The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-02
BLtUjNDER!NG.
Official Stupidity and Red Tape
at Washington
Have Hampered Schley's Move
mentS From the First.
KNEW HIS BUSINESS.
And Would Have Accomplished
Something Long Ago
Except For Interference by
Superior Authority.
KNEW HIS BUSINESS.

(CODyr1SnC, 1898, Dy Associated RreSS-J
With the United States Fleet off San
tiago de Cuba, May 29.-Via Port An
tonic, Jamaica, June 2.-Four weeks af-
ter the victory of Rear Admiral Dewey
at Manila Commodore Schley in COM
mand of the flying squadron had his
shrewdness and pertinacity rewarded
by finding the Spanish fleet in the har-
Dor of Santiago. For ten days he had,
in the face of conflicting rumors, and
some cases of alleged verificatiOns, in
sisted that the ships of Spain were try
ing to make a landing on the southern
coast of Cuba. This was evidently not
in consonance with newspaper and Off
cial information and his opinion was
not given much public weight. In fact
it is believed that some days before he
proved the correctness of his diagnosis
of the situation, he was ordered to re-
turn to Key West. However, new facts
gathered by him in the meantime gave
him still more ground for belief as to
his proximity to the Spaniards.
The captain of the British steamer
Adula, who was interviewed at Cienfue-
gos, told of seeing the Spanish fleet in
the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba, evil
dently awaiting opportunities to get in.
Captain Sigsbee, of the st. Paul, re-
lated how he had captured a Spanish
coal vessel going into the harbor of
Santiago de Cuba and Commodore Schley
the fleet of Spain was awaiting in some
haven near Santiago until such time as
a visit, fruitless in it's results, should
be made there by the Americans, when
upon their departure the Spanish fleet
would run into the harbor
Commodore Schley determined to
make that visit and on Friday night he
ran within six miles of the harbor. The
st. Paul was then detached and sent
back to keep out of sight, with instruc-
tions to be ready at a twenty knots
clip, to bring news to the commodore
at any moment.
From the American ships, the Span
lSh batteries were in plain view, but no
doubt under precOncerted arrangement
they made attempt to fire and the
flying squadron, after circling around
slowly steamed away in the direction
of Key West, as its coal supply was be-
coming short.
There was a collier with the squadron
but there was no friendly harbor with
smooth water and there was serious
danger of smashing the collier if an at
tempt was made 4 to coal the heavy
battleShipS at sea! ReSourceful and dar-
ing Commodore gSchIey showed forth.
however, and at dark with original
rigging to protect the ship the Texas
and the Marblehead began to coal They
worked all night and at daybreak had
filled their bunkers.
By noon on Saturday the converted
yacht Vixen had also coaled and at 1
o'clock not having heard from the st.
Paul, the American warshtps moved
again towards Santiago.
First standing off the coast about fif-
teen miles, the squadron afterwards
circled in front of MORO Castle, but had
not time enough to get a view of the
inside of the harbor, guarding care
fully against the possibilities of a tor
pedO boat attack.
At night the squadron lay off a point
of land and in the morning, Sunday, the
St Paul came along, but did not report
any knowledge of the Spanish fleets
Wherea bouts.
Consequently Commodore Schley de-
termined to find it himself and with the
flagship in the lead, he started towards
the harbOr. The Spanish troops at the
earthworks and batteries could be seen
through glasses, preparing in haste to
give the American ships as warm a re-
ceptiOn possible.
When about five miles from the bat
terIes, the lookouts reported the masts
of the two ships and Lieutenant Sears
and Ensign McCauley made out the
first one to be the Cristobal Colon
Two torpedo boats were also made
out and a second vessel of the Vizcaya
class was seen.
All this time Commodore SchIev was
upon the after bridge of the Brooklyn
making good use Of his binoculars. Ar
rived at the harbor entrance, when the
ships were sighted from the deck, he
turned his eyes from the glasses long
enough to wink and said: II told you
I would find them. They will be long
time getting home" The order to man
lhC POIt DdllSIIeS HdQ Deen given ana
the men stripped to the waist, in a
temperature considerably over 100 de-
grees, awaited with impatience the
word to fire.
But the commodore decided not to
waste ammunition on the batteries and
the men were disappointed. For the
time being, however, there was much
quiet jubilation among the men over
the prospect of a fight.
Commodore Schley showed his even
ness of temperament by ordering the
Massachusetts to take coal from the
collier within view of the forts and
warships of Spain.
On the Texas Captain Phillips went
through with the days routine, includ-
ing church services, at which the men
with refreshing directness of sugges-
ton sang Pull for the Shore"
1t was perfectly evident from the
position of the Spanish warships on
Sunday morning that they had either
just entered the harbor. having learned
of the supposed final departure of the
American squadron, or had been in hid
ing up the bay, which is about nine
miles long and had run down to get
out early Sunday morning. In any
case it was excellent proof of the per-
lection of Commodore Schley's tactics
and showed that after weeks of wait
ing, following of clues furnished by
strategic boards, in seven days, he had
succeeded in bottling up the Spanish
fleet in one of it's own harbors.
Less than two days before two sup
posedly Cuban pilots sent from Jamaica
by the government had informed the
commodore on the deck of the Brooklyn
that no vessels Of the size of the Span
ish warships could go up the harbor,