Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1901-07-28
SAMPSON INTERVIEWED.
ne Talk. TO = Reporter Abou, the san
tssgo blockade.

0NWT oON wv GN'fG " I6s
ne Talk. 10 Reporter About the San
tssgo blockade.
New York. July 27.-rho Herald cor
respondent at Boston has obtained an
authorized interview with Rear Admit.
raj Sampson upon the points in eontro
versy as "a result Of the Santiago cam
paign. The questions and answers
which follow vert transcribed aud the
typewriter copy Of the interview sub
mitted to the admiral for correction.
"Admiral you hive been severely
criticised Of late for starting to sibony
on the morning Of the Santiago battle.
What was your reason for SO doing"
'' = ' went to siSouy upon a urgent
request Of Major Gcneral q s.who
had demanded council war 10
being III at the time. nv moreover.
being senior 70 me. IL was incumbent
upon me 20 20 to him. l ohose tao
time Of day when il seemed least likely
that Ccrvera's fleet would come out Of
the harbor. This opinion is substituted
By the fact that Corvora has been So
vorely criticised for choosing this oppor.
tune time rather chan waiting until
~ before dark when he would have
an opportunity 20 scatter his ships with
a good chance Of escaping in tho dark.
ness
"You have also been criticised for
woakiug your leot by your sending
the battleship Massachusetts 70
Guantamo for coal. Your critics ay
You should be oourtmartialed Tor not
hopping your entire force on the block
ado line and coaling from colliers.
"This weakening Of the line was an
unavoidable feature Of tho blockade.
Although we did 30 considerable coaling
from the golfers ou the blockade lirs,
We found it impossible 90 keep uflcion,
supply on beard AL the vessels by this
method. 10 must be- remembered that
the vessels were constantly under way
and had 10 keep stcam IN enough Of
their boilers 90 bo ready 90 move nc
good speed on immediate notice This I
involved the expanding Of coal faster
than 10 could be- put on board. and wo I
were therefore Obliged % send a vessel
each morning 90 Guatanamo 10 coal, /
the vessel returning % her blockade STA. /
ton at uighuall. In this way You can
see that tho whole force was on hand .
throughout every uight-the time when .
all supposed it was most likely to b.
needed
"Furthsrmore. while It would, OF I
course. have been best had it been pos
siblo 20 have had every ship in her sta
ton at all times, thore never was a
time from Jane 20 July 3 when our I
force on the blockade was not far sups.
rior 10 the Spanish force inside. SO, /
the absence OF one ship. rs events after.
ward proved, left as with sufficient force /
10 make successful the outcome of the /
engagement.
"The message. winch you sent % the |
navy department Immediately after the
victory and which rcad The feet nm.
der my command offers the nation as
Fourth Of July present, etc. Admiral.
as you know. has caused much criticism.
Was that written by you or at your die.
tationf'
Admiral Sampson said the message
was written by one Of his stan. but
said he approved the message before 1t
was sent.
When asked IL tho blockade establish.
ed by Schiey was not sufficient he said
he made change when he took charge.
believing such a change would be moro
zone other thing, admiral, Rear Ad.
miral Schley in "A recent interview
claimed that the Brooklyn inflicted SO
per cent Of the damage done the Span.
Ish ships and received 50 per cent Of
the injuries sustained by the blockading
squadron
IL do not wish TO criticise Schley or
any Of his statements. do not want
10 DO brought into any discussion in
which he is involved. His statements
nay be perfectly true. The exact fix.
ares are unjmpor,ant win repeat
now what l said before, that the Brook
yn did excellent work in the battle.
To the best Of my recollection | never
the Brooklyn except for her
initial movement, movement which,
n my opinion, was an error Of judy.