Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-14
.DEWEY PRAISES SCHLEY
Balance Of the Court Of Inquiry Finds Much for
Which to Condemn.

Il
Commander McCalla thirteen and one
half miles west of Savanilla Point, tina
| the Cubans had perfect knowledge 0
what was going on within Cienfuegos
that the Cuban forces in the San Ju;,l
mountains controlled the railway be
tween Cienfuegos and Trinidad, AM
that there were fair roads from tn
landing place to Cienfuegos.
/ At $3.50 a. m. May %. the Castine an,
the Collier Merrimac arrived at Glen
fuegos.
/ AT a. m. May "a the Marbiehead
Vixen and Eagle arrived at Cienfue
COS.
About 10 a. m. the Marblehead AM
Eagle proceeded to the landing plac
thirteen and one-half miles west of Sa
| vanilla Point, communicated with tn
insurgents, landed stores for them
| learned that the Spanish squadron wa
not in the harbor at Cienfuegos, re
1 Joined the squadron at $3.50 p. m. ant
reported to Commodore Schley the in
| formation obtained.
After the receipt Of this information
Commodore Schley wrote a dispatch t,
| the commander-in-c chief. in which h,
stated, Il shall move eastward tomor
row." He also wrote a dispatch to thu
commandant of the naval base at Ke,
| West in which he stated, "as it IS no
found practicable to coal the Texa!
| from the collier here where there is 81
much swell. / shall proceed tomorrow of
| Santiago de Cuba. being embarrassed
| however. by the Texas short coal sup
ply and her inability to coal in the oper
sea. shall not be able to remain of
that port on account of the genera
short coal supply of the squadron, 81
! will proceed to the vicinity of Nichola!
Mole, where the water is smooth and
can coal the Texas and other ships
with what remain in collier"
No work was apparently in progress
on the Qualifications of Cienfuegos 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 "a.
Signal lights were displayed on shore
at night May 90 and May %, but Com
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 CieGfue-
COS about s p m. of May "a, the heavy
ships in, column OF vessels, the light
ships on the right flank and the collier
Merrimac on the left flank. At 1910 a.
m. of May 26 light vessels were shifted
to the port beam and the collier to the
starboard beam.
Before midnight of May a. owing to
heavy rolling. the forward compartment
OF the Eagle filled with water, which re-
duced her speed.
On May 25 the wind was fresh from
the eastward. the weather was bad and
the sea was heavy for small vessels.
The squadron reduced its speed to en-
able the Eagle to remain with it.
On May 20 the weather improved. the
wind veered to the westward and be-
came light and the sea moderated.
AT 1870 p. m. Commodore Schley sent
the Eagle to Port Antonio to coal and
then to return to Key West At noon
OF May 26 the Eagle had sufficient coal
to steam ten knots per hour for three
days.
AT $50 p. m. the squadron stopped
about twenty-five miles to the south
ward Of the port of Santiago and was
Joined by the scouts Minneapolis, Yale
and st. Paul.
AT p. M, May 26. the engines of the
collier Merriinac were temporarily dis
abled The engines were changed to
work compound and at 4:20 p. m. of
May q 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 2s. The Yale towed
the Merrimac while disabled.
The commanding officer of the ST.
Paul visited the flagship in obedience to
signal, took with him Cuban pilot and
had q conversation with Commodore
Schley
Commodore Schley had no conversa-
ton with the senior commanding off,
Ger of the scouts. and obtained no posi-
tive information from the scouts re-
garding the Spanish squadron.
At 7:45 ip. M. May &c, Commodore
Schley changed the course of the flying
squadron to the westward and signaled
to his squadron, Destination Key West
via south side of Cuba and Yucatan
channel, as soon as collier is ready:
speed, nine knots" The squadron pro-
ceeded westward eighteen miles. stop
ped at 11:15 p. m. (the tow lines of the
collier having parted. drifted until $40
p M, May 81; resumed it's westward
course for twenty-three miles: stopped
again at 7:15 p. M, and drifted until 1
p. M Of May %.
At $50 a. M May q the Harvard join
ed the flying squadron and her COM
manding officer delivered to Commodore
Schley the following dispatch, dated
May %, addressed by the department to
the Harvard at st. Nicholas Mole Hay
ii:
"All departments information indi-
Gates the Spanish division is still at
Santiago de Cuba. The department
looks to you to ascertain fact, and that
the enemy, If therein, does not leave
without decisive action. Cubans fa
miliar with Santiago de Cuba say that
there is landing place five (5) nautical
miles west or six (6) from mouth of har-
Dor, and that there insurgents probably
will be found, and not Spanish. From
the surrounding heights can see every
vessel in the port. AS soon as ascer-
tanned notify the department whether
enemy is there. Could not squadron
and also the Harvard coal from Merri-
mac, leeward Cape Cruz Cuba: Go
naives, Hayti channel or Mole. Hayti?
The department will send coal immedi-
atelY to Mole. HaYti. Rennrt without