New-York tribune., 1901-10-30
SC.LEY'S EXPLANATION.
TIE ADMIRAL STILL UNDER
CROSS -EYA MINATION.
BE TELLS OF HIS TROUBLE N COAL
ING, AND GIVES HIS REASONS
FOR LEAVING SANTIAGO.
Isv TELEGRAPH TO TEE rRIsrsE.l


washington Oct. 29.-Four hours more OF
eross-examination by the Judge Advocate
brought Admiral Schley at the close OF to-day's
session OF the court OF inquiry up 20 the dis
covery OF Cervera's squadron in Santiago Har-
Dor. Beginning this morning at cienfuegos. all
the events Of the passage eastward, the alleged
oisobedience OF orders and the retrograde move
ment, covered by sections and inclusive
OF the ten specifications Of the precept were ex-
haustively investigated. The proceedings from
the popular point of view more tedious
than those OF yesterday. and the audience
reached its minimum proportions compared with
the attendance on the preceding thrty-two days.
The members Of the court also exhibited eVl-
dences OF less interest than usual and at the
recess Admiral Dewey expressed curiosity az 10
whether more rapid progress could not be made
Much Of the tedium to-day resulted from con-
tinuous scanning Of the logs for entries anecuns
Admiral Schley's direct testimony one cornpre-
hensive question alone consuming nearly twenty
minutes. In this instance the witness was COM
PEELED to search the Brookyns log for period
OF nine days. May 10 TO 2s. for references as %
weather and sea. There was a general feeling
of relief therefore when the Judge Advocate
announced shortly before o'clock that he had
only a few more questions 10 ask and could
nnsh in the first half hour tomorrow. II Is
likely, however that Admiral Schley VIII re-
main on the stand at least another day. the
members Of the court desiring TO put 10 MIN a
large number Of questions designed to develop
more fully his reasons for various actions in
volving matters Of judgment. His counsel VIII
also direct his attention TO a number OF occur
rences which he omitted from his narrative OF
the campaign off the south coast The purpose
of the Judge Advocate throughout his question
ing to-day was to give Admiral Schley an oppor-
funity to reconcile his explanations OF the al
legged disobedience OF orders and the retrograoe
movement with the facts set forth in the
logs and 10 harmonic the statements in his
dispatches TO the department during the cam
paign with the testimony Of other officers and
with the daily records Of the ships for the same
period.
The main point at issue all through the ex-
animation was not of opinion or judgment ou'
of actual fact or Of -aracty. In many instances
Admiral Schley was able 10 Justify himself. but
an others there appeared TO be obvious contra
dictions. their relevancy and comparative IN
portanoe being matters that can only be aelef'
mined by the court after all the evidence is IN
The reasons for the retrograde movement were
dwelt upon with much emphasis and detal
The Admiral gave three reasons Tor lurhiHs
hack. The statement of Captain Sigsbee that
the enemy was not in Santiago; the opinion OF
Nunez the Cuban pilot, that the entrance was
700 narrow and shallow for the Spanish ships
10 enter and the ambiguity OF the Department $
dispatch He said he regarded the Depart
1nent's dispatch rather as a suggestion than as
an explicit iorder and he carried out the sug-
gestion after the sea had abateo and the coal
supply of the ships had been replenisheo,
throughout the strain TO which he was sub
3ected Admiral Schley maintained his custom
arv connposure Only twice did he display I'm
ratience or WEAKNESS. AT one point he repneo
that he had been asked the same question yes
.erday and told what his reply had been then
on another occasion, when he was being search'
sngly questioned as to his distances from shoft
at Cienfuegos and whether the distances Mete e, 9
,nattar of record he replied rather tartly; "Oh
no / did not know they would ever become
matter OF such great Importance, or sho alo
have plotted them and made memorandum
ss I should OF many other things