The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1901-11-08
Might Drop Slower Vessels.

H admitted that the weather on the
voyage was bad for the smaller veS
sells, particularly ,he Eagle and said
that speed II the squadron was slowed
ln order that they might keep up. He
contena.d however. that II that YES
sr Was 10 b. sent away. she should
have been sent al tn. time when she
Was causing the delay and not when
the voyage was practically completed
and the wcathe. improving IL this
connection he suggested that all the
slower vessels. in view of Tho urgency
uf reaching Santiago. might have been
dropped with 4 rendezvous TO he
Joined later hy the fighting vessels.
Having brought the squadron 10 the
soutANard of Santiago on MAY y. the
iudge advocate took ZIP tho coallng
question quoting Lieutenant Dyson :
figures on the question ~ coal supply
In some detail shen he considered
the retrograde movement. This step.
IL said. had been undertaken with
ont sufficient or decisive steps beng
taken 10 ascertain whether the span
ish feet was actually IN the harhor oi
Santiago. leaving The mouth Of the
harhor unmatched and Ceryesa free to
escape with tho possibility Of his max
inc a descent upon our coast-ihe
moral. TO say nothing Of the material
effect Of which II * impossible 10
oycrestimate.
"Nhateyer opinion Captain Slssbee
and Pilot Nunez may have given the
commodore as To the presence OF the
Snanish feet In the harbor Of Santi'
aro ,and | believe that the captain
never said that the Spanish fleet was
NOT ,herein) the commodore was alone
responsible for the retrogade move
ment
The details Of the retrogade move
ment were rehearsei as were those
concerning the delivery OF dispatches
| hv ,he Harvard Captain l-emly con
tended that the dispatch conveying
nosi,iye information that the Spanisf
| nee, was in the harhor must have beer
delivered TO Commodore Schlev ho'
| wi,hs,anding his denial because NJ
| considered it inconceivable. na'lns II
that CAPTAIN Cotton should nor nave
| communicated It's contents To the com
| modore. =, o.,
Uere CAPTAIN lemly quoted IN iui
| CaumoJore Schley's cannot obey
| orders" dispatch TO the department =.
| Nay - and commented upon u, "a,
ing. Whether the department =;
! e,rnc,ions definitely directed. III pos'
,iro terms that the squadron rema''
IN Santiago. or whether It's desire 'ha
~. bon,l be done was simply indlca'
:, onnears to me. under all the eii
.a,cos ~" TO be immaterial us
,haaioncn Of orders may be an imp.l
a,i,n and glorious duty. but. II u -
~, ;rstitiod by the facts. II cannon y
| copJoncd by terming ~ an '''o' : :
;.,I,r,rt This was not an eiioi =
imJ.ment I, was an error or cohau'''
eombardment Of the Colon
y, mo reconnaissance ol M'.
-. hos been claimed that the W
I a., ~ this affair of May 81 was I
1,y,lop the enemy batteries III ann II. e
n;, VAS accomplished. lhere = !.
o,or ~" great deal of DOUBT y
,., ''o of tho varying signals ana s,a,t
ut, made by the commodore W..
nn,nro and after the action. as 10 VIA
p.io' ,,n real object. whether Il reeui
roissance or an attemp' ~ 'e'''
Colon. ~, s,iIure to 60 /
closer on May 81 by pleaa'hS Anvil An
lime time the cauiionary order +, ',n' ol ap1x exe
ua.s not appear to be suhcis.' ,,it
"' ~ ,ho commodore was acq"a,n'e" ,sar
!. Wv ,nton.s The order modiies I'ss
w. ,ran, 6rst to last clearl! ''i!'.".. -,
ana ., 'pu,' n,," Meet m was to be kept for IN
: !, ,,h;oc