The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-20

Schley to mask his movements in leav-
ing C~ienfuegcs."
"a memorandum which stated thai a
good landing place had been found by
Commodore McCalla, 1874 miles west OF
Savanilla point; that the Cubans had
perfect knowledge of ~hat was going
on within Cienfuegos; that the Cuban
forces in the a Juan mountains con
trolled the railway between Cienfuegos
and Trinidad; and hat there were fair
roads from the landing place to Glen
fuegos."
AT $3.50 O'Clock a. m. May 23rd, the
Castine and collier Merrimac arrives at
s,ienfugos.
AT noon on the same date the British
steamer Adula was permitted to go into
Iienfugos.
At 7 o'clock a. M. May Path, the
M~arblehead. Vixen ana Eagle arrived
at Cienfugos.
About 10 a. m. the Marblehead and
Eagle proceeded to the landing place
1872 miles west Of Savanilla point. COM
municated with the insurgents, anded
stores for them, learned that the Span
ish squadron was not in the harbor of
Cienfueges, rejoined the squadron at
$3.50 o'clock p. m. and reported to Com
modore Schley h information OBJ
tanned.
After the receipt Of this information
Commodore Schley wrote a dispatch to
the commissioning in which he
stated: II shall move eastward tomor-
-ow." He also wrote a dispatch to the
commandant Of the naval base at Key
West in which he stated: LAS it is not
found practicable to coal the Texas
from the collier here where there is SO
much swell, 1 shall proceed tomorrow
off Santiago de Cuba, being embar-
raised, however, by the Texas short
coal supply 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 Mich
nlas mole where the water Is smooth
and 1 can Goa The Texas and other
ships with what NAV remain in collier"
No work was, apparently. in progress
on the Notifications of C~ienfuegos while
Commodore Schley was off that port.
No efforts were made by Commodore
Schley to communicate with the insur-
gents to discover whether the Spanish
squadron was in the harbor of Cienfue-
gos prior to the morning of May oath.
Signal lights were displayed on shore
at night May 22nd and May 23rd, but
Commodore 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-
ton of the Castine. sailed from Cienfue-
| Cos about s o'clock p. M. of May oath;
the heavy ships in column of vessels,
the lighter ships On the right flank and
the collier Merrimac on the left flank.
At 1910 o'clock a. m, of May 18th the
light vessels were shifted to the port
beam and the collier to the ~starboard
beam.
Before midnight of May oath, owing
to heavy rolling, the forward compart-
ment Of the Eagle filled with water,
which reduced her speed.
On May 25th the wind was fresh from
| the eastward, the weather was bad and
the sea was heavy for small vessels.
The squadron reduced it's speed to en-
able the Eagle to remain with it.
On May oath the weather improved.
the wind veered to the westward and
became light, and the sea moderated.
At 1870 o'clock p. m. Commodore Schley
sent the Eagle to Port Antonio to coal
and then to return to Key West.
At loon of May 26th the Eagle had
sufficient coal to steam ten knots per
hour for three days.
At $50 o'clock p. m. the squadron
stopped about twenty-five miles to the
southwark of the port of Santiago. and
was joined by the scouts Minneapolis,
Yale and st. Paul.
At 6 o'clock p. m. May 26th the en-
gines of the collier Merrimac were tenn
porariIy disabled. The engines were
changed to work compound" and at
4:2O o'clock p. m, of May 9th she was
able to make six knots with her own
steam. The broken parts of the engines
were repaired on board the flagship, all
repairs being completed at midnight of
May 2Sth. The Yale towned the Merri-
mac while disabled.
The commanding officer of the ST.
Paul visited the flagship, in obedience
to signal, took with him a Cuban pilot.
and had a conversation with COTnrnO-
dore Schley.
Commodore Schley had no converse
ton with the senior commanding Off
Ger of the scouts and obtained no posi-
tive information from the scouts re-
harding the Spanish squadron.
At 7:45 o'clock p. m, May 26th Com
modore Schley changed the course OF
the flying squadron to the westward
and signaled to his squadron: "Destina-
ton Key West, via southside Of Cuba
n Yucatan channel. as soon as collier
Is ready; speed nine knots" The
squadron proceeded westward eighteen
miles stopped at 11:15 o'clock p. m
(the tow lines of the collier having part
ed) drifted until $40 o'clock p. m. May
eth, resumed it's westward course fol
twenty-three miles, stopped again a
lis o'clock p. m, and drifted until
O'Clock d. M, of May 18th.
At $3.50 o'clock a. m. May 9th the
Harvard joined the flying squadron, anC
| her commanding officer delivered tc
: Commodore Schley the dispatch dated
May 25th.
The report here quotes in full the dis
patch of the department saying: "Al
departments information indicates tn,
Spanish division is still at Santiago
I and Schley's reply thereto in which h,
+ says: 1T is to be regretted that tn,
e departments orders cannot be obeyed'
S and that he Mas forced to return t,
Key West for coal.
The coal supply of the vessels OF tn,
flying squadron at noon on May 27tl
was sufficient to have enabled them T.
S steam at ten knots per hour: TIL
t Brooklyn for 11A days; the Iowa for II
days; the Massachusetts for 10 days
y the Texas for 6A days; he Marblehea'
for SA days; the Vixen for liz days
y or to have remained on blockade dut:
off Santiago de Cuba The BROOKLYN 70
d 26 days the Iowa for 16 days: the Mas
~sachIsetts for 20 days; the Texas for ]