The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-26


THE OFFICIAL DISPATCH.
/ Following is the text OF the dispatch
sent to the navy department:
Received dispatch of May IS, by Har-
ward off Santiago de Cuba. Merrimac's s
engine is disabled and she is helpless;
| am Obliged to have her towed TO Key
| West. Have been absolutely unable 10
| coal the Texas, Marblehead, Vixen and
| Brooklyn from collier, owing to very
! rough seas and hoisterous weather since
leaving Key West. Brooklyn is the only
one in squadron having more than suffi-
cient coal to reach Key West Impossible
70 remain of Santiago in present state
Of coal on account OF the squadron Not
| possible TO coal 10 leeWa ard of Cape Chuz
/ in summer, owing 10 southwest winds.
| Harvard just reported to me she has
only coal enough TO reach Jamaica, and
she viii proceed TO Port Royal. Also re-
ports only small vessels could coal at
| Gonaives and Mole. Haiti Minneapolis
has only coal enough to reach Key West
! and same of Yale, which viii tow Merri-
mac. 1t is 10 be regretted that the de-
partmeut's orders cannot be obeyed
| earnestly. as We have all striven to that
/ end. I am forced 10 return to Key West
via Yucatan channel for coal. Can ascer-
tain nothing concerning enemy. Was
obliged 10 send Eagle 70 Port Antonio.
| Jamaica, yesterday, as she had only 27
tons Of coal on board viii leave st.
Paul here. Will require $500 tons OF coal
at Key West
Rayner addressed the court concerning
these charges. He said that Admiral
Schley had spoken of the weather as
'boisterous'' and that that word has been
omitted from the printed copy of the dis
patch. He also stated that whereas the
admiral had added that $500 tons of coal
would be necessary the printed copy made
It 10000 tons. 1t was also stated in the
original that the Harvard was going to
Port Roysl where as Kingston had been
inserted in the printed copy. There also
were oe-dSardr. .cthhgao en- etsarhdolu
were other changes. Admiral Cotton then
related a conversation he had had with
Admiral Schley concerning a proposition
of Lieutenant Beall, of the Harvard to
go ashore and put himself in communica-
ton with the Cuban insurgents. He
cou ldnot, he said, recall the exact words
Of the conversation, but at all events
Mr.. BeaIl had not been ordered ashore.
Judge Advocate Lemley then asked:
After you delivered the order and prior
to the dispatch which he delivered you
to be sent to Kingston, what effort did
he make to locate Cervera's fleet. TO your
knowledge"
None. 10 my knowledge"
Did he. with his squadron. at that
time approach Santiago?"
He did not. I viii qualify that to
sIFe Tho x-accaIS of onrfrce x7-ara
not at anchor; they were moving about
and there were directions for movement
toward the harbor at Santiago"
Referring to that phase in the dispatch,
the department looks to you to aseer-
tain the facts that the enemy if therein.
does not leave without decisive ac-
tion." what, within your knowledge, did
Commodore Schley do in obedience to
these instructions?"
"On the departure of the flying squad
ron, supposing they departed on that day
as indicated by the signal for Key West.
and the leaving of your own vessel for
Kingston. what of the American force
was left off Santiago to prevent the exit
of Cervera's fleet from that harbor?"
'T have no personal knowledge Of that
fact
Judge Advocate Iemley then started to
read dispatches received by Admiral Cot
ton from Admiral Schley, delivered by
the Scorpion.
MIR. Rayner objected to the reading of |
this dispatch unless Admiral SIMPSONS /
dispatch, No. :. to Admiral Schley, should !
also be read as he said Admiral /,
Schley's orders were based on that"
At this point Captain Parker remarked /
that this dispatch would not be found. /
To this remark Captain Lernley took ex-
saying that ii was out of place /
for counsel TO make such comment. Ad- |
miraI Dewey sustained the objection.
THE DEAR ScHLEY LETTER.
The order Of Admiral Sampson which is |
Il letter known as THE Dear schley' let
ter, was then read.
The dear Schley" letter is dated Key
West, Florida, May 20, 1898. Referring I
TO a telegram from the navy department
received from Sampson advising the lat
ter word to Schley to proceed to Santiago
the letter says:
After duly considering this telegram I
have decided to make no change in the
present plans: that is. that you should
Spanish ships have put into Santiago they
must come either to Havan or Cienfuegos
to deliver the munitions Of war which
they are said TO bring for use in Cuba.
am. therefore. of opinion that our best
chance OF success in capturing their ships
VIII be TO hold the two points, Cienfuegos
and Havana with all the force we can
muster. # later it should develop that
these vessels are at Santiago we could
then assemble of that port the ships
best suited for the purpose and complete
" blockade it. Until we then receive
more positive Information we shall con-
-inue 10 hold Havana and Santiago
on denomination Admiral Cotton
said that while he had delivered four or
1--WE dispatches to Admiral Schlsv, he had
The original Of the one dispatch which he
had given. They all had been translated
by Lieutenant Beail. and he had not seen
the originals OF any but that ore. He
had no record Of any other dispatches
Mr. Rayner-'I think maybe I can help
you II you viii let ne. I win see II
cannot refresh your memory. Are you
not mistaken about dates. and IS rot The
late Of the delivery of these dispatches
.he aist. instead OF the 9Th OF May? You
iid deliver the dispatches, there Is no
3oubt-
"Au the dispatches 7 received AZ 81.
Nicholas Mole were delivered 20 Commo-
sore Schlvy on the morning OF May =.
SIS. There IS no mistake about that
The dispatches received az Kingston for
Commodore Schlcy were delivered on tho
morning of 8iay l. There IS no mistake
lbout that
3ir Raynsr--Then We wiz 20 ahead
~ -. y --.-- ~ arE anx- uara !