The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-27
THE MISSING DISPATCHES.
A Synopsis of Their Contents in
General Greely's Report.
The News of Cervcra's Arrival at
Santiago Reported by Colonel Al
1en-AdmirnI Sampson Notified mt
Key west-The Information Sent.


The dispatches of the Signal Corps
which have direct bearing upon the Schley
controversy and which are so much de-
sired by the counsel for the admiral. re-
main undiscovered. The transcript Of
these messages is not contained in the an
nual report Of General Greedy. Chief Sig
nal Officer. for the year ending June 80.
1901 although he does quote from them
and make considerable mention of Col
oneI Aliens information regarding the
arrival OF Cervera's fleet at Santiago.
He declares emphatically that the first
intelligence that the Spanish vessels were
at Santiago was forwarded by Colonel
Allen and Immediately communicated to
the Navy Department. and by Colonel
Allen personally to Admiral Sampson,
then at Key West. Notwithstanding the
positive character of the information 1t
was eleven days before Sampson went
to Santiago to bottle up Cervera. Ev-
en- after Colonel Allen had reported that
his secret agents had discovered that Ger
vera was short of coal and could not coal
at Santiago it was seven days before
Sampson started for Santiago.
The report of General Greedy upon this
matter says:
The operations of American fleets in
Cuban waters, the success and plans of
blockade runners, the presence and
activity of Spanish agents. the move
ments Of Spanish ships were among vari-
GUS matters concerning which informa-
ton reached the proper authorities
through the Chief Signal Officer of the
Army, not only hours, but even days, in
advance of information through the
ever active and almost ever present cor
respondent, and in some instances the
information gained was solely by the
exertion of the Signal Corps.
The most striking Illustration of the
value of Information thus gathered is
the fact that out of the Signal Corps
cipher messages that reported the arrival
of Admiral Cervera's feet in Santiago
Harbor flowed the conception of the San
tiago campaign, the turning point of the
war. There have been so many incorrect
reports regarding the locating of Ad
miral Cervera in Santiago Harbor. and
of his being blockaded or bottled up
therein, that in the interest of history,
let alone justice to the Signal Corps of
the Army, the truth should be told. The
location of Cervera's squadron at Santi-
ago was first made by Col James Allen,
and later verified Independently by Lieut..
Col. Joseph L. -MaxfieId, both officers of
the Signal Corps. The bIockading of
Cervera's squadron was due to the con-
certed action of the President and Sec
rotary of the Navy. based IN reports and
representations made personally to them
by the Chief Signal Officer of the Army.
Secretary Long, alive to the situation. in
an official despatch, says: All military
that point Qhe presence of Cervera in
Santiago HarboD.'
"On May 10 Admiral Cervera entered
the harbor of Santiago with his squadron.
That very day Colonel Allen telegraphed
in cipher to the Chief Signal Officer: Five
Spanish vessels arrived at Santiago de
Cuba. Have notified admiral command
ing (Sampson). The Spanish flagship ar
rived Santiago de Cuba The admiral
1Ceryera) hastily wired Madrid On the
following morning he added the following
information: .Palayo and iour cruisers in
Santiago. No destroyers or torpedo boats
arrived there This information was
communicated Immediately to the Presi-
dent and by his orders to the Secretary
of the Navy. who, being impressed by the
assurance of the Chief Signal Officer of
the Army as to the entire reliability of
the report, proved himself equal to the
emergency and on that very day gave
such prompt and effective orders as re
suited in the blockade of Santiago and the
ultimate destruction of Cervera's feet.
Colonel Allen furnished almost daily
cipher reports from Santiago sources. on
the 23d he reported that the Spanish
squadron was short of coal and could not
renew it's supply at Santiago. His later
information that unarmored American
cruisers passing up and down the coast
We're mistaken by the Spanish for the
main American feet proves the wisdom
and efficacy of Admiral Simpsons orders
by cable that the fast unarmored cruisers
of the navy should perform scouting duty
off Santiago. Cipher messages of the I'D
stated correctly that Admiral Schley was
that day at Cienfuegos and Cervera was
at Santiago. Meanwhile the navy had
been unable to verify the fact of Ger
vera presence at Santiago, and as re-
suit the correctness of the Information
furnished by the Signal Corps was sharp
" questioned The Chief Signal Officer.
being informed that the whole campaign
was being conducted upon his representa-
tfons, was asked TO verify this inforna-
ton from other sources, if possible.
Prompt action was taken by the Chief
Signal Officer. who adopted such lines
~ operations that thereafter there was
s.41- day chat he was not in posses
sIin Of a.olHss.s Ion of some kind or 9th
eg coming from sses 7ae or more of the
six cabies .eadt7g o'it u sfstago. Lieu
fsssaat Colonel &aNaeld. t1ea - charge
Of me Geographic eensoTsaip 81 7r-.
York. oarFi = out SPECIAL iF5uar. .aas =.
the Csiief signal Officer 80 s,'ce ssflliy
hat ne was able IL tSsnty-four heurs 70
eenfiFm frors-s. carate nd absoiutels cer-
taia sourcs tAe fact that lsersera was
slgli - Santiago. This condensation. re-
sei,rd from Lieutenant Colonel SiarHef4
ssi aiy iiEhtencd she bl;rden Of Fssega-
Sill f.r f~f1e by the Cnief Signal ga
Ger wn.csI a1g-rer dfu not fully disap-
pear until tse teasE day after the ca
trance Of Cerverd s,il-se7alI 81 = ltiage
when his presence wa ores soCaruied
from naval sources.
lit Is an interesting anti-clif.1s Et
when Cervera' 5 squadron was destroy 81
on July 3. Colonel Allen, the same officer
who originally reported the arrival of the
feet on the very day II reached Santi-
ago. likewise reported by telegraph to
the Chief Signal Officer the fact that the
entire fleet had been destroyed, which in
formation was conveyed to the President
and country fourteen hours In advance
of any other official advice"
Upon this same matter Colonel Allen
in his report to the Chief Signal Officer
says:
Before leaving New York. ship had
been chartered and equipped rs "A cable
ship for the purpose OF establishing en-
munication between Key West and the
base Of operations of the army in Cuba.
which, at that time, 1t was supposed
would be established on the northern
coast of Cuba in the vicinity of Havana.
Arrangements were made by which
Information could be obtained
from Cuba. This information. obtained
from Various sources. was forwarded 10
the major general commanding. or direct