The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-25

Cotton, of that vessel had brought
 aboard the Brooklyn. He said that the
 dispatch which Captain Cotton had
 brought aboard said that the depart
 ment's advices indicated that the Span
 sh fleet was at Santiago.
 Continuing, he said: Captain Cotton
 said he delivered dispatch to me from
 Admiral Sampson stating that they
 were there That dispatch never reach
 ed me. I never saw it. I never heard
 of it until the other day. If it ever was
 delivered it should have been found
 among my papers, but it could not have
 been delivered to me for the reason that
 a dispatch of that character would have
 burned itself so indeliby in my mind
 that I never could have forgotten it.
 never. Captain Cotton did not commu-
 nicate it to me. and there. I think, his
 recollection is at fault, and not his ve-
 racity, because I do not believe that he
 would state anything that was not SO. 1 Neither my first lieutenant, neither my l flag lieutenant nor my secretary ever
 saw it or can remember it. and it is a
 little strange that three persons who had access to my papers at all times oHpulu Nt ldlitd tc IClliVlilJCl ulS- patch of that importance. So 1t is
 mistake. I never saw it. I don't re-
 member it. I have no recollection of it, nor of good many things which have heard during this investigation"
 Admiral Schley at this point return ed to his conversation at Cienfuegos with Captain McCalla. He exonerated the captain from any intention to do him injustice, but he said that the cap tain had failed to give all of that con- versation.
 "He did not, for example, said the admiral, tell you that his advices were that the only point on that coast where he could coal was the coast of Hayti. do not remember any conversation about going back to Key West with him; but I do not believe that he would state what was not a fact. I think now, however, that it is a mistake
 Discussing again his dispatch to the department concerning the depart ment's orders the admiral said: If I my reply to the telegram of the secre- tary of tie navy is on the record, I | would like to put it there in the terms I sent it because I wrote it in Eng fish and gave 1t to Captain Cotton, and asked kim to turn it into cipher and 1t afterwards in a letter to the department which was received. The dispatch is here and has been in the department for nearly three years. don't believe for one moment that in the transla tion of it there was any in Lention to mutilate it. but I think, in the choice of words which were not ex- lctly of the same meaning the dispatch lid not get to the department entirely Is intended it should. Upon this dis patch Is based the charge of disobedi- ,nce o- orders. l contend that there vas not disobedience of orders. There would have been disobedience of orders f had abandoned my station, but hav- ng returned to the station without 'ther direction and having found that he departments information was cor ect hold tbat did not disohey or ers."
 Admiral Schley pointed out that the information sent from the navy de- artment as to the whereabouts of the Cuban insurgents in the vicinity of antiago was erroneous, the dispatch lacing them much nearer that city han they were.