The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-28

the points In controversy as result Of the
Santiago campaign.
The questions and answers which follow
were transcribed and typewritten copy Of
the interview submitted 20 the admiral for
correction
Admiral, you have been severely crit
cised Of late for starting 10 siboney on the
morning Of the Santiago battle. What was
your reason for SO dong2" was asked,
81 went to Slboney upon the urgent re-
quest OF Major General shafter, who had
demanded council Of war, he being ~
at the time and moreover being senior to
me, II was incumbent upon me to 20 10
him. | chose the time Of day when IL
seemed least likely that Cerveras feet
would come out of the harbor. This opin
Ion is substituted by the fact that Ger
vera has been severely ciit'cised for ch0oa
ing this inopportuue time, rather than
waiting until just before dark, when be-
would have had an opportunity to scatter
his ships with good chance Of escaping 10
tue darkness"
you have also been criticised fer weak
eping your feet By sending the Massa
chuserts 70 Guantanamo for coal. Your
critics say that ySd should be courtmar
tialed for not keeping yOur entire force on
the blockade line AMI coalng from Golfers
This weakening Of the lire was nm
svoidable feature ot the blockade. Al
though we did do considerable coaling
from the coluers in tho blockading bne,
we found II impossible 20 keep a sufficient
supply on board all the vessels by this
method II must be remembered that the
vessels were constantly under way and
mad 20 keep steam enough In their boilers
10 be ready TO move az good speed on i'm
mediate notice This Involved the expend-
board and We were therefore obliged 60
send 4 vessel ca n morning TO GuautAuaW1
10 coal the vessel returning 70 her block
aiding station az uiEhtfall In this way
YOU can SCI tat the whole force was on
hand throughout every night the time
when all supposed 3. vas most likely TO be
needed Purthermore while Il would, OF
course, have been hest had u been possible
"a kay. hsd everv shin on her station M
all tines, there never was a time from
JuDe / 70 July Q when our force on the
BLOCKADE Was. not far superior 10 the sPnn-
Ehly IS events afterwards proved, left "a
viii sut6cIent force 70 make successful
t14 OntcosDs Of the engagement"
THE message which you sent TO tn
Raw SessErs-snt Immediately after III,
yietrrF s-d which read; The feet undo
ny psnnlAad erers III. nation as a fourp
has eaussd snnea criticism. was that writ
aer by rpu a. yos'r direetionf'
mo lin unessaye was written by melr
her " ny stag; don't clearly recollet
srslIek arfroTed the message. howeyei
The COW. was on the beach. was sinkin
and all haDds were making every EFFORT
ssve tie vessel for the government,
must say n ] had dictated the messag
myself should have expressed the fact
differently. I am nor trying In the le1'
10 shift the responsibility for ne messal
10 any other person. read II and AZ
Tor &"
ell Did st meet with your approval O
what a blockade should be?'
"Of course, ! was not an eve witness :
tho blockade. II maintained durln
oniv official information have on the sui
ject Is contained in the official record
10 which you aud everyone else may hay
ACCESS for the asking ! did nnd It. ,eSPed,
issue an order of blockade distributing tn
force in a semi circle with the entrance
the harbor the center with radlu
OF six miles In the day time aud Jesse
radius at night.
covering their weakness, this radius wa
decteased; a vessel was stationed Wit -
ssprsss d, sS 3, u Sor the R5S
the entrance SO that no sortc could hay
been attempted without having been az
covered long before the enemy reached ID
entrance. Assurance was made doubl
sure by statoning at night a picket. In
of small vessels In semi circle wei Il
side the nehtng line and a third semi Giro
Of ships launches stlli further inside.
am Of the opinion that none OF these thin,
was done ureviuus 10 this time. HrI
whether or not the blockade previous
this time was efficient, you must, M
saw form your own opinion from the o
ieial records comprising orders, sigma
sSrhere is most interesting and pr
sumafN authentic pamphlet that has het
published by the officials Of the naval !
ofsesr who was statosSd in santa,
throughout the blockade who remarks un'
the dss9ppeaFanGee o. ms e' SeSS nIsb
the time Of the arrival 81 the New No
and The oregon and ON the night tolo'
inc their arrivals says In eject, that
dark the hoeRadlng ships came closer
Iho entrance instead q disappearing,
n had heen hitherto the custom. q
rot and must not. however, criticize 4
blockade established previous 20 my
ra eI 5nis gpnIy s drs,y vomr own ec
cone other thing admiral. Rear A
mirai Sehlpv in n recent Interview claim
that the BROOKLYN lnhicted - per &c
II The damage done the spoush ships g
received "a per cent Of The injuries ~
tainad hy the hlockadne squadron
u 10 nor wish to criticize schley or a
,.roneht into an'r discussion in which ne
in,olved His statement may De perLec
WI, repeat now what said before II
Inc Broollyn aid excellent wcrk IL
hattle T9 the best "a dnt, TeeS on cent
her initial movement a movement wh'
In nv oninion. took her too far 70
s s,fer az Judgment. do not wish to :
aivthlnr more on that subject. t,.a,.
zone Of your captains oap' s,1h,ectea
cr;ftelsm for fghting the battle r
rlthm the coming tower OF thar YES
whereas all the rest Of the command
Offers took stations en- the bridge on
Ton Of the tlrret.
HEvans may have done So Howey
she nroner position for man CONNIE
Ing > vessel which e ntted With =. conn q
81, control fbe vessel from within
Won as without The tactical value
the esptain's life makes = ~ impfrst
dnty for him 20 protect that life, not n
refsonai reasons but on account Of
fnrcffEnce to The vessel, THIS = :
nrcenfed hv HI naval authorities
shown hy the fact that coming : TOW
are ms versailv fitted on all ships that.
dehgned 70 take their place IN the iine
hattie So
.'There Is sp instance which rs'
during the bpmoardmept OF ssn su az Z
81 the Iowa because did NOT think {
! could observe The setlon OF Az the