The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-10-18
THE FACTS ON SCHLEY'S SID

THE FACTS ON SCHLEY'S SIDE.
! The main facts relative to the actual
j performance of Admiral Schley at the
battle of Santiago and its admitted ef-
| fects stand out now even more clearly
than they did before the official in
vestigation began, says the Atlanta
Journal. Further commenting on this
subject that paper declares:
Beside these facts and results Opin-
ions as to Schley's manner Of conduct
ing the tIgh:. for he was in command
from the time the battle began until
it wac decided, discussion of theories
and criticisms of details are worthless.
The officers Of the Spanish feet
ought to know who did their vessels
the greatest damage and surely they
have no cause for partiality in their
testimony.
1t is admitted that Admiral Cervera
mad planned to run his ships westward
so as to find a way Of escape between
the Brooklyn and the shore before the
heavier vessels of the American feet
could Overtake him.
But the Brooklyn came in so fast
and got to such close quarters that, as
Admiral Cervera himself has said, his
nope was ito disable the Brooklyn
and then get away from the battleshipS
on which he had a good lead.
It is true that the heavier ships OF
our fleet fired so effectually at long
range as to render the execution of tuIS
plan impossible, but to the able Span
iSh commander, it seemed at the most
critical moment of the hight that his
only chance was to cripple the Brook
lyn and then Outrun the other Ameri-
can vessels, so close had the Brooklyn
crowded down on him.
Captain Eulate, of the Vizcaya, has
made statement which shows the ef-
fectiVeness of Schley's attack as it ap-
peared to those upon whom it was in
flicted. He says:
The Brooklyn was half mile clos
er to me than any other ship, and l
determined to ram it, so that the Co.
Ion and OquendO could get away, and l
started for it. 1t made a good mark,
with its big broadside, and as 1 start
ed thought surely l would get it. But
1t had evidently seen US and quickly it
turned about, and making a short cir
Gle came at our port side, so that l
thought it would ram us. l moved
IN toward the shore so that l could
aVoiL 1t, and then saw the Oquendo
had gone ashore also, its steam pipes
evidently having been severed by a
shell. The maneuver of the Brooklyn
was beautiful. We opened a rapid fire
at it with all our big guns, but it re-
turne,- with terrible effect The Ore
gon also hit us several times, but the
brOoklyn'S brOadside, crashing into
our superstructuFe, simply terrorized
the men. We w9rkei all our guns at
it at one time, and l don't see how it
escaped us. It simply drove us in to
shore, at one time fighting us at LOO
yards. The Brooklyn preVenteu me
from getting away, for / could have
beaten the Oregon out, as 1 had a two
mile lead of it. My orders were to try
to sink the Brooklyn, and tried to
carry them out. l did not think that
It's battery could be so terrible as it
was"
1t thus appears that but for the
promptness Of the Brooklyn and the
magnificent fight she made the Wis
caya would have escaped and probably
other Spanish ships.
1t is established beyond dispute that
the Brooklyn was in greater danger
than any other of the American ships,
though she was less capable of resist
ing the shots of the enemy than sew
eral of the others; that sne struck the
enemy Oftener and was struck a great
many times Oftener.
The BrOoklyn's every movement was
directed by Admiral Schley and it is
absurd to say that she could have ac-
complishe, so much if SchIey had been
deficient either in uoldness, determine
ton or SKILL,