The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-14
DEWEY DECLARES THAT TO
SCHLEY BELONG THE HON0RS
That He Was the Senior Officer at Santiago
in Absolute Command of the
Squadron.
TWO REPORTS ARE ISSUED BY THE COURT


| At 1:3O p. m., May %, the Iowa arri
we'd at Cienfuegos, and at p. N. of the
same date the Scorpion left Cienfuegos
| for Santiago.
At S:15 a. M, May %, Commodore
| Schley received by the dispatch vessel
Hawk the following dispatch and memo
! randums from the commander in chief.
Dispatch (No. 81, dated Key West,
| May 81, 1898, which stated that the Span
ish squadron was probably at Santiago
and ordered Commoder Schley if he was
satisfied that the Spanish squadron was
not at Cienfuegos, to proceed with all
dispatch, but cautiously, to Santiago de
Cuba, and if the enemy is there blockade
him in that port
A memorandum dated off Havana, May
| 21 1898, which directed Commodore
| Schley mask his movements in leaving
| Cienfuegos.
A memorandum which stated that a
good landing place had been found by
Commodore McCal1a, 1874 miles west of
Savanilla Point; that the Cubans had
perfect knowledg of what was going on
within Cienfuegos; that the Cuban forces
in the San Juan mountains controlled the
railway between Cienfuegos and Trinidad;
landing place to Cienfuegos.
At $50 a. m., May %, the Castine and
Collier Merrimac arrived at Cienfuegos.
At noon on the same date the British
steamer Adula was permitted to go into
Cienfuegos.
At Z a. m. May "a, the Marblehead,
Vixen and Eagle arrived at Cienfuegos.
About 10 a. M the Marblehead and
Eagle proceeded to the landing place
1872 miles west of Savanilla Point,
communicated with the insurgents, land
ed stores for them. learned that the
Spanish squadron was not in the harbor
of Cenfuegos, rejoined the squadron at
$3.50 p. m and reported to Commodore
Schley the information obtained.
After the receipt of this information
Commodore Schley wrote a dispatch to
the commander in chief in which he
stated, II shall move eastward tomor
row."
He also wrote a dispatch to the COM
mandant of the naval base at Key West
in which he stated. ''as it is not found
practicable to coal the Texas from the
collier here where there is so much
SWELL / shall proceed tomorrow off
Santiago de Cuba, being embarrassed,
however, by the Texas short coal sup
ply and her inability to coal in the open
sea. / shall not be able to remain off
that port ON account of general short
coal supply of squadron, so will proceed
to the vicinity of Nicholas Mole, where
the water is smooth and can coal Texas
and other ships with what may remain
in collier"
No work was, apparently, in progress
on the Notifications of Cienfuegos while
Commodore Schley was off that port.
No efforts were made b Commodore
Schley to communicate with the insur-
gents to discover whether the Spanish
squadron was in the harbor of Cienfue-
COS prior to the morning of May "a.
Signal lights were displayed on shore
at night May % and May %, but Com
modore Schley had no information which
enabled him to interpret them.
Before sailing from Cienfuegos, Com
modore Schley received reliable infor
nation that ships could be coaled in the
vicinity of Cape Cruz and in Gonaives
channel
The Flying Squadron, with the excep-
tion Of the Castine. sailed from Glen
fuegos about s p. m. of May "a; the
heavy ships in column of vessels, the
lightships on the right flank and the
collier Merrimac on the left flank. AT
1910 a. m. of May "a the light vessels
shifted TO the port beam and the collier
to the starboard beam.
Before midnight of May "a, owing to
heavy rolling, the forward compartment
of the Eagle filled with water, which re-
duced her speed.
On Nov hn ind wa.
the eastward, the weather was bad and
the sea was heavy for small vessels. TIE
squadron reduced it's speed to enable the
Eagle to remain with it.
On May 26, the weather improved, the
wind veered to the westward and became
light and the sea moderated
At 80 p. M, Commodore Schley sent
the Eagle to Port Antonio to coal and
then to return to Key West. At noon
of May rs the Eagle had sufficient coal
to steam ten knots per hour for three
days.
At $50 p. m, the squadron stopped
about % miles to the southwark of the
port of Santiago, and was poined by
the scouts Minneapolis, Yale and st.
Paul.
At p. m, May 26, the engines of the
Collier Merrimac were temporarily dis
abled. The engines were changed to work
compound" and at AGO p. m. of May 27
she was able to make six knots with her
own steam. The broken parts of the
engines were repaired on board the flag
ship, all repairs being completed at mid
night of May %. The Yale towed the
Merrimac while disabled.
The commanding officer of the st. Paul
visited the flagship, in obedience to sig
nal, took with him Cuban pilot, and
Aad conversation with Commodore