Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Fleet, Memorandum to the North Atlantic Fleet
U. S. Flagship New York, 1st Rate,
Off Santiago de Cuba,
July 11th, 1898.
Sir:-
The following copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Navy is published for your information:
12211 Navy Department,
Washington, D.C. June 27th, 1898.
Sir:
The following extract from a letter from Surgeon Deale1 of the TERROR, has been forwarded to the Department by the Surgeon General:2
“The other day two Cubans were picked up outside of Havana by the UNCAS,and by order of Commodore Watson,3were put aboard the TERROR on the following day and brought to this port. I gave the Health Officer a certificate that in my opinion they were not liable to carry infection,but I think that the transportation of people from Cyba, from this time on,is not entirely free from risk to the crew and to out ports. I would suggest that if the practice is continued some special vessel be used for this purpose. Say some small yacht,whose temporary loss,while in quarantine,would not be felt,and which could be readily disinfected after each trip.”
The Department directs that whenever any Cubans are to be transported to the United States,a small vessel shall be used for this purpose.
Very Respectfully,
John D. Long.
Secretary.
Commander-in-Chief,
U. S. Naval Force,
North Atlantic Fleet.
----------------
Very respectfully,
W.T. Sampson
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy,
Commander-in-Chief, U.S.Naval Force,
North Atlantic Station.
Source Note: TCyS, DNA, RG 313, Entry 51. Addressed below close: “Commodore [George] No. 24/Commodore [John C.] Howell No. 2/Captain [James H.] Dayton No. 10.”
Footnote 1: Surgeon Oliver Diehl.
Footnote 2: Surgeon General George M. Sternberg.
Footnote 3: Commo. John C. Watson, Commander, Squadron Blockading Northern Cuba.
