The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-14

~ w. w IL Ssg OCSs AoB
1901.
The court having, by the authority
of the Navy Department, occupied
rooms Nos. and 10, Mclean Building,
No. 1917 H street, N. W., Washington,
D. c., while deliberating upon its pro-
ceedings, and the members thereof
| having assembled daily since Monday
Nov. IL, with the exception of Sundays
and holidays, and having concluded
the investigation, reports it's proceed
ings of all the pertinent facts which
1t deems to be established, together
with its opinion and recommendation
in the premises.
FACTS.
The Flying Squadron, consisting of
the Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas
and Scorpion, under the command of
Commodore w. S. Schley, U. S. N,
sailed from Key West about 8 a. m.
of May 10, 1898, with orders from the
Navy Department, and from the COM
mander-in-c of the North Allan
tic station, to proceed with dispatch
(utmosD off Cienfuegos to capture the
enemy off that port, if possible, or to
blockade him, and to maintain the
blockade as close as possible.
The Flying Squadron arrived off
Cienfuegos on the morning of May 70
and established a blockade During the
day the ships lay off the port at vari-
GUS distances, in no particular order
At night they formed m column of
vessels, headed off shore and moved
at only sufficient speed for keeping po-
sitions. The small vessels performed
picket duty in shore of the large ships
Commodore Schley did not proceed
with utmost dispatch off Cienfuegos
and blockade that port as close as pos
sible
At 10 a. M. May %, the Dupont ar
rived at Cienfuegos with a dispatch
from the commander-in-chief, dated
Key West, May 20, 1898, which inform
ed Commodore Schley of the probabil-
ity of the Spanish squadron being in
Santiago de Cuba, and ordered him to
hold Cienfuegos until the receipt of
more positive information.
At 1870 p. M, May %. the Iowa ar
rived at Cienfuegos, and at p. m. of
the same date the Scorpion left Glen
fuegos for Santiago.
At SIS a. m. of May 23 Commodore
Schley received by the dispatch yes
sci Hawk the following dispatch and
memorandum from the commander-in-
chief:
Z Dispatch (No. 81, dated Key West,
Spanish squadron was probably at
Santiago. and ordered Commodore
Schley, if he was satisfied that the
Spanish squadron was not at Glen
fuegos, to proceed with all dispatch,
but cautiously, to Santiago de Cuba,
and if the enemy is there blockade
him in that port"
A memorandum, dated off Havana,
May 21, 1898, which directed Commo-
dore Schley to mask his movements
in leaving Cienfuegos.
A memorandum which stated that
a good landing place had been found
by Commander McCalla 1872 miles west
of Savanilla Point that the Cubans
had perfect knowledge of what was
going on within Cienfuegos; that the
Cuban forces on the San Juan noun
tains controlled the railway between
Cienfuegos and Trinidad; and that
there were fair roads from the land
ing place to Cienfuegos.
At $50 a. M, May %, the Castine
and the collier Merrimac arrived at
Cienfuegos.
At noon on the same date the Brit
ish steamer Adula was permitted to go
into Cienfuegos.
At a. m, May "a, the Marblehead,
Vixen and Eagle arrived at Cienfue-
COS.
About 10 a. M, the Marblehead and
Eagle proceeded to the landing place
1314 miles west of Savanilla Point,
communicated with the insurgents,
landed stores for them. learned that
the Spanish squadron was not in the
harbor of Cienfuegos, rejoined the
squadron at $3.50 p. M, and reported
to Commodore Schley the information
obtained
After the receipt of this information
Commodore Schley wrote a dispatch to
the commander-in-chef in which he
stated, II shall move eastward to-mor-
row." He also wrote a dispatch to the
commandant of the naval base at Key
West, in which he stated, "As 1t is
not found practicable to coal the Texas
from the collier here, where there is
so much swell, / shall proceed to-mor-
row off Santiago de Cuba; being en-
barrassed. however, by the Texas short
coal supply and her inability to coal
in the open sea, | shall not be able
to remain off that port on account of
general short coal supply of squadron,
so will proceed TO the vicinity OF Nicolas
Mole. where the water is smooth and
I can coal Texas and other ships with
what may remain in collier"
No work was, apparently, in progress
on the Notifications Of Cienfuegos
while Commodore Schley was off that
port.
No efforts were made by Commodore
SchIey to communicate with the in
surgents, to discover whether the Span
ish squadron was in the harbor of
Cienfuegos, 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 chips could be coaled in
GO lc,onIlntod on EIfth PaRel