The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-24

samp.On'S Plans Were Carried ont.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Oct. ss.-Tho
navy department has made public that
portion of Admiral sampson's report
covering the conduct Of the neet under
his command. in lis operations in the
west indies for about two months prior
to the destruction of Admiral cervera's
ships on July 3. 1t is made up largely
of onlclal .dlspatche1 and the movements
of the feet with explanations and COM
ment by the admiral The report is
dated August 8. ou the aagship New
York and begins with statement of
the determination reached by the navy
department to send a squadron to the
windward passage for the purpose Of
observation because of information re-
ceIved Of the sailing April % of Admiral
cervera,s squadron from the Cape
Verde islands. on the voyage eastward
from the naval base at Key West which
began May 4. Admiral Sampson reports
there was experienced endless trouble
and delay because of the inehicleney Of
the two monitors accompanying the
other ships and which had to be taken
q, 4ov Tbsir coal supply was so small
that 1t was at once evident that they
must either frequently coal or be toWed.
The admiral says:
Had the sea been rough. or had the
enemy appeared at this 1uncture, the
squadron would have been In a much
better position for an engagement had
the monitors been elsewhere. subse-
uuently when engaging the batteries of
San Juan 1t was evident that their
shooting was very bad. Owing to the
quick rolling OF these vessels, even In
very moderate sea, they were unable to
fire with any degree OF accuracy"
Among the kilograms received by the
admiral from the department at Wash
ington when at Cape HaTtien was the
following:
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Mag 8.
mo not risk or cripple your vessels
against fortihcatlons as to prevent
from soon afterwards successfully
fighting Spanish feet composed of Pc
layo. Carlos v, oquendo. vlzcaya, Ma
ria Teresa. cristobal Colon, four deep
sea torpedo boats, II they should appear
~ [sirned5 ;tll1 d. "1oNG."
Lsylng for SpanISh Squadron.
On May there was a consultation on
hoard the flagship and the admiral says
that he decided to stand on TO the east
ward as far as San Juan Porto Rico on
the chance of finding the Spanish
suuadron In that port where II they
were not successful In destroying 1t. It
could be at least blockaded and held.
The squadron arrived of San Juan on
the morning of the 18th and the bonn
bardment of the place ensued. Re
Esrding his action at this place the ad-
miral says:
at was clear to my own mind that
the squadron would not have any great
difficulty in forcing the surrender Of
the place, but the fact that we should
be held several days in completing ar
rangements for holding 1t, that part OF
our force would have to be left to await
the arrival Of the troops to garrison It,
that the movements OF the Spanish
squadron, our main objective were still
unknown; that the flying squadron was
stlll north and not in a position to rem
der any aid; that Havana, ceryera's
natural objective was thus open to en-
try by such force as his, while we
were a thousand miles distant made
our Immediate movement toward Ha-
vana imperative.
''I thus reluctantly gave up the pro-
ject against San Juan and stood west
ward for Havana"
Several telegrams are here presented
based on reports that Cervera's squad
ron had retuned to CadIz and they had
In view to return and capture San Juan
the leisure to do so and occupy the
place being assured in the event OF
Admiral cervera's failure 20 cross the
Atlantic Shortly nfterward news was
received that the Spanish fleet had ap-
peared on Curacoa. West Indies, and
the rquadron under orders from the de-
partment proceeded to Key West. to
which place che flying squadron under
Commodore Cnow ndmIraD sehley had
already been ordered.
Arrangements were then hurrledly
made and the dying squadron. aug
menicd bg the other vossels under Com
modore schicv was sent Off clentucgos,
where II was believed the enemy would
20. in which case an effort was to be
mado to engage and capture him
Sampson was given the choice either o:
the comniand OF the blockading squad
ron off Havana or at Clonruegos. schley
In either case to remain with his own
squadron.
From messages received by the od-
mlrnl from the department about May
N # nppenrs that reports hnd reached
tho United states that the Spanish
fleet was at Santiago. so the depart
ment advised Sampson to send lmme-
dloteIv word 10 schley to proceed to
tbnt place. leaving one small vessel on
fsH.-F,,ass.a