New-York tribune., 1898-10-24
SAN JUAN BOMBARDED.

He learned from the Navy Department when
he reached Cape Haytien May .. that Ger
veras squadron had been seen at Martinique
on the night of May T. that the Department
thought the blockade OF Cuba and Key West
would be endangered II stripped Of effective
naval defence by him, and that. while the De-
partment expressed the utmost confidence in
his discretion. 1t admonshed him to 'be quick
in your operations at Porto Rico" The Ad-
mral succinctly tells the whole story Of the San
Juan expedition in a single paragraph. as fol-
lows:
May 1.-THE squadron arrived of San Juan
on the morning OF the 18th and the lombard
ment OF that place ensued, beginning at
o'clock and ending at 10. 1t soon seen
that Admiral Cerveras squadron not in
the port 1t clear 10 my own mind that
the squadron would not have any great diff
Guilty in forcing the surrender Of the place. but
the facts that we should be held several days
in completing arrangements for holding II; that
part of our force would have 70 be left TO await
the arrival Of troops TO garrison il; that the
movements Of the Spanish squadron, our main
objective. were still unknown: that the Flying
Squadron was still North and not In position
TO render any aid: that Havana. Cervera's nat
ural objective. was thus open to entry by such
a force as his. while were a thousand miles
distant. made our immediate movement toward
Havana imperative. | thus reluctantly gave
up the project against san Juan and stood
westward for Havana.
RETURNING TO KEY WEST.
On the way to Key West which was reached
on May IS. Admiral Sampson learned by dis
matches that the Spaniards were at Curacao
short Of coal that the Flying Squadron was on
the way to reinforce the Cuban blockade. and
that the chartered American liners were scout
ing and cutting cables south Of Cuba and Porto
in he Channel
learned from the Department that the Spanish
fleet had munitions Of war essential 10 the de-
fence OF Havana and that the order 10 that
fleet was imperative 10 reach Havana. Glen
fuegos or some railroad port connected
with Havana. at al hazards; that Cenfue-
gos was the only port fulfilling the conditions.
Schloy would hasten there. and that Sampson
should send there his most suitable armored
ships and hurry tho rest of the fleet TO the
Havana blockade. The numerous teegrams all
gave the Admiral wide discretion.
At Key West Sampson found Schley with the
Rrooklyn the Massachusetts. the Texas and the
81. Paul and ordered him to blockade Cen-
fuegos as soon possible, while he (Sampson)
guarded Havana Cervera. the Department
learned. had then left Curacao bound west. and
was understood TO be going 10 the Venezuelan
Gulf to coal
The Iowa the Castine the Merrmac and
smaller vessels were sent to join Schey In the
next few succeeding days.
SCIILEY ORDERED TO SANTIAGO.
Early on May 2l less than two days after
schley started for Cienfuegos, Sampson sent
the Marblehead after him with these written
orders known as orders No. =:
Sir: Spanish squadron probably at Santiago
Dc Cuba-four ships and three torpedo-ooat de-
strovers II you are satisfied that they are NOT
a, CIenfuegos proceed with all dispatch. but
coutiously to Santiago de Cuba, and II the en-
ovov &c there blockade him in port You VIII
rr,bahlv find IL necessary to establish commune
nna,Inr With some ~ the Northumberland
o~ others-to learn definitely that the ships are
&, ,o,t II being Impossible 10 see into from the
',,side When the instructions sent by the
ia and the Dupont duplicates were written
isnnnosed that two fast scouts would be In the
,,cIritv Of Jamaica, but | have since learned
.t' ,bav have b, en- ordered by the Department
-. ,ot In touch with the Spanish fleet on the
III coas, % Venezuela. ] have Just tele-
granhed them 10 report for orders at Nicholas
Mole.
4 little later on the same day on arriving on
Havana. he started the Hawk after Commodore
schley with duplicate Of ,he above order and
the following additional memorandum:
1t is thought that the nclosed instructions viii
reach you by a. m. May %. This will enable