Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Fleet, to Secretary of the Navy John D. Long
TELEGRAM
Playa de Este, via Hayti,
July 20, 1898.
All Camara’s1 squadron is proceeding westward. I respectfully urge that instead of sending two squadrons to the east, one to follow Camara and the other to escort Watson2 through the Straits of Gibraltar, that his squadron be increased by the addition of the “New York” or the “Brooklyn”, preferably the former, also the “Mayflower” and the “New Orleans”, if the ammunition for the last is now on its way to Guantanamo. Watson prefers this increase to his squadron instead, if he could not be escorted by the second squadron.
SAMPSON.
Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 80, Entry 194, vol. 1, p. 305. Addressed before opening: “Secretary of the Navy,/Washington.”
Footnote 1: Vice Adm. Manuel de la Cámara y Libermoore.
Footnote 2: Commo. John C. Watson, Commander, Eastern Squadron.
Footnote 3: Watson sent a letter of agreement, for a copy see, Watson to Long, 21 July 1898, Ibid., 308.
