The age-herald., 1901-10-25

squadron in its coaling endurance or at least in it's speeding endurance, was equal only to its weakest member and that de- termined the westward movement.
 Now, the telegram I sent to the hon. orable Secretary of the Navy did not only refer to the battleships as inter- preted. but it referred to the entire fleet We had at that time ten ships in the squadron, seven of which were short of coal These were the auxiliaries and the Texas. The auxiliaries and the Marble head, and the Vixen, think, were mod erately well filled. The amount of coal which l transmitted should. I think. have called attention to the fact. We did not assume that the enemy was going to chase toward our base; 1t was probable he would chase toward his own, and therefore any calculation which took into consideration the efficacy of the squad- ron had to assume that 1t would be in the direction least favorable to us and most favorable to the enemy
 Referring to the arrival of the Harvard, the witness spoke of the discrepancy in the report as to information which Cap tain (now Rear Adrnira) Cotton, of that vessel. had brought aboard the Brook lyn. He said that the dispatch which Captain Cotton had brought aboard had said that the departments advices indi- cated that the Spanish fleet was at Santi- ago.
 Continuing he said: "Captain Cotton said he delivered dispatch to me from Admiral Sampson stating that they were there That dispatch never reached me- l never saw 1t. I never heard of 1t until the other day. If it ever was delivered 1t should have been found among my pa- pers, but 1t could not have been delivered to me for the reason that dispatch of that character would have burned itself so indelibly in my mind that I never could have forgotten 1t, never. Captain Cotton did not communicate 1t to me and there I think his recollection Is at fault and not his veracity. Neither my first lieutenant, neither my flag lieutenant nor my secretary ever saw It. or remem- Der 1t, and 1t Is a little strange that persons who had access to my papers at all times should have failed to remem- Der a dispatch of that importance So 1t is a mistake. l never saw 1t. I do not remember 1t. I have no recollection of 1t nor a good many things which have heard during this investigation" Admiral Schley said Captain McCalla haid failed to give all of the conversa- ton at Cienfuegos.
 ''Ie did not, for example," said the admiral. tell you that his advices were that the only point on the coast where he could coal was the coast of Hayti. :"
 Refers to Ills Dispatch.
 Discussing again his dispatch to the de- partment concerning the departments or. ders the admiral said:
 'If my reply to the telegram of the Secretary of the Navy Is not on the record, I would like to put 1t there in the terms I sent 1t, because I wrote 1t in English, gave 1t to Captain Cotton. asked him to turn it into cipher and confirmed it afterwards in letter to the department, which was received. The dispatch is here and has been in the department for near ly three years. I do not believe that in the translation there was any intention to mutilate 1t. but I think the dispatch did not get to the department entirely as I intended it should. Upon this dispatch Is based the charge of disobedience or or ders. I contend that there was no dis. obedience of orders. There would have been disobedience of orders If I had abandoned my station, but having return and believing the departments informa- ton was correct, hold that I did not dis obey orders and think that the dispatch read and interpreted as sent will relieve that charge"
 Admiral Schley pointed out that the in- formation sent from the Navy Depart- ment as to the whereabouts of the Cuban | insurgents in the vicinity of Santiago was erroneous. the dispatch placing them much nearer that city than they were. 'If we had gone to the place indicated. T he said, lat the time we received the dis. patch we would have been in all proba-