The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-22

VTWUHWIN
directing him, II he were satisfied that r |
was not at Cienfuegos, TO proceed with all |
dispatch to Santiago. and upon arrival /
there TO establish communication with |
some Of the inhabitants and ascertain |
definitely whether the ships were in port /
or not. Schley received these dispatches
According to the official records at Wash !
! ington on May 22, sampson received ad- |
vices from Key West that Cerverq was at
on May o. left of his Havana blockade |
and sailed for St Nicholas channel, intend |
ing to occupy that in such a manner ms to |
prevent the approach of the Spanish squad. |
ron In that direction. There he received /
! information on the oath that Cerrera was !
still at Santiago.
on May 20 he heard from Schley TO the
effect that the latter was not satisfied |
that Cervera was not In Clenfuegos har-
DOT, anu tnat ne would, therefore, remain
9th to Schley, from sampson, advising
MIN that daily confidential reports stated
May 10 to May -. He was ordered to
proceed to that port at once.
Before Schley could reply to these orders
/ two dispatches from him to Sampson. dated
/ May 20. were received by the latter. Schley
I stated in these that coaing OF Cienfuesos,
/ owing to high seas, was uncertain; that ne
and that he would at once 80 eastward,
but that ON account of short coal supply in
his ships he could not blockade the Span
ish squadron. II 1t was az Santiago, but
would proceed to the vicinity Of the Mole
St Nicholas, on the western coast OF Hayti.
from which point he would communicate.
Sampson, on learning this, put In to Key
West for coal himself but before doing so
he sent a dispatch to Schley to remain on
the blockade at Santiago at all hazards.
assuming that the Spanish vessels are at
thar port" Sampson arrived al Key West
on May rs. and then cabled Schley to as
certain definitely II Ceryera was nj San
tiago.
In the meantime schley left Cienfuegos
on the evening Of the oath. aud the 26th
within twenty miles Of Santiago. where
the squadron stopped for repairs to the
Merrlmac, That night he signaled the
Destination Key West, via south side Of
Cuba aud Yucatan channel, ms soon as col
ler is ready. Speed nine knots ..,.
The squadron was under way by clock,
and steamed two hours when It was com
PEELED to stop and make repairs on the
Yale. The next morning Schey was met
by n dispatch boat, and given fnio dispatch
from the secretary Of the navy;
"All departments Information indicates
Spanish division is still at santiago: The
department looks to you to ascertain the
facts, and That the enemy II therein does
not leave without decisive Get tbHt t, Su,
are landing places five or six nautical miles
west from the mouth Of the haLbor, ana
that there insurgents will he found ana not
Spaniards From the surrounding heights
one can see every vessel In port. AS soon
as ascertained notify department whether
/ enemy is there. Could not squadron, ana
also the Harvard, coal from the Merrmac
leewnrd of Cape Cruz, Gonaiyes Cnahhsl
/ Mole IIaYtll Inc department. VIII Ntiit
coal Immediately 70 Mole Report WiI,hout
delay situation at Santiago de cuba. a..
7 Here arises the first, great query OF the
dom Of his course after the receipt Of this
Y dispatch He was In bad shape Tor coal
3 his squadron was not In the best OF conul-
i tIon His opponents say he should nave
n obeved orders even " he lost every vessei
l. he had He contends that the safety OF ms
squadron was his trst consideraton S III I,
n that commander at sea must neceSsa ii,
,, know better what he ought to- 90 tna nm u
q bureau chief on dry land at Ma sIi Nv
However this may he, he sent TINS mes
a sage TO Washington;
q .Merrimac engines disabled; sea is heavy
u am obliged to have towed to Key west
a Texas. Marblehead Vixen. Brooklyh 1nnG
- collier. ali owing 70 very rough sea B NV
~ weather since leaving Key West. I'm, lnt
y Brooklyn alone mas more than snulclcn'
u. coal To- proceed to Key West; Can not re-
4 main of Santiago present stRte stun p rd
IS coal account lmposslole TO gGai owipy Ia
u soIithwesterly winds Much to he regreetuee
/, can not obey orders Of department hn oo
d ~ ~ Kev West. 6y way OF Yncatan passage
dan not ascertain anything respect In
!. enemy positive Very dillcult to to" COZ
IS hel 10 se ssteamed westward that day 70
D vsrd Kew West until. calm sea peinl
e reached he slgnoled the dying sg EisSro,
~ we're coalcd from the Merrlmac' ~ III, W.
Il time schley was forty miles SV nn "f IN
e ana mS WEI W me 59th ne sighted the Girls
u tobai Colon In the mouth Of santiago hul
e nor and Go9ied WaS mr. Nav 'n a he ex
?. changed fre with the ships inside the haI
\ Dor. June ! he was Joined . ny 1 Aqin n,n,
II menced, and did not end until the Iestruc
% tlon Of the spanish Meet, on July 8, a,sc
The charge that admIIrs Cis Sfs H'
r. NOT going direct TO Santiago, mas pee
IT holly pressed by his opponents. his on
" cIal report as to his actions al that I'm
'r '' Con the 2sd the Hawk arrived with dis
" patches from Admiral sampson, ulee4SIn
"a me TO move eastward with the squadro
" 10 Santiago. il satisfied that thA,enemy
~ vessels were not In Cienfueg3s. NOT beln
~ satisfied at that time that they were no
"a strengthened In my opinion by the. fac
y that ! was Informed by the captain o
re left Kingston a cablegram had been re
p. celyed on Thursday preceding my arriyg
a on Gienfqeg9s stating 1 thSt NE e,o SPan'S
=, 'rhe admiral then continues, after relat
u ing how he ascertalned that CerNera wa
a rot at ClenfueGos, detailing his run to san
a. tlago.
y. =, ''rhe run to Santiago was marked b
~ rain and rough weather. ON ar
Was wa sd disabled by the breakIng OF her inter
~ mediate pressure valve stem ana the crach
" Ing OF the stufflug box. This served as
p source Of considerable anxiety. Wit
It the weather conditions that had prevaile
rs since leaving Clenfuegos. Il appeared absc
RS lutely necessary 10 abandon the poslto
ng on Santiago and seek place where III
or vessels could he coaled and the collier
machinery repaired
Id "On Santiago the st. Paul, Yale an
a, Minneapolis were sighted and commun
ed Gated with Arrangements wer
ne Mt once made whereby the Yale was to to,
" the collier, and as the prospect did no
la seem favorable for replenlshlng the meage
he coal supply of the other vessels the squad
he ron stood to the westward towing the co
m Her, After standing 60 the wes
he ward for about three hours or about twer
n. ty-fve miles the conditions becnme les
lst unfavorahe and the squadron stopped"
He coaled after stopping, and adds
ed "Inasmuch as II was known that In cas-
-al the Spanish squadron had reached Santiag
mi Admiral Sampson was able Ia block an
on movement OF the enemy through the ri
w hama channel, my Intention In standing
n the westward was, should II become nece
sst sary. 70 bar any effort Of the enemy
er reach Havana by dash through the Yuci
a. tan passage"
cy The department at Washington did n,
~ accept the explanation, nor has u eve
~ Schley was NOT interfered with In his con
~ mand. but he was given 10 understand tn
iu his delay at Cienfuegos was unaccountabl
-, that his leaving Santiago after once a
~ irving there was strange and that hts IA
,p5 ure 10 turn hack until he got ready to WI
I'D n prapffcal disohPdipnca NJ orders