The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-12
CAPTAINS' FIGHT.
Report on Naval Battle Of
Santiago.
CREDIT GIVEN SHIP COM
MANDERS.
Battle Formed on Plans Made by
Sampson.
BRUNT WAS BORNE BY OREGON,
TEXAS AND IOWA.
BRUNT WAS BORNE BY OREGON,
TEXAS AND IOWA.

Fight-BrookIyn Was Not Engaged at
Close Quartsrs-As Between Two Ad-
gredit-Repsrt Made by Navigating
Officers of ships.
New York, October 11.-Although the
American feet in the battle off Santiago
on July obeyed the general orders OF
Rear Admiral Sampson, given in advance
to meet just such an emergency, 1t was
essentially Captain fight. This is in
substance the report of the naval board
which has been Investigating. with a
view to determining who should be given
the credit for the victory, Rear Admiral
Sampson or Rear Admiral SchIey. sit
was captains fight, +" says the report.
Rear Admiral Sampson was not present
and the two orders signalled by Schley
"Close in'' and Engage the enemy" did
no good and were unnece ssary for the
ships already had closed in and were en-.
gaging the enemy when the orders were
run up.
AS between the two admirals, the full
credit Of the victory is given to Rear
Admiral Sampson, because he was COM
manding officer and the battle was fought
under his plans.
from Washington, but many interesting
points were obtained from the navy yard
today after the board, which has bean in
session on the Brooklyn, finally .ad-
journed.
The board finds that each ship in the
fleet knew exactly what to do should
Cervera come cut, and did it when he
actually came out. Each cap tain fought
his ship on plans prepared and orders
given by Sampson. Even had Schley di-
rected the general movement Of the fleet
in the battle which it was unnecessary
for him to do, that would have been
because Of the preparation made by Samp-
son and within hissgeneral orders. The
board proceeded along those we'll defined
lines in making the inquiry:
THE relative positions of the Ameri-
can ships when Cervera came out, and
throughout the battle.
2-The course of the Brooklyn Imme-
diately after the alarm.
3.-The distance of the New York from
tine Colon when the SEaniard surren-
dered.
4.-Ths signals made by the Brooklyn.
5.-The orders issued by Sampson in
preparation for an attempted escape OF
Cervera.
The findings of the board are summar-
THE battle was fought and won
upon plans prepared by Rear Admiral
Amy directing of the movements
of the ships done by Sohley during the
tains' battle
s.-The New York had no active part
in the fight.
The Brooklyn was not engaged at
so close quarters as has been represented
by the first report. On an average she
was two miles away from the enemy.
5.-The brunt Of the fighting was
borne BY the Oregon, Texas and Iowa
6.-The New York was about nine miles
from the Colon when that ship surren-
dered, and between four or five miles
from the nearest sister ships engaged
(from which signal distance is taken
practically
THE average range of the ships most
engaged was about a mile and half.
S.-NO Am6rlCau sulp uo nuy otIA0 uoA
ing the battle WAS within a mhe OF an
unsurrendered Spanish ship.
While charts were made and the battle
fought over and over again as on chess
board, by the members, showing the posi-
tions of all the ships on both sides in
the entire engagement the main discus
ion 80 far::as could be learned in the navy
yard, was in regard to the Brooklyn and
New York. According to the testimony
the Brooklyn was lying further out TO
sea than any of the American ships. Sne
headed in at once and when about 2Ooo
yards from the Maria Teresa, which was
leading the Spanish feet out, she turned
to the eastward. then doubled southward
to sea tor short distance. Schley then
followed parallel course with the span
iards keeping up running fight. He
was we'll outside the course of the other
American vessels and in the lead. He
kent this position an average distance of
about two miles from the Colon, until
that ship surrendered.
The issues of the battle, the board
learned, wers not affected by any signals
that Schley made from his flagship. The
Oregon dashed out from tho very begin
ming of the engagement and kept within
range of the enemy, until the fight ended.
The New York, the board finds, did