Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-24


STRUCTION OF CERVERAS SHIFS,
AND EMBRACES THE ORDER TO
SCHLEY TO PROCEED TO SAN'TI-
AGO AND BLOCKADE THE SPAN
ISH SQUADRON-THE ORDERS
AND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.
Washington, October 23.-The Navy
Department has made public that por-
ton of Admiral Simpsons report COW
ering the conduct of the fleet under his
command, in its operations in the West
Indies for about two months prior to
the destruction of Admiral Cevera'
ships on July Sd. 1t is made up largely
of official dispatches and the move
ments of the feet. with explanations
and comments by the Admiral. The
report is dated August Sd, on the flag
ship New York, and begins with a
statement of the determination reached
by the Navy Department, to send a
squadron to the Windward Passage for
the purpose of observation, because OF
information received of the sailing, en-
April 18th, Of Admiral Cervera's squad
ron from the Cape Verde Islands. On
the voyage eastwar1 from the naval
base at Key West, which began May
4th, Admiral Sampson reports there
was experienced
ENDLESS TROUBLE AND DELAY.
because of the inefficiency of the two
monitors accompanying the other ships
and which had to be taken in tow.
Their coal supply was so small that 1t
was at once evident that they must
either frequently coal, or be toweo.
The Admiral says:
'sHad the sea been rough, or had the
enemy appeared at this juncture, the
squadron would have been in a much
better position for an engagement had
the monitors BEEN elsewhere. Subse-
quently when engaging the batteries OF
San Juan, it was evident that their
shooting was very bad. Owing to the
quick rolling of these vessels, even in
a very moderate sea, they were unable
to fire with any degree of accuracy"
A WARNING.
Among the kilograms received by the
Admiral, from the department at
Washington, when at Cape Haytien,
was the following:
Washington, D. c., May 9Th.
do not risk or cripple your vessels
against Notifications as to prevent from
soon afterwards successfully fighting
Spanish fleet, composed of Pelayo, Car
los ", Cquendo, Viscaya, Maria Teresa,
Cristobal Colon, four deep sea torpedo
boats, if they should appear On this
side.
(signed) 'LONG."
On May Sth there was cOnsulta-
ton on board the flagship, and the adj
miral says that he decided to stand ON
to the eastward as far as San Juan,
Porto Rico, on the chance Of finding
the Spanish squadron 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 the 18th and the bonn
bardment of the place ensued. Re-
gardng his action at this place the
admiral says: 1T was clear to my
own mind that the squadron would
not have any great difficulty in 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 the
troops to garrison it, that the move
ment of the Spanish squadron, our
main objective, were still unknown;
that the flying squadron was still
north and not in a position to render
any aid; that Havana, Cervera's nat
ural objective, was thus open to entry
by such force = his, while we were
q thousand miles distant made
OUR IMMEDIATE MOVEMENT
toward Havana imperative.
81 thus reluctantly gave up the pro-
feet against San Juan and stood west
ward for Havana"
Several kilograms are here presented
based on reports that Cerveras squad
ron had returned to Cadiz and they had
In view to return and capture San Juan,
the leisure to do so and occupy the
Dlac6 DtluS doSui GU III tAC CfCht vi fAN-
miral Cerveras failure to cross the At
lantic. Shortly afterward news was re-
ceived that the Spanish fleet had ap-
peared off Curacao, West Indies, and
the squadron under orders from the de-
partment proceeded to Key West, to
which place the flying squadron under
Commodore (not AdmiraD Schley had
already been ordered.
Arrangements were then hurriedly
made and the flying squadron, augment
ed by the other vessels under Commo-
dore Schley, was sent off Cienfuegos,
where it was believed the enemy would
60. in which case an effort was to be
made to
ENGAGE AND CAPTURE HIM.
Sampson was given the choice either
of the command of the blockading
squadron off Havana or off Cienfuegos,
Schley In either case to remain with
his own squadron.
From messages received by the Ad-
miral from the department, about May
goth. it appears that reports had reached
the United States that the Spanish fleet
was at Santiago, so the department ad-
vised Sampson to send Immediately
word to Schley to proceed to that
place, leaving one small vessel off Glen
fuegos.
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