The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-01
ADMIRAL ScHLEY TELLS WHY
REPORT WAS CHANGED.
DONE OUT OF GENEROSITY
Sampson Declined to Receive First
Report Because New York Was
Not Mentioned.

Washington, Oct. 29.-The cross.
examination Of Admiral Schley was
continued throughout the session OF
the court Of inquiry today. The
progress made was exceedingly slow.
Practically the whole day was con.
sumed in questioning the admiral
about the cruise from Cienfuegos to
Santiago and the motives and in
fuences that governed him in turn
ing back after his squadron had ar
rived in the vicinity Of the latter
port. This latter branch of cross-ex-
animation had not been concluded
when court adjourned.
The blockade at Santiago, recon
noissance on May 81, and battle of
July 8, still remain to be covered.
It is hardly probable that the Judge
advocate can conclude before ad.
journment tomorrow. After he fin
ishes quite a number Of questions
prepared by members of the court
will be submitted. The Judge advo-
cate in conducting the cross-examina-
ton used a carefully prepared type
written list Of questions. They call
ed for comparison Of statements Ad-
miral Schley has made either in his
direct testimony, in his communica-
ton to the senate or in his dispatches
to Admiral Sampson or the navy de-
partment, with the testimony Of wit
nesses who have preceded him and
the logs and signal books of the other
vessels Of the feet. The questions
were not asked in chronological or
der, but jumped from one subject to
another, and from one stage of the
campaign to another. Throughout
the strain to which the witness was
subjected while under examination
the admiaral retained his customary
composure. At one point when ask
ed a question he replied that he had
been asked the same question yester-
day, at the same time telling what
his reply had been then. On another
occasion when he was being search
ingly Intercepted as to his distances
from shore at Cienfuegos and as to
whether distances we're matter Of
record he responded rather tartly:
ooh, l did not know they would be
such a matter of great Importance,
or l should have plotted them and
made a memorandum as I should Of
many other things"
The main points to which the cross
examination was directed today were
the ability Of ships to coal off Glen
fuegos and the reasons for what is
known as the "~retrograde move
ment." The latter point was dwelt
upon with much emphasis and detail
and had not been disposed Of fully
when court adjourned.
The admiral gave three reasons for
turning back, first, the statement of
Captain Sigsbee, who commanded
the scout ship st. Paul that the en-.
envy was not in Santiago; second,
the opinion of Nunez, the pilot, that
the entrance vas too narrow and shall
low for the Spanish ships to enter,
and third, the ambiguity Of depart.
ment's telegram.
In the our of cross-examination,
the admiral said he regarded the de-
partment's %dispatche rather as a sug-
gestion than as an explicit order, a
which he carried out after
the sea had abated and the coal sup
ply Of his ships had been replenished.
Washington, Oct. 3O.-The ordeal
to which Admiral Schley has been
subjected since Monday morning end
ed this afternoon when the cross-ex-
was concluded and he was
allowed to leave the witness stand.
When the judge advocate finished the
cross-examination, shortly after 3
o'clock the court p%ropounded to the
admiral "a questions prepared by
of the court. These ques-
tions touched many points Of the cam
paign Of the flying squadron but
mainly centered about the difficulties
in coaling and the cause
for the %retrograde movement. Not
one Of them related to the battle Of
Santiago. The judge advocates
Cross-examination today covered the
movement, the reconnais.
sance Of May 81, the loop of the
and the alleged c~olluquy
With Lieutenant Hodgson about the
One Of the most interesting features
" the day was the development OF
he fact that the report Of the battle
written by Admiral Schley July g..