Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-25
,wN. IOWA, FRIDAY. OCTOBER a5, 1901

aDSpiute information OIL stue PiSsSt.NS "
the Spanards and Sigsbee had carried
the message to Mole, ST. Niehoias.
Schley said after locating the feet III
Santiago he formed the blockade IN the
only way he believed such smaii
squadron could be utilized Tor sucn
The ships were in column broadside on
to the entrance of the harbor,so simple
turn of the wheel would bring them IN
line IL the enemy appeared. He calied
the captains of the ships aboard and eN-
LiaiHed his idea of the blockade TO them,
also the general plan of attack. Inc pian
was to attack the mead of the column
first and confuse and cripple each IN
turn. Picket boats were to be USED as
torpedo boat destroyers. The ships were
to maintain steam so as to be capable OF
twelve knots The fleet steamed back
and forth from the entrance of the har-
Dor. MORO Costle, he thought, at no
time was more than five miles away. IN
concluding his description of the block
ade the admiral SAID: That it was sut-
flcient is shown by the fact that dur
ing its existence no vessel entered ores
capped from the harhor" Coming to the
reconnaissance on May 81 Schley said:
about the fortitications which defended
the place and determined to go in and
take advantage of what 1 believed to be
a longer range of our guns and develop
fully what the defences We're. and Incl
dentally. If we could get shot into the
Colon, that was lying somewhat eN-
posed, to do it. / transferred my nag,
named 1000 yards, went on board the
Massachusetts, and engaged In CONVEX
sation With Higginson. was not ex-
cited and not nervous. Potts was en-
tirely in error in saying took advan-
tage of cover. That | did not do. Tor
was not concerned about myself.
Speaking of the range of 1000 yards.
the admiral said Potts and himself re-
ported on that range, and he. (Schley)
had not known for several days that
the range had been altered. He said It
would have been the height of military
folly to have risked the ships further
to the fire of shore batteries after their
strength had been established. That
some of the younger officers who testi-
fled regarding the Reconnaissance We're
mistaken. he said, was proven by the
fact that there was today on the deck OF
the Indiana plate showing where an
eight-inch shell from the land fortifiea-
tions entered. July 4. and wrecked her
ward room. The officers referred to tes-
titled that there were no guns over six
inches in the Santiago land batteries.
Turning to the coaling question the
admiral said his instructions were to
coal on every possible occasion. He put
in as evidence number of dispatches
giving the instructions of the depart
nlent on this question and said he was
sure the dispatches could not have been
received before May 81. When he re-
ceived the dispatches he had already
discovered the Spanish fleet. He had also
surmounted difficulties about coaling
and so informed the department. He had
not gone into foreign waters for coal
because he wanted to avoid interhation-
al complications. Speaking Of the ar-
rival OF Sampson, on June l. Schley
said:
"I had sent several dispatches and ex-
plained to him the situation, told him
the form OF blockade i had maintained
and heard no word of complaint from
him. In fact. in view of the telegram
of congratulation, supposed naturally
everything was approved. SIMPSONS
relations and mine were always cordial
I never had any difference with him.