The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-14


to southwest winds. Harvard just re-
ports to me she has only coal enough
to reach Jamaica, and she will proceed
to Port Royal also reports only small
vessels could coal at Gonaives or Mole.
I1ayti- Minneapolis has only coal enouga
to reach Key West, and same of Yale,
which will tow Merrimac. 1t is to be
regretted that the departments orders
cannot be obeyed, earnestly as we have
all striven to that end / am forced to
return to Key West via Yucatan pas
sage for coal Can ascertain nothing
certain concerning enemy. Was oblig-
ed to send Eagle to Port Antonio yes
terday, as she had only 27 tons coal on
board VIII leave st. Paul here. viii
require $500 tons of coal at Key West
PLENTY OF COAL.
1.-The coal supply of the vessels of the
flying squadron at noon on May q was
sufficient to have enabled them to steam
at ten knots er hour: The Brooklyn
for liz days; Iowa, ~ days; MasSa-
blehead, 31z days; Vixen, liz days.
'Or to have remained on blackade
duty off Santiago de Cuba: The Brook
lyn for &c days; Iowa, 16 days; Massa-
blehead, days; Vixen, % days, ana
then steam to Gonaives, Hayti, or to
Cape Cruz, Cuba, to coal.
AT that date the flying squadron was
accompanied by the collier Merrimao,
containing 1850 tons of coal.
Tine amount OF coal required to COM
pletely 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 &c to June
We're favorable for taking coal from
collier at sea off Santiago de Cuba.
The Iowa. Castine and Dupont coaled
at Cienfuegos from the collier Merit
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 rirst and the Massachu
sets second.
THE Texas was ordered to coal from
the collier on May "a but the order was
revoked as the Massachusetts was
alongside of the collier and the COM
manding officer of the collier deemed il
unsafe to place his vessel between two
battleships.
The Texas and Marblehead coal at
sea, off Santiago, from golfers May p
May 20, the Brooklyn and Iowa on May
30; the Brooklyn, Texas and Marblehead
on May 81.
cat 1886 p. M, May 27. Commodore
Schley signaled to the ST. Paul: If
Sampson comes here tell him half of
squadron out of coal and collier engines
broken down.
AT 10:45 p. M, May 81, Commodore
Schley signalei to the Texas:
The more coal you take in this
smooth weather the less you will have
to take in Haiti
Commodore Schley made no effort to
ascertain whether the Spanish squadron
was in the harbor of Santiago; he left
said harbor entirely unguarded from 6
p m of May 26 to p m. of May 81,
and guarded only by the scout ST. Paul
from p. m, May q. until about p IN.
Of May %.
THE flying squadron arrived off the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba, seven miles
south of the Morro at p m, May 2S,
THE distance from Cienfuegos to
Santiago IS 315 miles Commodore Schley
did not proceed with all dispatch from
Cienfuegos to Santiago de Cuba
Early on the morning of May 20 the
Cristobal Colon and other vessels of the
Spanish squadron were discovered at
anchor in the ;isrbor of Santiago, about
], 200 yards from the entrance.
NO attempt was made by Commodore
Schley on May 70 May 80 to capture
or destroy these Spanish vessels.
AT 1870 .. m, May 80, the cruiser
New Orleans and the collier Sterling
Joined the flying squadron.
''At 10:55 a. M, May 81, Commodore
Schley shifted his flag to the Massachu-
sets
ATTACK ON THE COLON.
cat 11:10 a.. m. the flagship Massa-
chusetts signaled: The Massachusetts,
New Orleans and Iowa will go in after
dinner to a distance of 1000 yards and
fire at CriStObal Colon with eight,
twelve and thirteen-inch guns. Speed
about ten knots
''At 100 p. m. the three vessels desig-
mated steam ed, in column, toward the
entrance to the harbor of Santiago,
heading to the eastward, a about ten
knots speed The ships passed the har-
Dor entrance, about 1000 yards distant
from the Moro, firing at the Colon and
the shore batteries with ranges varying
from 1000 yards to $500 yards. All pro-
jectiles fell short
when the ships had passed to the
naS W 1-6 ia n
turned off shore, followed in succession
by the other ships, repassed the en-
ranges varying from 5000 yards to H.
900 yards Some of these proJectiles fell
near the Colon.
THE fire was returned by the ships
in the harbor and by the land batteries.
Several prOjectileS passed over our YES
sells, but no injuries We're sustained.
THE flying squadron did not with
draw at night from the entrance to
The blockade was maintained at an
average distance of about six or seven
miles from the harbor entrance during
the day and probably somewhere near
formed picket duty at night, two miles
inside of the line of vessels.
THE Spanish squadron was discover
ed to be in the entrance to Santiago
harbor, Steaming out, about $3.50 a. m,
July 8. 1893.
1.-THE Brooklyn at that time was head
ing to the westward of north, about g.
300 yards southwest three-quarterS
south from the Moro, which was prac-
tically her blockading position.
Large vessels coming out of the har-
Dor of Santiago were Obliged to head
about southwest by south. and the
Spanish vessels, therefore, in steaming
out, until clear of the shoal to the wesr-
ward, were obliged to head directly for
the position of the Brooklyn When
clear of this shoal the Spanish vessels
turned in succession to the westward
and took a course nearly parallel to
the land.
BATTLE OF JULY g.
1.-The Brooklyn stood toward the