The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-30
STORY OF SCHLEYS SQUADRON
INCIDENTS OF THE CRUISE TO
CIENFUEGOS.

SpRninrds-IIOpe Runs High When
ever They Discern smoke ON the
Horizon.
Copyright, 1895 by the Associated Press.
OF Cienfuegos. Cuba, May 2L-The
squadron assigned to special duty. and
which found its name from it's first nu-
cleus, the flying squadron" left Key
West on Thursday, May 49,
Commodore Schley's orders were to pro-
ceed TO Cienfuegos, where he would be
Joined by the Iowa. then taking coal az
Key West, the Marblehead and Nashville
and two torpedo boats.
Less than two hours out from Key West,
and while running to the southwest, the
cruiser Marblehead was seen going to the
northeast. She signalled that She was
running into Key West Tor coal.
A half hour later the converted yacht
Wasp was sighted and the Scorpion. at
Commodore .Schleys order, was sent out
to intercept her and set news. She re-
ported that the blockade at Cienfuegos
had been practically abandoned by the
small fleet that had done such splendid
work there, having received the United
States governments notice that the Span
ish fleet was supposed to be heading in
that direction. She also reported that the
Nashville had blown out one of her star
board high pressure cylinder heads and
was steaming in slowly for repairs. There
had been no firing at Ctenfuegos since the
cable cutting episode.
on Friday morning at o'clock, when
just in sight of Cape San Antonio light
the smoke of two steamers was made out
on the horizon. A call to the guns and to
prepare for action awakened the greatest
enthusiasm among officers and men, and
much disappointment was manifest when
the strangers were made out to be the
United States cruiser Cincinnati and the
dynamite cruiser Vesuyus.
Capt Chester of the Cincinnati came
aboard the Brooklyn and to Commodore
Schley gave a summary of their patrol
work about the coast. They had not seen
the Spanish fleet or any indications of it.
To Capt. Cook, the captain of the Gin
cinnau said that he believed it TO be of
no utility to attempt to land munitions Of
war on the coast unless we landed troops
also, for absolutely no dependence could
be placed upon the insurgents for assist
ance.
He believed that the arms and ammuni-
tion already landed was in the hands Of
the Spanish. Maceo, the insurgent leader
had not shown any interest In the matter
but had claimed to have been insulted be-
cause communications sent him at great
risk Of life were not officially addressed
Saturday at o'clock Cenfuegos was
sighted. Sunday morning at 1880 O'Clock,
while at breakfast a torpedo boat was
seen near the entrance Of the harbor. 1t
proved to be the torpedo boat Dupont with
dispatches for the fleet.
A close Inspection of the harbor of Glen
fuegos failed to reveal any indication of
the Spanish feet although the shore bat
teries dehantly raised their Spanish STAN
dards. A group of cavalry was seen on
shore at one point, but no attempt was
made to fire on them At noon the Iowa
steamed within sight, and Joined the
squadron.
AT 5 o'clock Commodore Schley took his
squadron, now a most formidable aggre-
cation of ships, and ran close into Glen
fuegos harbor, discovering that there
were no warships there but only a few
schooners and a small gunboat.
"It Is the Spanish squadron I'm look
ing for" said the fighting commodore,
"and not a few almost ruined Spanish
subjects in Cuba" and so not a shot was
fired
Sunday evening on the flagship took the
place of a christening day. The men in
the port S-inch turret had signs painted to
put over their guns and labelled them the
Dewey and the Schley, in the starboard
turret they named them the Farragut and
tsa h
Kid Mccoy and John l.. Sullivan. One
of the 5-inch guns was named the Paul
Jones, and Lieut. Rush's after s-inch tur-
ret two big guns were named the Lawrence
and the Perry.
on Monday morning. May %, great ex-
citement was caused by news that the
Spanish fleet was at Santiago de Cuba
The news was brought by the Hawk the
converted yacht, which came from Key
West with the guuboat Castine and the col
Her Merrimac. Her captain said that the
Minneapolis which had been sent scouting
through the Windward passage, had dis
covered the fleet on Thursday morning
and had run to HayH and cabled It. The
Hawk came down with all speed.
Much concern was felt for the safety Of
the Scorpion, which left Sunday night
bearing dispatches from Commodore
Schley and the Associated Press cores
pondent.
The work Of coallng all the vessels was
proceeded with Immediately and actively
continued all the morning The plan to
seek the Spanish fleet at Santiago De
Cuba. where 1t was believed 10 be, was
changed later on May q, by the lnforma-
tion brought by the British ship Adula
STONED outside Of the Cienfuegos blockade
bv order of Commodore Schley. Lieut.
Sirnpson of the Brooklyn was sent to
board her and received valuable informa-
tion.
can't. Walker said he was bound for
Cienfuegos with an order from Consul
Dent at Kingston, Jamaica, 10 bring Off
SEAMAN Hoffem Of the United States ship
Niagara. lying in the hospital there with
a broken leg. and such neutrals and other
Americans as he could find there. He had
vieited this same port some ten days be-
fore and had taken 81 passengers. Of
t,,born only four were citizens Of the Unit
ed states. He was in Santiago de Cuba
on NAV II last on his way to Jamaica, ana
vghne IN port there the batteries opened
fre on two American warships lying of
me harbor. The firing began at u o'clock
and lasted until 1880 p. m. The ships were
tboueht to be the Harvard and the cruiser
Minneapolis.
PERHAPS the most important information
Unmarried by him was that given by pilots