Evening star., 1901-12-14
TENT OF THE VERDICT.
Says Schley's Campaign Was yaciIlat-
ing and DiIatOry.
Court of Inquiry.
Mclean Building. 1517 II st. NV.


Washington D. C., December II, 1901.
The court having, by the authority of the
Navy Department. occupied rooms Nos.
and 10. Mclean Building, No. 1517 II street
northwest Washington, D. c., while delib
Grating upon its proceedings, and the mem
bers thereof having assembled daily since
Monday. November II, with the exception
of Sundays and holidays, and having con-
cIuded the investigation. reports its pro-
eeedings and the testimony taken, with
fun and detailed statement of all the perth
nent5 facts which it deems to be estab-
lished. together with its opinion and rec
ummendation in the premises.
Facts.
The flying squadron, consisting of the
Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas and Scor-
pion. under the command of Commodore
W. s. SchIey, L. S. N, sailed from Key
West about S am. of May 10. 1898. with
orders from the Navy Department and
from the commander-in-chief of the North
Atlantic station to proceed with dispatch
tutmOsD off Cienfuegos TO capture the
enemy off that port, it possible, or block
ade him, and to maintain the blockade as
close possible.
The flying squadron arrived off Cienfue-
gos on the morning of May - and esta5-
lished a blockade. During the day the
ships lay off the port at various distances,
in particular order. AT night they
formed in column of vessels. headed off
shore. and moved at only sufficient speed
for keeping positions. The small vessels
performed picket duty inshorc of the large
ships.
Commodore Schley did not proceed with
utmost dispatch off Cienfuegos and block
ade that port as close as possible.
Al 1O am. May - the Dupont arrived at
Cienfuegos with dispatch from the COM
mander-in-Chief, dated Key West, May 20
1873 which informed Commodore Schley
of fhea tFr
being in Santiago de Cuba and ordered him
to hold Cienfuegos until the receipt of more
positive information.
AT 1:5O pm. May - the Iowa arrived at
CienfuegOs. and at pm. of the same date
the Scorpion left CienfuegOs +Or Santiago.
At SID m. of May 23 Commodore Schley
received by the dispatch vessel Hawk the
following dispatch and memOrandums from
: the cOmmander-in-chief:
Dispatch CNo- ), dated Key West May
Il. ISIS, which stated that the Spanish
squadron was probably at Santiago and or
dered Commodore Schley, If he was satis-
ned that the Spanish squadron was not at
CienfuegOs, to proceed with all dispatch
but cautiously, to Santiago de Cuba and If
the enemy is there blockade him in that
port"
memorandum dated off Havana. MAY
q, lS;,S, which directed Commodore Schley
TO mask his movements in leaving Cienfue-
gos
, \ memorandum which stated that a good
landing place had been found by Com
mander McCalla. thirteen and a half miles
west of Savanilla point: that the Cubans
, had perfect knowledge Of what was going
on within CienfuegOs: that the Cuban
forces in the San Juan mountains con-
trolled the railway between Cienfuegos and
trinidad, and that there were fair roads
from the landing place to Cienfuegos
AT $50 a m May % the Castine and the
collier Aerrtmac arrived at Cienfuegos
At noon on the same date the British
steamer Adula was permitted to go into
Cienfuegos.
At am. May "a. the Marblehead,
Vixen and Eagle arrived at Cienfuegos.
About 10 a. m. the Marblehead an Eagle
proceeded to the landing place. thirteen and
a half miles west of SavanilIa point. COM
municated with the insurgents landed
stores for them, learned that the Spanish
squadron was not in the harbor of Glen
fuegOs. rejoined the squadron at 3;3O d m
and reported 10 Commodore Schley the in
formation obtained
After the recent of this fnforr,a ation
Commodore Schley wrote a dIspatch to the
commander-in-chief. in which he stated ssI
spall move eastward tomorrow" He also
wrote dispatch TO the commandant of
the naval base at Key West In which he
stated, 'tAs il is not found practicable TO
coal the Texas from the collier here where
there is so much swell. shall proceed to-
morrow OFF Santiago de Cuba, being en-
barrassed. however, by the Texas short
coal supply and her inability to coal in the
open sea i 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 Nicolas Mole where the water
Is smooth. and l can coal Texas and other
SHIPS with what may remain in collier"
No work was apparently In progress on
the fortihcations of CienfuegOs while Com
mOdore Schiey was off that port.
NO efforts We're made by Commodore
ochley 10 communicate with the insur-
gents 10 discover whether the Spanish
squdoroh was In the harbor of Cienfuegos
prior 10 the morning of May "a
signal lights We're displayed on shore al
nlgnt May y and May %. but Commodore
scnIey mad no Information which enabled
him to Interpret them
Before sailing from Cienfuegos Commo