Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-04

Washington, Oct. 30.-fhe cross ex-
animation of Schley was continued
throughout the session of the court OF
inquiry yesterday. Progress was eX-
ceedingly slow. Practically the whole
day was consumed in questioning the
admiral about the cruise to C1enfue-
COS and Santiago and the motives and
influences that governed him IN turn
ing back after his squadron had ar
rived in the vicinity of the latter
point. This latter branch of the cross
examination was not concluded when
the court adjourned. The blockade Of
Santiago, reconnaissance of May 81 and
battle Of July still remain to be
covered. 1t is hardly probable that
the Judge advocate can conclude be-
fore adjournment today. After he
finishes, quite a number Of questions
prepared by members of the court
will be submitted. The Judge advo-
cate in conducting the cross exami-
nationaused a carefully prepared type
written list of questions. He called
for comparisons of statements Schley
has made either in direct testimony,
in communication TO the senate or his
dispatches to Sampson or the navy de-
partment, with the testimony of wit
nesses who preceded him and logs and
signal books of other vessels OF the
fleet. The questions were not asked
in chronological order, but jumped
from one subject to another and from
one stage Of the campaign to another.
Throughout the strain to which the
witness naturally was subjected While
under examination, the admiral re-
tanned the customary composure. Only
once or twice did he display jmpa-
thence or WEAKNESS. At one point
when asked a question, he replied he
had been asked the same question
Monday, at the same time telling what
the reply had been then. On another
occasion when he was being search
ingly Intercepted as to distances
from the shore to CienfuegOs and
whether the distances were matter
of record, he responded rather tartly
ooh, no; [ did not know they ever
would become matters of such great
Importance or I should have plotted
them and made memorandum, as
should of many other things"
The main points to which the cross
examination was directed yesterday
were the ability of the ships to coal
off CienfuegOs and the reasons for
what is known as the ''retrograde
movement
The latter point was dwe1t upon
with much emphasis and detail and
had not been disposed of fully when
the court adjourned. The admiral
gave three reasons for turning back:
First. the statement of Sigsbee, who
commanded the scout ship st. Paul,
that the enemy was not in Santiago;
second, the opinion of Nunez, the pilot,
that the entrance was too narrow and
shallow for the Spanish ships to
enter; third, the ambiguity Of the de-
partment's telegram. In the course
of the cross examination the admiral
said he regarded the departments dis
patch rather as suggestion than as
an explicit order, a suggestion which
he carried out after the sea had abat-
ed and the coal in the supply ships
had been replenished.
Replying to questions as to Why he
did not coal the Brooklyn May 27,
Schley said it was on account of mo-
ton of the ship, adding that she did
Dot need coal at that time. He vol
upteered the statement that the great
vessels constituting the fighting
force of the fleet burned about $50
tons of coal a day in merely turning
the engines over, adding, Il do not
wonder they were very much con-
cerned about coal"