The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-24
ADMIRAL SIMPSONS REPORT.
.,ovEMENTs OF HIS FLEET PRE-
,-,ors TO SANTIAGO ENGAGEMENT.

,,-x Depnrtment to Post a squad
-, in the Windward Passage.
Tbc BOmbnrdment of San Juan
nd the Reasons Why the squad
ION Withdrew-PRrtici of
,oumodOre SchIey in the Opera
tons.
washington, Oct 2S.-Thesnavy depart
r,ent has made public that portion OF Ad-
,,tr7l SIMPSONS report, covering the con-
,.-to If the feet under his command, in its
o-.rations in the West Indies for about
ttyo months prior to the destruction of
ADMIRAL Cerveras ships, on July 3. 1t
l. made up largely of the dispatches and
-. movements of the fleet, with explana>
tins and comments by the admiral. The
rsport is dated Aug. 8, on the flagship
New York, and begins with statement
of tbe determination reached by the navy
densrtment to send a squadron TO the
yyinvard Passage fer the purpose of OBJ
,orvation. because of information received
Of the sailing, April 70, of Admiral Ger
vera's squadron from the Cape Verde ISL
sr5s on the voyage eastward from the
naval base at Key West, which began
NAV 4 Admiral Sampson reports there
was experienced endless trouble and delay
because of the inefiiciency of the two mon
itors accompanying the other ships, and
which had to be taken in tow.
Among the kilograms received by the adj
,niral from the department at Washing
ton. when off Cape Hayden. was the fol-
lowing;
Washington, May 6.-Do not risk or
cripple your vessels against Notifications
as to prevent soon afterward successfully
fighting Spanish fleet composed of Pelayo,
Carlos V, Oquendo, Vizcaya, Maria Teresa,
Cristobal Colon and four deep sea torpedo
boats. If they should appear on this side.
Long"
on May there was a consultation on
board the flagship, and the admiral says
that he decided to stand on to the east
ward as far as San Juan, Porto Rico, on
the chance of finding the Spanish squad
ron in that port where, if they were not
successful in destroying it, it could be at
least blockaded and held. The squadron
arrived off San Juan on the morning of
ensued. Regarding his action at this place
the admiral says:
1T was clear to my own mind that the
squadron would not have any great diff
Guilty III forcing the surrender of the
place but the fact that we should be held
several days in completing arrangements
for holding it, that part of our force would
have to be left TO await the arrival of
troops to garrison ii; that the movement
of the Spanish squadron, our main OBJ
jective, were still unknown; that the fly
ing squadron was still north and not in
a position to render any aid; that Ha-
vana, CerVera's natural objective, was
thus open 10 entry by such a force as
his, while we were a thousand miles dis
tant made our immediate movement to-
ward Havana imperative. l thus reluc-
family gave up the project against San
Juan, and stood westward for Havana"
Shortly after the news was received that
The Spanish fleet had appeared off Cur
acoa, West Indies and the squadron, I'M
der orders from the department, proceed
ed to Key West, to which place the fly
ing squadron, under Commodore (now Ad-
mraD Schley had been already ordered
Arrangements were then hurredly made
ana the flying squadron, augmented by
Other vessels under Commodore Schley
was sent off Cienfuegos, where il was
OeleVed the enemy would go, in which
case an effort was to be made to engage
and capture him
Admiral Sampson was given the choice
elher of the command of the bIockadng
squadron off Havana or at Cfenfuegos,
Schley, in either case, to remain with his
own squadron. From messages received
by The admiral from the department about
May 20 it appears that reports had reach
ed the United States that the Spanish fleet
he Il ID
Vsed Sampson to send immediate word to
Sehley to proceed to that place. leaving
one small vessel off Cienfuegos.
ON May %, as shown by the report, Com
modore Schey expressed the belief that
me Spaniards were at Cienfuegos and on
tne 2'Ih the admiral sent word TO Schley
uIcctlnS nun to proceed with all possible
speed to Santiago, because of information
received that the Spaniards were there.
AT the same time orders were sent to have
me collier Sterling dispatched to Santiago,
with an expression of opinion that the
commodore should use 1t to obstruct the
channel at It's narrowest part leading into
the harbOr. The details of the plan were
lett TO the commodore's judgment, as he
lSampSon) had the utmost confidence In
ms ability to carry this plan to a success
1ul conclusion, and earnestly wished him
good luck"
Scniey in the meantime had proceeded
w. 30 4'ldSO d4lnOuSH II dpDcdfS not the
same day Admiral Sampson expected. AT
on@ time Commodore Schiey contemplated
going 10 Key West with the squadron for
coa1 but this was abandoned, the repairs
10 ms collier having been temporarily made
ahd The necessity for a trip to Key West
oeng avoided. Santiago was then block
ad'Q. The admiral congratulated the com
modore on his success and directed him to
maintain close blockade at all hazards,
especially at night
meantime Admiral Sampson had made
arrangements to proceed to Santiago with
number of his vessels. He arrived there
June l.
linen follows a historical resume of the
uoings of the fleet whN, off Santiago, of
'he Commandment of the forts of the TAX
nIS or the lower bay al Guantanamo by
lhe Marblehead and the Yankee, copies of
H,Ihorandas regarding methods of block
aus kilograms bearing on the proposed
uihy movement to Santiago, etc, practic-
any al of which is told in official tele-
, me admiral reproduces the order of bat
We incidental to the landing of Shafter's
aImy corps June o. when ships were sent