Admiral
Sampson.
2-Any directing of the movements of
ships done by Schley during the battle
was inconsiderable. 1t was a captains
battle.
3--The New York had no active part in
the fight
4-The Brooklyn was not engaged at so
close quarters as has been represented
by the first report. On an average she
WAS two rnilaa Uav from, ba
5-The brunt of the fighting was borne
by the oregon, Texas and Iowa.
6-The New York was about nine miles |
from the Colon when that ship sur
rendered. and between four or five miles |
from the nearest sister ships engaged |
from which signal distance is taken).
THE average range of the ships most |
engaged was about a mile and half
S-No American ship at any time dur
ing the battle was within mile of an un- |
surrendered Spanish ship.
While charts were made and the bat
Gle fought over and over again, as on
chess board, by the members, showing
the positions OF all the ships on both
sides In the entire engagement, the main
discussion. as far as could be learned.
was in regard to the Brooklyn and New
York. According TO the testimony the
Brooklyn was lying further out to sea
than any of the American ships. She
beaded in ar once, and when about 1000
yards from the Maria Teresa, which was
leading the Spanish fleet out, she turned
20 the eastward, then doubled south
ward TO sea for short distance Schley
then followed parallel course with the
Spanards. keeping up a running fight
He was well outside the course of the
other American vessels and i'm the lead
He kept this position an average dis
tance OF about two miles from the Colon
until that ship surrendered.
The issue OF the battle, the board
learned, was not affected by any signals
that Schley made from his flagship.
The oregon dashed out from the very
beginning of the engagement and kept
Within range of the enemy until the fight
ended.
The New York, the board finds. did
nothing TO affect the issue OF the battle.
When the Colons flag came down the
New York was nearly 10 miles TO the
eastward. Sampson, on the New York.
vas near Siboney where he heard the
iring. and turned about and came back
Is fast as a forced draught could bring
lin. The New York was further lnshore
han any OF the other vessels, but too far
way to assist any in the destruction OF
he Spanish feet. All she did was to fire
wo shots at long range at a torpedo boat
destroyer. She did not reach the Colon
Until three quarters OF an hour after the
oregon and Brooklyn. and 15 minutes
fter the Texas reached there. The
Texas sisnalled the Vixen. and the Vixen
he New York, but the New York did
ot answer
At the time OF the hottest fighting (be-
ween 10'an1 1915 a. m) the Brooklyn |
vas I'm line with the Oregon. hut three
uarters OF a mile further out To sea. 4
he Oregon at that time was pouring :
re into the Maria Teresa. The oquendo
ias about 5000 yards distant with the /
'exas and Iowa a half mile to the rear
Z her. ,
The nsvigators OF the ships were be- q
Dre the board because they better than =
ny others krew the positions of the {
hips IN the heht. The navigator a. th. | 4,