Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-21
SCHLEYS RESPONSE,
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACED

bv tho emphatic declaration Of the pilot
runoz. and knowing that na tho boa ana
weather thon were. 10 would De imp'shl-
bic to coll my squadron on the port
deemed ~ best go take the action dla'
,Io final result Of which WIS the location
eff the oncmys noot in santiago h"ib"''
BATTLE OF SANTIAGO
As 10 tho battle ~ Santiago Admiral
Fohley says the facts - that contest
sneak f0r themselves lic quotes rom
Ma official report 10 Sampson. fro which
Doe congratulate the commander of the
squadron aud said "Tho victory seems
Dig enough for an Of us.'
IIc asks tho committee to contrast hiH
REPORTS with those Of Sampson containing
rcf,roucos Go himself and continues,
"As Goo au This criticism of my course
prior Co the discovery by me ON May 18th
o. Corycra's fleet. whether from Admiral
f1mpson or the department none or ~
has over been made hy either to mr ana
] never heard a. word of 30 from amy one
until aftor tho battle with that fleet. al
though moro than i've weeks had pissed
flnco the alleged 'rcprehcnsible conduct
had occurred
Admiral schlcv then submits long de-
tniied statement OF the f1cis hc suminh-
rios in the foregoing. which Is in reply
90 "a request made hy Chairman Hale. of
tho NAVAL commute.
LACK OF COAL
Tho commanding officer of the Harvard
reportod ho did not have conl enough 20
reach any home base. and did not steam
i.voud twenty five or thirty hours. which.
the Admiral Says. forced him Co send The
Harvard io Kingston while The Yale
could reach Key West and the So Paul
could remain or tho port hut two days.
The Brooklyn. Iowa. and Massachuhetta
were fairly well on for coal but the
Texas aud Vixen were considerably re-
aurDd.
"It was this situation" says the state
meut coupled with the conclusion that
tho spanish squadron misht have touched
and then moved west as reported at Cirn-
fuccos. and reinforced hy the fact That
fieshoo had not seen them and that the
pilot Nuucz was strongly impressed with
the doubt chat this squadron could enter
the port which occasiuned my telegram
of May Gth"
Captain siesbce is quoted AS confirming
the opinion as Go thc difficulty of cotling
OF sauuago. he gives the details of
the absolute location of the Spanish
squadron inside thc harhor ON May 2sth
which discovery was. tnc Admiral SAYS.
the result of "a determination to satisfy
himself fully before leaving for tho west.
con- the 2lst hc made e reconnaissance. "to
develop the cnemy's position and iu-
cIlcntally 90 iuiure or destroy if possi-
lls the colon. moored well up in the
haTbor"
DEPARTMENT OBENED LITERALLY.
Admiral schley quotes the departments
dispatch of May @ih. m these words
.rhc department looks to you TO ascer-
tain the fact of the pies nee OF the en-
,ny aud that the enemy % n the
h.rhor of Santiago. does not leave with
out d. decisive action.
Commenting on this the Admiral SAYS.
elm uooltnce 10 the above order ana
Without any further order or instruction
f.Om amy one / did ascertain the fact
that the enemy was at Santiago, and the
enemy did not leave without decisive
conflict"
Detailing the events connected with the
battle OF July SO. he says that az SO or
that day Admiral Sampson made signal
from his flagship Disregard movements
o. the chief" and steam
td eastward 20 SihoneN.
This" saws Admiral Schley. left me
the senior officer present and necessarily
clothed me with the responsibility OF the
command
ALL SIGNALS HIS
Contnuing. ne declares that when the
enemy's vessels came out OF the harhor.
signal was made from the Brooklyn (his
flagship TO the nect To Clear ship Tor
action" Then followed the signal CLOSE
action and then the signal The enemy
escaping TO westward Following the
appearance OF the spanish fleet there was
a general inward movement OF the Amer
team vessels. closing IN and engaging &C.
Explaining the movements ~ the vessels
% both fleets, ne says the Spanish feet
was coming westward under high speed.
and changing course more 70 westward
brought the Br0ok,yn. heading eastward
90 meet A. into q position where she
would have tlanketed the hre OF the east
ein vessels OF our force. now changing
their courses - the westward and be-
tween them and the spanish vessels"
WHY IKE TURNED OUTWARD
instant decision" he continues was
therefore necessary, 10 avoid interfering
IN any way. OF cutting of any OF the nre
OF our vessels. as would have occurred II
she had turned toward the spanish fleet
now approaching the Brooklyn. Turning
outward LETT the enemys ships unmasked
ny ths BrSokiyn, and exposed them 10