The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-26

nation that would embarrass the admins
tratlon or be detrimental to the success OF
military operations. These offers were not
piclkwickian, for in more than one instance,
information Of the highest interest to the
public has never been published to this day,
newspaper correspondents and editors, as
calculated, If given publicity, to injure the
national cause
terms Of praise to the officers and agents
OF the Western Union Telegraph Company,
the Postal Telegraph and. Cable Company,
the Mexican Company, the United States
and Haiti Cable Company, the French
Cable Telegraph Company the Direct Gable
company and the West Indies Submarine
Telegraph Company for so generously meet
ing the requirements of the censorship
which was deemed essential by the officers
q q. TINS soNSTnmen!; All OF tnese nnes Ialln-
government and while these demands meant
II many instances serious loss TO the COM
pany no serious difficulty was ever en-
scountered by the government with any of
the companies.
General GreeIy's report indicates that the
credit for the location Of Admiral Ger
xera's feet in Santiago harbor belongs to
the signal corps and says that in the in
terest of history, let alone justice to the
signal corps of the army. the truth should
be told. The location of Cervera's squad
ron at Santiago was first made by Colonel
James Allen and later verified independently
by Lieut.. Col. Joseph r. Maxfield, both Off
GERS of the signal corps. The blockading of
CerVera's squadron was due to the con-
SENTATIVE. action of the President and sec
rotary of navy based on reports and rep
reservations made personally TO them by
the chief signal officer of the army. Secre-
ciai dispatch saws: All military and naval
movements depend upon that point (the
presence of Cervera in Santiago harbor.)
ALIENS IMPORTANT DISPATCH.
ION May 10 Admiral Cervera entered the
harbor of Santiago with his squadron. That
very day Colonel Allen telegraphed in
cipher to the chief signal officer: Five
Spanish vessels arrived at Santiago de
Cuba. Have notified admiral commanding
(Sampson.) The Spanish flagship arrived
Santiago de Cuba The admiral (Cervera)
hastily wired Madrid on the following
morning he added the following informa-
tion: 'Pelayo and four cruisers in Santiago.
No destroyer or torpedo boats arrived
there This information communicated
TO the President and by his orders to the
secretary OF the navy, who being impressed
by the assurance OF the CHIEF signal of1cer
of the army as to the entire reliability of
sthis report. proved himself equal to the
emergency, and on that very day gave such
prompt and effective orders as resulted In
the blockade of Santiago and the ultimate
destruction of Cervera's fleet"
The report says that Colonel Allen fur
nshed cipher advices of the most valuable
sort from Santiago almost daily He first
reported that the Spanish squadron was
short Of coal and could not renew its sup
Srmored American cruisers off the Cuban
coast were mistaken by the Spanish for
the main American fleet, proving" says
General Greedy "thc wisdom and efficacy
of Admiral Simpsons orders by cable that
the fast unarmore0 cruisers of the navy
should perform scouting duty off Santiago
The report then ADDS: "A cipher message
of the 23d stated correctly that Admiral
Schley was that day at Cienfuegos and Ger
vera was at Santiago. Meanwhile the navy
had been unable to verify the fact of Ger
vera'S presence at Santiago, and, n re-
suit, the correctness of the information fur
nished by the signal corps was sharply
questioned The chief signal officer being
informed that the whole campaign was con-
Quoted on his representations, was asked
to verify this information from other
sources IL possible. Prompt action was
taken blythe chief signal officer who adopt
ed such lines OF operation that thereafter
ithere Was scarcely day he was not i'm pos
session of Information of some kind or other
coming over one more of the six cables
leading out of Santiago.
IT is an interesting anti-climax that when
.tervera'S squadron waS destroyed on July
*, Colonel Allen, the same officer who or
ieinally reported the arrival of the fleet on
the very day 1t reached Santiago. likewise
reported by telegraph to the chief signal
officer the fact that the entire fleet had
been destroyed. which information was con-
veyed to the President and the country four
teen hours in advance of any other official
advice
General Greedy gives an account of the
operations of the signal corps in Porto Rico
adds some suggestions as to the telegraph
lines In Cuba and Porto Rico and strongly
advocates an increase in the signal corps.