The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-12-20

ny OF Nicholas Mole, where the water
Is smooth, and I can coal Texas an6
other ships with what may remain II
collier" No work was, apparently, II
progress on the Notifications of Glen
fuegos while Commodore Schley was
off that port.
No efforts we're made by Commodore
Schley to communicate with the insur
GENTS to discover whether the Spanish
squadron was in the harbor of Cienfue
COS prior to the morning of May "a
Signal lights were displayed on shore
at night May % and May %, but Com
modore 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 IL
the vicinity of Cape Cruz and in Con
aives channel.
The flying squadron, with the excep
ton of the Castine, sailed from Glen
fuegos 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. Al
1910 a. m. of May &c the 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 filed with water which re
duced her speed. On May % the WIND
was fresh from the eastward, the
weather was bad and the sea wa;
heavy for small vessels. The squad
ron reduced it's speed to enable the
Eagle to remain with it. On May 2t
the weather improved, the wind veereG
to the westward and became light ant
the sea moderated. At 100 p. m
Commodore Schley sent the Eagle tt
Port Antonio to coal and then to re
turn to Key West. At noon of May
26 the Eagle had sufficient coal tt
steam 10 knots per hour for three
days.
Squadron Arrives Off Santiago.
At $50 p. m. the squadron stopped
about % miles to the southwark 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 Merrimac were tenn
porarily disabled. The engines were
changed to work compound" and al
APO p. m. of May 81 she was able tc
make six knots with her own steam
The broken parts of the engines were
repaired on board the flagship, all re
pairs being completed at midnight OF
May %. The Yale towed the Merri
mac while disabled. The commanding
officer of the st. Paul visited the flag
ship in obedience to signal, took with
him a Cuban pilot and had converse
ton with Commodore Schley. Com
modore Schley had NO conversation
with the senior commanding officer OF
information from the scouts regarding
the Spanish squadron.
At 7:45 p. m, May &c, Commodore
Schley changed the course of the fly
ing squadron to the westward and sig
nailed to his squadron. Destination
Key West, via south side or Cuba and
Yucatan channel, as soon as collier is
ready; speed nine knots"
The squadron proceeded westward
IS miles, stopped at 11:15 p. m. (the
tow lines Of the collier having parted
drifted until 3:45 p. M, May 81, re
sumed its westward course for 20
miles, stopped again at 7:15 p. N. and
drifted until l p. m. of May %.
At $3.50 a. NJ, May 81, the Harvard
Joined the flying squadron and her
commanding officer delivered to Com.
modore Schley the following dispatch
dated May 25:
"All departments information indi,
Gates the Spanish division is still al
Santiago de Cuba. The department
looks to you to ascertain fact and that
the enemy, if therein, does not leave
without n decisive action. Cubans
familiar with Santiago de Cuba say
that there is landing place five or six
nautical miles west from mouth of
harbor and that there insurgents prob
ably will be found and not Spanish
From the surrounding heights can
see every vessel in the. port. As soon
as ascertained notify the department.
whether enemy is there. Could not
squadron coal from Merrimac, leeward
Cape Cruz, Cuba; Gonaives, Hayti
channel, or Mole, Hayti? The depart
ment will send coal Immediately to
Mole. Hayti. Report without delay
situation at Santiago de Cuba"
This dispatch was answered by
Commodore Schley about noon May
81 as follows:
Forced to Return to Key West.
"MeITimac's engine is disabled, and
she is helpless; am obliged to have
her towed to Key West. Have been
absolutely unable to coal vessels from
collier owing to very rough seas and
boisterous weather since leaving Key
West. Brooklyn is the only one in
squadron having more than sufficient
coal to reach Key West. Impossible to
remain off Santiago in present state
of coal account of the squadron. Not
possible to coal to lee v ard of Cape
Cruz in summer owing 10 southwest
winds. 1t is to be regretted that the
departments orders cannot be obeyed,
earnestly as we have all striven to
that end. l ann forced to return to
Key West via Yucatan passage for
coal. Can ascertain nothing certain
concerning enemy. Will require $500
tons of coal at Key West
The coal supply of the vessels of the
flying squadron at noon on May q
was sufficient to have enabled them to
steam at 10 knots per hour:
The Brooklyn for liz days; Iowa
~; Massachusetts,, 10; Texas, 6A
Marblehead, 3A; Vixen, 111a. Or to
have remained on blockade duty off
Santiago de Cuba: The Brooklyn, for
&c days; Iowa, 16; Massachusetts, 20;
Texas, 10; Marblehead, 5; Vixen, %
and then steam to Gonaives, Hayti
or to Cape Cruz, Cuba, to coal.
At that date the flying squadron was
accompanied by the collier Merrimac
containing 1880 tons or coal. Tne
amount of coal required to completely
fill the coal bunkers of all the vessels
OF the flying squadron on this same
date was 2,750 tons. The conditions
OF wind, sea and weather from noon
on May 26 to June 1 were favorable
for taking coal from a collier at sea
Off Santiago de l1iha The Iowa Gas