Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-11-26


modore Schley on the 2sd
ION May ~ Admiral Sampson re-
oeived a dispatch from Key West stat
Ing that Cerveras squadron was in tbs
harhor OF Santiago de Cuba on the
morning Of the 2ist and also a Telegram
from the department that IL was ex-
/ pected TO visit San Juan. Porto Rico
and If Commodore Schley found that u
/ had left Santiago he should follow II.
ION the 26th Admiral Sampson re-
1 ceived from Commodore Schley a letter
dated May %, stating that he was by
no means satisfied that the Spanish
/ squadron was not at Cienfuegos ano
that he would, therefore. remain of
/ that port with his squadron"
Mr.. Long makes reference TO the re-
/ ports of secret intelligence agents In
/ Havana as follows:
THE Wasp was sent on May q &C
I carry advices to Commodore Schley in.
forming him that daily confidential re.
/ ports received at Key West from Ha-
vana stated that the Spanish squadron
had been in Santiago de Cuba from the
/ 18th to the 25th, inclusive, and direct
ing him to proceed with all possible
dispatch TO that port"
The report continues:
AT this time two kilograms dated
/ Clenfuegos May "a. were received by
Admiral Sampson from Commodore
Schley stating that coaling Off that
I port was very uncertain; that he had
ascertained that the Spanish fleet was
/ not in Cienfuegos and would go east
ward on the next day, the 25th, but that
/ on account OF short coal supply in ships
/ he could not blockade IL the Spanish
] epua rrpf, tyno ~, eaptfau, i.ttf t,t,t,fT
I proceed TO the vicinity OF Nicholas
I Mole. from which point he would com
municate.
! Upon the receipt OF this information
/ Admiral Sampson at once decided to go
/ 10 Key West for coal and If authorized
/ by the department to proceed 10 San
/ tlago in person. The New Orleans was
instructed on this same day. May 81. 10
/ proceed as rapidly as possible to that
/ port. in company with the collier Ster-
ling and with orders to Commodore
Schley 70 remain on the blockade at
/ Santiago at all hazards. assuming that
the Spanish vessels were in that port
Commodore Schley left Cienfuegos
on the evening Of the 25th and at $50
p. m. on the 26th reached a point 20
miles or more TO the southwark and
eastward of Santiago. where the squad
ron stopped while repairs were made to
the collier Merrimac. At 1850 p. m. he
/ signaled to the squadron: Destination
/ Key West via south side Of Cuba and
/ Yucatan channel, as soon as collier is
ready. Speed nine knots. About 9-p. m.
the squadron got under way and. after
steaming to the westward until 1920
( p. m, stopped to make repairs to the
! Yale.
"On the morning Of the 9th the Har-
ward. from Mole st. Nicholas, delivered
20 Commodore Schley the following dis
| patch:
Proceed at once and inform Schey
I and also the senior officer present off
( Santiago as follows: All departments
/ Information indicates Spanish division
/ is stu at Santiago. The department
/ looks TO you TO ascertain facts and that
/ the enemy, il therein. does not leave
/ without a decisive action. Cubans ia
mliar with Santiago say that there are
/ landing places FIVE or six nautical miles
west from the mouth Of harhor and that
there insurgents probably will be found
and not the Spanish. From the sur
rounding heights can see every vessel
ia port As soon as ascertained notify
The department whether enemy IS there.
Could not squadron and also the Har-
ward coal from Merrlmac lecward off
Cape Cruz Gonaives channel or Mole,
Haiti? The department will send coal
Immediately to Mole. Report without
delay situation at Santiago de Cuba
at II a. m. two hours after receiv-
ing this dispatch from the department,
Commodore Schley signaled TO the
squadron: Can you fetch into the port
OF Key West with coal remaining? Re-
port by signal At noon the Harvard
left, carrying his reply to the depart
ments dispatch, as follows;
'Merrimacs engines disabled: is
heavy; am obliged TO have towed to
Key West; have been unable absolute
~ to coal the Texas. Marblehead. Vix-
en- and Brooklyn from collier, all ow-
ing to very rough sea; bad weather
since leaving Key West. The Brook
Ign alone has more than sufficient coal
TO proceed TO Key West; cannot remain
off Santiago present state squadron coal
account Impossible to coal leeward
Cape Cruz in the summer. all owing TO
southwesterly winds. Much to be re-
GREETED, cannot obey orders of depart
ment. Have striven earnestly: forced
to proceed for coal TO Key West by
way Of Yucatan passage. Cannot ascer-
tain anything respecting enemy pos
tive. Very difficult to tow collier to set
cable to hold
Later in the day the squadron
meantime having again moved west
ward. the signal Stop was made to
the flying squadron. after which the
Texas and Marblehead went alongside
the Merrimac and coaled. The squadron
was at that time distant about 40 miles
to the southwark and westward of san
tiago
THE flying squadron remained here
until l.l2 p. m. Of the 2Sth. when sig
nal was made 10 return In the direction
Of Santiago. This course was kept until
a little after dark. when the squadron
stopped for the night about ten miles
20 tho southwark Of Santiago. with the
Marblehead scouting two miles inside
tho squadron.
Early on the morning of the 29th a
= Spanish man-of-war. the Cristobal Co
Ion. was seen lying at anchor inside tho
harhor entrance. and later second
man-of-war and two smaller vessels
At 10 a. m. Commodore Schley cablel
that Cervera's squadron was at Santi.
ago. on the morning Of the Sist. will
the Massachusetts,. Iowa and New or.