Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-25


THE commodore made some remarks
upon my statements. the language OF
which do not recall, but he asked me:
How about coalmg big ships at ST.
Nicholas Mole. | said You cannot
coal your big ships there | had refer
ence In my reply to the battleships and
protected cruisers OF the Brooklyn and
New York class. | said, thinking OF
the fact that nS own snip had been
there and was OF some 1000 tons dis
placement and nearly 500 feet IN
length, Possibly under favorable
conditions, you might be able TO coal
the large ships there, one at a time
But the area Of deep water for the
anchorage OF large ships * so little
there II was not practicable TO coal at
the very utmost more than one larse
ship at time there and IN case the
weather became bad she would inn
mediately have to 80 to sea. | was
anxious while ] was there with the
Harvard, on account Of her size, and
would have left ut once In case bad
weather had come on, AS l remember
| recollect the Qualification as to Co
naiyes Channel"
ives anything said about going to
Key west Tor cOalI
Returning to what | said with refer
enoe 10 the difficulty which Commo-
dore Sohley stated to me he had In
getting coal on board of any of the
ships at Clenfuegos, he said he was very
anxious The coal supply was get
ting short, the weather was bad and
it had been bad almost continuously.
II was very serious problem as TO
how or whether he could possibly get
coal on board ships on Santiago. He
said II he found the weather did rot
improve and he found It impracticable
to coal there he could only see one re-
sort, and that one he would be COM
PEELED to return to Key West in order
10 supply his ships with coal.
ANXIOUS ABOUT THE TEXAS,
Having that question In view he was
apprehensive especially as to one ship,
the Texas. He did not even know at
that moment whether she had on board
sufficient coal to enable her to return
TO Key West. During my visit he gave
an order to make signal. a general
signal as / remember II, not limited to
the flying squadron alone, TO report
whether the ships had sufficient coal
10 reach Key West. The signal was
made or at least assume ID was made.
Al all events during my presence with
Commodore Schley he received a re-
port to the effect that all the ships in
GLIDING the Texas, had sufficient coal
TO return to Key West. l think the
commodore was very much relieved
when he received this information
Shortly after, | should say within a
few minutes, he directed a signal to be
made preparatory for the ships to re-
turn to Key West. The order was given
In a general way,
II cannot give the words OF the order
but what | have stated was their pur-
port. While / was still there he re-
ceived signals to the effect that the
signals were received. Before | left
the ship he ordered signals TO be made
for ships 10 form preparatory for
steaming to Key West. To 90 back a
bit. had informed Commodore schley
that II was utterly impossible for the
Harvard to get anywhere except Ia
Kingston. ] had not sufficient coal to
go to Key West and he verbally auth
orized me to proceed at once to King
ston to receive such an amount of coal
as | could get there, sufficient to enable
me TO return to the nearest United
States port. left the Brooklyn about
noon, possibly a few minutes before.
Immediately after my departure, the
Brooklyn commenced steaming ahead
and | noticed that many Of the ships
az the moment under Commodore
Schley's command were In motion pre-
preparatory 20 taking their
stations In steaming order To return 10
Key West. AS soon as / returned 10
my ship, after my boat was holsted. I
steered to the southwest for Kingston"
Did you state In specific terms that
you agreed with Commodore Schley as
TO the difficulty OF coaling?"
The question was not discussed and
expressed no opinion"
Did this conversation occur before
or after the dispatches which you took
aboard had been read by the commo-
dore?"
After"
In response 10 further questions Ad- !
miral Cotton said that he had the ORR |
ginal TRANSACTIONS Of the cipher dis |
patches addressed to the Harvard. The |
dispatch ~ May % was then read TO |
him as follows:
DISPATCH OF NAY 25. 1898.
Washington, May rs. 1898.
Harvard. 81 Nicholas Mole, Haiti.
Proceed at once and inform schley
ana also the senior officer present on |
santago as follows.
AN departments information indI- |
'ates spanish division Is still AT San
lhgo. The department looks TO Won 10 |
ascertain the facts, and the enemy. N |
lhriein' does not leave without decisive |
icuon Cubans familiar with Santiago |
'Ay mat there are landing places five |
y slN nautical miles west Of the mouth |
~ the harbor and there Insurgents !
.robably viii be found and not the |
-panish. From the surrounding |
heights can see every vessel In port
AS soon as ascertained notify The de-
lartment whether the enemy is there
-ould not squadron and also the Uar-
lard coal from Merrimao leeward az
ape crny, Gonaives channel or Mole
taiuy The department win send coal
immediately 10 Mole. Report without
ielav situation az Santiago. cuba"
SOME MATERIAL CHANGES
Mr.. Raynor called attention 10 m.
act that there were some material
'hanges IN the dispatches as printed
n the Official reports by the navy De.
lariment
Admiral schleys reply TO these dis.
patches, dated May ssth, IN which he
aid he could not obey the orders OF the
department. was then read and M
iaynor pointed out various changes in
he language Of the dispatch az printed
n the official report he addressed the
curt briefly concerning these changes
lie said that Admiral schley had
poken Of the weather az "boistrous."
md that that word has been onltteo
rom the printed copy Of the dispatch
ie also stated that whereas the Ad-
nlral had said that $500 tons OF coal
would be necessary the printed cory
made Il 10000 tons II was also stated
n the original that the Harvard was
'oing 10 Port Royal. whereas Kings
on bad been inserted IN the printed
opy. There also were other changes.