The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-01
'TpSON ON SANTIAGO.
U H,hly interesting Facts Made Public
N the AdmiraIs Report.
L,,rxfs1s BY SKATER REpuDlArtD
!. r.,rc. the Navy stood Ready.
- n. Full share of Duty,
-, the Army Hesitatcd.

.,...on. November 3o-The navy dc.
today made public a report from
sampson covering the operations
4. United states blockading fleet Of
affair the destruction OF Csrvera's
-, The report begins with a dis
n ss,ed July 10, on the fiasshlp New
IA winds up with one from the
naesbip dated Guantanamo. Au-
3t. -, ....,, an.
!. AZ frs, report Admiral Sampson tells
x. demonstration NADIA against Aqua
40 the Michigan tfoops under pui-
q. ontcopa Of which was that a;
4 tho ships took part In the firms
saa,sards disappeared. He says that
s.rhariment of Santiago or the 2nd
,alr served no particular end because
$500 attack had been postponed. He
81. rsnatches from himself to Shat
's..,,no that 1t is impossible to force
,rtrauce TO the harbor until the mines
A.en removed and that work could be
.,.rn,lshed only after the troops had
81 ,he forts. Shafter replied that he
Ia mt tell when he could take the bat
~ II they were as difficult as those
,.,, abicb he was pitted it would take
U, ,;u,a and a great loss of life. lilo
III y. am at loss TO see why the navy
at work q destructive fire as well as
I, army. My loss yesterday was over 500
!, nv all means keep up fire ON every
NJ, IN sight until demolished. expect.
r.vsr with time and sufficient men. TO
r,re the forts along the bay.
4, nan, later. on the same day, July 2.
u,,er ayain appealed to Sampson 10 I'M
f.sSi,tely force the slarbor entrance SO as
roid future loss among his men. already
AN. lie says: You can operate Will
I, iuss Of. life than l can.
IN qep]y to the same Admiral sampson
n,si cut that the channel .! the mar
Il was well strewn with mines which
oda certainly result in the sinking Oh
j 81 more OF his ships il he attempted
enter the harbor and that ny siuNps
y The harbor would be blocked aE1lhst
entrance OF t;.hefs. lie had hopsa 'nas
litter would take the batteries from INC
NJ 90 that he might drag for inc torpr-
III but Il was Skaters earnest desire
III Be SHOULD force the entrance; but
asuald pr&pare 10 undertake II. tn'hkinh.
ktsIes t4at the position OF DOM army
a nav Would be made more difficult II
WI isllsh in the attempt. He promised
a1s mines at Guantanamo TO counter
an Nvnlil- =
lpk Nhsiderahle time. Sampson says:
lkSst.fe, loss so much OF men as II
Az loss of, Ahips which have until now
srrref me fraSn making iiFect attack
rathe ships vi thin tbs port.
lNsr the battle with Cervera's fleet
k,iter renewed his request that Sampson
re an entrance, saying his present posi-
n has cost him a thousand men and ne
not wish to lose any more.
iampson in commenting on the te'e-
rm, SAYS 1t showed II complete misap-
stkeasion OF the circumstances. lie al
IA that the sinking of the MERGE les
srd cbstruct the entrance OF The larger
APncan chips and that extensive snofn
sisraes were known to exist. Ills Chief
taif had Indicated to shafter the points
st should be carried before attention was
MI 70 he civ and the taking Of these
iats would have Insured the destruction
tlht mines and the entrance of the Amer
an flees. Shafter had cordially consent
to this and Sampson did not l.nnw why
naa was changed unless the troops
ben advanced too far to divert.
~ expresses .he b.!ief that IN aiher-
20 TO the original plan would have re-
1Aed u a much quicker surrender Of the
silkh troons ard less less OF life except
navy. which would have borne the
.at Of attack.
Amason tells how he contemplated
aglng up the marine battalion from
Ailalamo, landing them at the foot Of
w 70 assist in assault or to take tho
~ patIiry and had no doubt OF success.
arranged to visit Shafter to talk this
put being i'll. was obliged to send
van thafwick. They reached an ar
tsnent to lombard Santiago from Tie
10y twenty -four hours with eight heavy
y ana II that failed to bring the enemy
,1ms ihen 10 assault the Socopa battery
" me maEsres and Cubans and force IA
saice 10 the harbor with come Of the
usf Ships. "Thus,r says Sampson, Il
~ Been surprised To see published in the
sspfrs any statement of refusal on
N to endeavor TO force nv way into
seaoof and can not UNDERESTIMATE case
n sspaier report be a truthful state
ls,.s what was sent by him-General
sesdirg any report OF that kind.
~, nv ~ moreover, would animadvert
~ ~. apparently extraori nary open
,u W. mnish every detail of hope. effort
v. . sss,ii9 on tho part OF the army has
sae Is obvious"
et,,r III. to the experience of what
lp,.sa an Indefinite truce at that time,
s.ed Ir,'ss uu'es . message from Shafter.
IN AZ ~ asking him to begin firing
z,ss,3 according to programme, but to
Hstsrs 70 put his shells well TO he
mi mo nsar the bay, TO avoid dis
nln,.sI eject ON his soldi rs and
ldalrrsss says that reports from army
~ xcss snow that shells were fired
NJ iesn .ra sel, starting several fires in
M n. ~ only Q few falling In the
~ srs uaoIs a dispatch from Shafser
xecre,sss, ne al'o quotes dis1atch
u X wa LoFg saving that the score
M: ths, tssred Sampson to force the
s1abe wished to do all that was
III ,as. oring about tho surrender
tiinn, me matter TO Simpsons
y yssset. that the United States
~ asnirsi must not be risked."
esinrat,eell says: Il take This TO be
lluA IVY Of tire preceding matter
tskity o. I ~ referred. thlnk that
Wxilln,' ae suggestion that the navy
aue d S,, % 0-oDerate in forcing an
Va part lsp,. sgo is already sufficiently
!!sansemsriy BY the minutanegs o.
Il howevsr shown in paragraph /
hayy ~ ~ 10 chow the good will
~ mai s &, my desire ana inier-
ierms" - ., case the enemy failed to
.nLoush hombardment the
!aaN.l,s an ssnonld be forcei. that In
r. eotn : 81 ~, = carnations were com