The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-19
REPORT OF SCHLEY
A Defense Of The Admiral's Actions
Prior to Cerera's Location.
CRITICISED BY NAVAL men
They Think that The Report Conflicts
with The Records.
THE DlFFlcUL TIES IN COaLINC SHIPS
This Was One Reason for His MOVING His
Fleet TO the Westward.
BAD WEATHER RESPONSIBLE FOR DELAY
Golfers Could Not ne Handled rnd
the Mcrrimnc Was DisnbIcd-Ccr-
vera Finally Located.
THE DIFFICULTIES IN COaLING SHIPS
This Was One Reason for His Moving His
Fleet TO the Westward.
BAD WEATHER RESPONSIBLE FOR DELAY

NSPSN'"t DtSpdtNil 10 lNS POST
Washington, December lS.--lnasmuch as
II Was known that IN case the Spanish
squadron had reached Santiago, NNmi4sl
SAMPSON was able To block any movement
Cd the enemy Through tne Bahama channel.
my intention in standing TO the westward
was should 1T become necessary to ha, any
effort 81 the enemy TO reach Havana by a
dash Through this YucQtan passage" Tni,
is commodore Schley's explanation IN his
Official report, made public today hy tho
navy departnent, Of the much -talked-about
iii1neuVer Of his squadron In standing TO
the westward after having arrived Mt San
tiago and after he had been positively In
hrme2 by the navy department that tho
ehemy's fleet was sOll at that mort.
Naval officials, while not impugn.ng the
word of Commodore Schley. say it is rather
strange that his intention as Indicated in
ms Ief-gN was TO stand 10 the westward
20 BAR any eiioft ~ the enemy 20 reach
@i''Naha Oy lush through the YMcata Il
pArtlhtnt from Kingston: Much to be
!esfetted can not obey orders of the de
pattinent' nave StrN9n earnestly; forced IN
piNceeu Ter coal 10 Key W0t tsy way oil
lucalan channel: can not ascertain any
thlns respecting enesuys pos ton.
Iae report made by Commodore Schley
Is datsi May 80. the day following that
upon which e hal sighted Ce.ye.a's squad
ron lying inside the harDor lie proceeded
10 Caellluegos, and in ac.Cgiance with or
ders received from Admiral Sampson. he
established 4 close Blockade He dtd ncs
proceed TO Santiago on May %. as sug-
seSttd by a dlpatch received en- that day
from tins admiral. because he was satisfied
that the souhdron was not at Cienfuegos.
but left ON the following Gay
He speaks of this great difficulty expert.
ehced In coaiing the Texas and the dirty
weather experienced during the run to
Santiago. The squadron, he states, was
seriously delayed hy the Eagle, which. Was
attached to one OF the wings, but 1t Is
declared at The department, that the delay
could have been avoided as the commodore
had slgnalled a rendezvous, and /, was
unnecessary to wait for the converted
yacht To add to his misforutnes the ma
chinery OF the Merrimac became disabled
On arrival to the southwark of Santiago
and the Yale was directed 10 Jake her in
tow ana proceed to the westward 80
mention + made by Commodore Schley OF
his signal to the squadron.
Can you fetch into the port OF Key
West with coal remaining"
Nor does he speak of the delivery 10 him
before the signal was made of the depart
ments cable: Information indicates Span
ish division is sull at Santiago"
The weather moderathlg. the Texas.
Marblehead and Vixen were abe to coal
from the Merrimac and Commodore Schley
erected the fleet 10 proceed to San
t.agO.
Some comment g made by Commodore
schley's friends that the secretary held
back the report made public tonight which
is Commodore Schley's defense, but It Is
in accordance with the programme to pub
lsh an the reports and Admiral Dewey's
Will be given out next.
The report is as follows:
Flying Squadron. United States Flag
ship Brooklyn, off Santiago de Cuba, May
30, 1851 have the honor TO report that
the squadron sailed from Key West on
the morning OF the 18th instant for Glen
fuegos, Cuba. in obedience to orders from
Rear Admiral Sampson. In company with
the flagship were the Massachusetts,
Texas and Scorpion, En- Route passed the
M3rblehead. Nashville and Wasp commun-
icating with the last named vessel. OF
Cape Antonlo communicated with the
Cincinnati and Neeuyius scouting.
On the morn,ag OF Me 22d instant the
squadron stood IN for the entrance Of Glen
fuegos t,4rhor 20 reconnotcr and later in
Me day passed the entrance twice close in. !
Ms l hgd heard the firing OF f.he guns on |
he prev ious after-ocn ~ The direction |
If the port. and az theic WAS considerable |
smoke observed in the harbor. was lei |
% believe that the Spanish s1uadron |
might have arrived thsre, Ira iay he |
Dupont Joined me wiih dispatches from
ADMIRAL Sampson, 3irec;irg ia the blcck |
1de OF C,ensuegos be preserved md th7t |
he Scorpion he sent TO communicate with |
he MINNEAPOLIS ard Harvard of SAINT ago. |
MISC on this day the Iowa joInei ihe squad
on.
A line of blockade was established four