The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-19
WORK OF FLYING SQUADRON.
ADMIRAL sCHLEY's REPORT TO
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

me cuban COast-TcIls His story
of the Situation Around Santiago.
Vessels Under His Command and
the Part They Took.
Washington. Dec. 1s.-The navy depart
ment to-day made public a report from
Admiral Schley, covering that part of the
operations and movements of the flying
squadron from It's sailing from Key West
for Cienfuegos up to, but not including,
the first bombardment. The report is as
fonows
"Fying Squadron. U. s. Flagship
Brooklyn. Off Santiago de Cuba, May 80,
lS9S-Sir: / have the honor to report that
che squadron sailed from Key West ON
the morning of the 10Th instant for Glen
fuegos, Cuba, in obedience to orders from
Rear Admiral Sampson. In company with
the flagship were the Massachusetts, the
Texas and the Scorpion. En- route, passed
the Marblehead, Nashville, and Wasp,
communicating the last named vessel OF
| Cape Antonio communicated with the Cin-
olnnau and Vesuvius, scouting.
"2. on the morning of the 22nd instant
the squadron stood in for the entrance of
! Cienfuegos haTbor to reconnolter. and La
| ter in the day passed the entrance twice.
| close in. AS l had heard the firing of guns
on the previous afternoon in the direction
of the port and as there was considerable
smoke observed in the harbor. / was led
to believe that the Spanish squadron
might have arrived there. That day the
Dupont Joined mo with dispatches from
Admiral Sampson. directing that the
blockade Of Cienfuegos be preserved and
that the Scorpion be sent 10 communicate
with tho Minneapolis and Harvard Off
Santiago Also on this day the Iowa join
ed the squadron.
20. line OF blockade was established
about four miles Off shore, and at night
an in-shore line was maintained, consist
ing varlousIy of the Scorpion Dupont and
Castine, the last named vessel arriving on
the sd conveying the Merrimac.
"a. Also on the 2Sd inst. the Hawk ar
rived with dispatches from Admiral samp-
son, directing me to move eastward with
the squadron to Santiago. IL satisfied that
the enemys vessels were not in Cienfue-
gos. Not being satisfied at this time that
they were not there, held my position. be-
ing further strengthened in my opinion
by the fact that l was informed by the
captain Of the British steamer Adula that
! when he left Kingston a cab.egram had
been received on Thursday preceding my
| arrival off Cienfuegos, stating that tho
Spanish squadron had sailed from santl-
ago.
IS. The Iowa, Castine and Dupont took
| coal from the collier on that day, the
Iowa particularly needing coal, as she had
sailed from Key West to Join this squad
ron before completely coaled and. conse-
| quenty, was considerably short.
Upon the 2fth the admiral says Comman-
der McCalla reported that he had obtain
ed information that the Spanish squadron
was not In Cienfuegos. On the evening OF
the 24th the squadron stood TO sea, to the
eastward. The run to Santiago was
marked by rain and weather
On arriving off Santiago de Cuba, the
collier Merrimac was disabled by the
breaking of her intermediate pressure
valve stem and the cracking of the stuff
fling box. This served as a further embar-
rassment to the squadron.
Off Santiago the st. Paul, Yale and
Minneapolis were sighted and communica-
ted with. The Minneapolis reported that
she only had sufficient coal to reach Key
West, and that her machinery was In bad
two scouts was also much reduced. Ar
rangements were at once made whereby
the Yale was to tow the collier. The oper-
alton of taking the collier In tow proved
to be quite difficult, owing to the size
and weight of the two ships, and the re-
peated parting of the tow lines Finally,
however, after twenty-four hours unre-
mitting exertions. the GOLFERS chain cable
was gotten 20 the Yale and the squadron
proceeded. The St. Paul was ordered to
remain off Santiago until her coal supply
would no longer permit of further delay.
After standing to the westward for
about three hours or about twenty-five
miles, the conditions became less favor
able, and the squadron stopped. The Tex
as and Marblehead were sent alongside
the collier, whose injury had been tempo
rarily repaired, and coaled during the
night.
Inasmuch as It was known, that In case
the Spanish squadron had reached Santi-
ago, Admiral Sampson was able 90 block
any movement of the enemy through the
bahama channel. my intention in standing
TO the westward was should 1t become
necessary 10 bar any effort of the enc
my TO reach Havana by a dash through
the Yucatan passage.
on the oath instant continued coaling the
Texas and Marblehead. and later the
Vixen.
On the morning OF the zSth INST. steamed
in to examine the entrance of the har-
Dor, and sighted the Crlstobal
Colon apparently moored, head ana
stern, across the western chan
mel around Cay Smith; also ono
OF the vessels Of the Viz
caya or Infanta Maria Te-
resa class moored in the eastern
channel and two smal torpedo boats.
Later In the day made out the military
tops Of a third vessel farther up the har-
Dor.
A close blockade Of the harbor has been
maintained, and no vessels have entered
or left since our arrival
The dispatch concludes with some rec
concentrations regarding coaling OF ships
ot sea.
EX- SENATOR WALSH I'LL.