The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-03
THE ORDERS TO SCnLfY
WERE TO PREVENT ESCAPE OF
CERVERA
AND STOP BUILDING OF FORTS
Schley Simply Followed Orders With
out Attempting to Capture the
Spanish Fleet at Santiago
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK. June IA dispatch to the
World from Washington says:
Ever since the administration got news
that Cervera was well bottled and well
corked at Santiago. a large land and sea
expedition to destroy or capture his fleet
and occupy Santiago has been planning.
schley, with sufficient but not powerful
squadron was stationed at Santiago to pre-
VENT Cervera from escaping and from let
ting provisions in to him, 1t being known at
Washington that supplies of coal and pro-
visions were on the way to him there.
Schiey's orders were substantially these:
Not to try to take Santiago or to reduce the
fortincations. Not to engage Cervera, II
he should try to escape, until he was clear
OF assistance from the guns of the forts.
Not to let him escape or let supplies or re-
Inducements get 1t to him from the sea-
Not to let the Spaniards make any repairs
or additions to the Notifications at the
mouth of the harbor
Ever since the fiasco at San Juan-of
which the last has not yet been heard, by
the way-the administration has been most
| anxious that there shall be no more. half
| abroad as repulses and Spanish victories.
Indeed, so anxious was the administration
that it gave Schley a fleet only strong
enough to control Cervera, and not strong
enough to tempt him. no matter how pro-
voking the circumstances, into trying to
initiate Dewey
On Tuesday morning, the Spanish at San
| tiago, who have been growing more and
nd tLa Il
facts Of their position took effect, began to
repair and strengthen the Notifications on
Morilo Point, to the right of the entrance to
the harbor. Schley soon discovered what
was going on and at once prepared TO stop
| the work, as his orders clearly permitted
| him to do.
abandoned, when the last gun in the bat
teries near 1t was slenced, Schley gave the
signal to draw off. and not until then. He
had done exactly what ne came COR. He
paid no attention to the fire of the forts and
batteries to the left of the harbor, as no
work was being done on them.
| While Schley's squadron, as 1t stands, is
perhaps strong enough to force the harbor
and capture Cervera. still he would not
thing Of attempting It. The Admiral ex-
poets to capture Santiago shortly, but the
assault will be made by all Of our battle
ships, new monitors and heavy cruisers, the
idea being that 1t is folly to take chances of
partial failure, when with ships that are
available and are not In the least needed
elsewhere the sea attack can be made an
assured triumphant success. The land at
tack will be made at the same time. The
Americans will be aided by the insurgents,
who are gathering in force near Santiago
and are in daily, or rather nightly, COM
munication with Schley.
Only the Prelude
| ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
| DISPATCH BOAT DANDY, PORT AN
| TONIC, Jamaica, June 1, a. m.-For an
| hour yesterday afternoon the Massachu-
sets, Iowa, New Orleans and Vixen of
| Commodore Schley's squadron, exchanged
shots with the Spanish fleet under Admiral
| Cervera and with the land batteries guard
ing the harbor of Santiago de Cuba.
The engagement was the first which has
occurred between the two naval forces
and was but a prelude to serious work in
the latter part of the week.
No attempt was made by the American
Commander to bring off a general engage
ment, 1t being his desire to locate the bat
| teries on the hills above the harbor and
to determine the position of the Spanish
| fleet.
Shortly before 10 o'clock Commodore
Schley left the Brooklyn for the Massachu-
sets, on board of which battleship he re-
manned during the fight. At l o'clock the
signal to form column was hoisted on the
Massachusetts,, and the New Orleans, Iowa
and Vixen fell in in the order named.
The Massachusetts, steamed slowly until
about five miles west Of the harbor entrance
when she turned in toward the shore, and
when about 5000 yards off she turned east
again, and bore down on the harbor, the
New Orleans being close up and the Iowa
half a mile behind. The flagship gradually
increased her speed and was soon running
through the water at the rate of ten knots
an hour. She drew closer and closer to the
batteries, and to the anxious watchers on
the other ships it seemed that she would
never open fire.
When however, she had passed the har-
Dor entrance by 500 yards, great cloud of
white and yellow smoke burst from the
two 13-inch guns in her after turret, and
two shells rose over the hill, one of them
striking the Spanish flagship Cristobal
Colon as she lay at anchor and the others
falling close alongside. The two guns on
the forward turret were then fired and
their shells exploding threw up great Jets
Of spray close to the Colon. All the shore
batteries took up the firing and began
rapid fire on the Massachusetts,. But she
was soon beyond their range and the bat
teries thereupon turned their guns on the
New Orleans. This cruiser had been d.
rected to pay attention to the batteries,
and to draw their fire as much as possible
and she obeyed her Instructions.
Her first shot located a large battery on
the hill above Moro. 1t flew straight into
the fort and must have caused much dam
age, as great cloud of dust and debris
rose as the shell burst. A couple more
shots sent part of the walls of Moro flying
into the air, and then the New Orleans con-
fined herself to the batteries, her fire being
rapid and extremely accurate. Every shot
made trouble for Spain. The Iowa came
next, and, like the Massachusetts,, devoted
her attention to the ships lying within the
harbor Her Pinch shells made the water
fly all around that part of the harbor In
which the Cristobal Colon lay. The latter
however, was not seriously damaged. and
kept up her fire until long after the Ameri-
can ships steamed out of range.
After the Iowa was the little Vixen
which apparently had no business in
fight where batteships were engaged. But
she scudded along after the Iowa like a
fox terrier following a mastiff, and at the
proper time she let fly with her one
FOUNDER and glided away, proudly con-
sc,ous of having done her best.