The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-14

to have her tOwed to Key West. Have
been absolutely unable to coal the
Texas Marblehead, Vixen and Brook
Ign from collier. owing to very rough
seas and boisterOus weather since leav-
ing Key West Brooklyn is the only
one in squadron having more than suf-
ficient coal to reach Key West. I'M
possible to remain off Santiago in
present state of coal account Of the
squadron. Not possible to coal to lee
ward Of Cape Cruz in summer owing to
the southwest winds, Harvard just re-
ports to me she has only coal enough
to reach Jamaica, and she viii proceed
to Port Royal; also reports only small
vessels could coal at Gonaives or Mole
Hayti. Minneapolis has only coal
enough to reach Key West and same
of Yale, which viii tow Merrimac. It
is to be regretted that the depart
ment'S orders cannot be Obeyed ear
nestly, as we have all striVen to that
end. am forced to return to Key
West via Yucatan passage for coal.
Can ascertain nothing Ineligible Of
enemy. Sent Eagle to Port Antonio
yesterday, as she has only twenty
seven tons on board. Win leave St.
Paul here. VIII require $500 tons of
coal at Key West"
Coal Supply Of Vessels.
The coaf supply of the vessels of the
flying SQUADRON at noon on May q
was sufficient to have enabled them to
steam ten knots per hour:
The Brooklyn for liz DAYS: Iowa,
~ days; Massachusetts, 10 days: Tex
as. Ga days; Marblehead. 3k DAYS:
Vixen, 1112 days, or to have remained
on blockade duty off Santiago de Cuba:
the Brooklyn for IS days; Iowa for Is
days; Massachusetts. 20 days: Texas.
TO days: MaTblehead. . days; Vixen.
% days, and then steam to Gonafves.
Hayti, or to Cape Cruz, Cuba, to coal.
At that date the flying squadron was
accompanied by the collier Merrimac.
containing 1850 tons of coal.
The amount Of coal required to COM
pletely fill the coal bunkers of all of
the vessels Of the flying squadron on
this same date was 1850 tons.
The conditions of the wind. sea and
weather, from noon on May 26. to June
/, were favorable for taking coal from
a collier at sea off Santiago de Cuba.
The Iowa, Castine and Dupont coaIed
at Cienfue8Os from the collier Merri-
mac on May %, and the Massachusetts,
and Castine on May "a
The Texas asked permission to coal
first on May %, and was refused by
Commodore Schley, who ordered the
Iowa to coal first and the Massaehu-
sets second.
Texas Refused Coal.
The Texas was ordered to coal from
the collier on May "a, but the order
was revoked, as the Massachusetts was
alongside the collier, and the com
handing officer Of the collier deemed
II UNSAFE to place his vessel between
two battleships-
The Texas and Marblehead coaled at
sea, off Santiago. with golfers. Nav p
and %; the Massachusetts and vixen
on May 20; the Brooklyn and Iowa on
May 30; the Brooklyn, Texas and Mar
blehead on May 81
At 3:35 p. m, May q. Commodore
Scnley signaled TO the St Paul: IF
sampson comes here tell him half of
squadron out Of coal and collier en-
gines broken down"
At 10:45 p. m. May q. Commodore
Schley signaled to the Texas: The
more coal you take in this smooth
weather the less you will have to take
in Hayti."
I Commodore Schley made no effort to
ascertain whether the Spanish SQUAD
ron was IN the harDor of Santiago, he
left said haTbor entirely unguarded
from p. III. of May 26 to p. m. Of
May p, and guarded only by the scout
st. Paul from p. m, May p. until
about p. m. of May %.
The flying squadron arrived off the
harbor Of Santiago de Cuba. seven
miles south Of MORO at p. m. May
Is and established a blockade
Declares Schley Was Slow.
The distance from Cienfuegos to san
tiago is S15 miles. Commodore Schley
did not proceed with all dispatch from
Cienfuegos to Santiago de Cuba.
Early on the morning of Nav % the
Cristobal Colon and other vessels of
the Spanish squadron were discovered
at anchor in the harbor Of Santiago.
about 200 yards from the entrance.
No attempt was made by Commodore