AssistantSecretary of the Navy Charles H. Allen to Commodore George C. Remey, Commander, Key West Naval Base
COPY OF TRANSLATION OF CIPHER.
Washington, D.C., June 3, 1898.
Naval Base, Key West, Fla.
You are directed to prevent any press-boat leaving Key West to accompany the expedition about to leave Tampa. If necessary, you will place marine guard on board to insure compliance. You will also give Commander of convoy an order, directing him, if any boats succeed in accompanying the fleet, to take possession of and compel them to remain in his company throughout the voyage and until such time as the Senior Officer Present off Santiago de Cuba shall direct release.1
(sig) Allen.
Source Note: TCy, DNA, RG 313, Entry 51. Stamp: “RECEIVED/FLAG SHIP N. A. STATION/JUN 10 1898.”
Footnote 1: No press boats escorted the convoy, however, 304 newspaper correspondents were aboard the transports when they departed from Tampa. Notice and a copy of this order was sent to RAdm. William T. Sampson, commander, North Atlantic Fleet, off Santiago de Cuba. See, Gen. Nelson Miles to Sampson, 3 June 1898, DNA, AFNRC, M625, Roll 231 and Charles H. Brown, The Correspondents War: Journalist in the Spanish American War (New York: Charles Scribner & Son, 1967), 274-75.
