The herald., 1898-02-23
A CONTRACT is SIGNED
FOR SAVING THE REMNANTS OF
THE MAINE
COAST DEFENSE MEASURES
Not at All the Result of Spanish Com
plications but Are Neverthe-
less Effective
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-All the gov
ernment departments were closed in Wash
ington today, save the navy department.
where few of the officials assembled to
receive any dispatches that might arrive
and to close the contract with the wreck
ers for the recovery of the effects on the
Maine and the vessel herself, if that be
practicable. The signing of the wrecking
contract was the most important event Of
the day, and this concluded, the officials
closed up shop and went home to enjoy
a respite from the rush of the past week.
Captain Sigsbee was heard from In a dis
patch, which indicates that close attention
will be given to the coal bunkers by the
navy court of inquiry.
Washington officials unquestionably have
been for some time preparing for any emer-
gency that may arise, but appearances at
the department today would indicate that
any necessary orders have already been
given, and that the situation is not one
calling for immediate activity at Wash
| ington. The Castine and Cincinnati, in
accordance with orders made known some
| time ago by the Associated Press, are to
| move much further north, to West Indian
waters. and at Norfolk the monitor Terror
| has been ordered to be in readiness and
may be sent to New York later.
The senate passed a bill to add two ar
tillery regiments to the strength of the
| army. This measure has been urged for
many months by officials of the war de-
partment, who foresaw that, while con-
gress of late years had taken measures for
the protection of our coasts by additional
appropriations for extensive work and
great guns, it had not provided the men
| necessary to operate these engines of war.
Should the house pass the bill, 1t will en-
! able the apartment to carry out plans it
I. L.I x-sf fns Ipfr Ixr
passed upon the state of the army and our
Notifications have caused increased activ-
| ity in military matters, and to some ex-
| tent this is responsible for reports arriv-
| ing from various quarters of movements at
army posts. A report was circulated that
| Gen. Miles, as commander of the army.
| had issued additional orders for troops at
all forts to be on the alert and ready for
immediate action, but this was promptly
| denied by the generals chief of staff. Moth
| ing whatever of a sensational character
| occurred in Washington, and. on the whole,
| the day was free of rumors, by comparison
with it's immediate predecessors for the
| past week or more.
| Probably Lieut.. Commander Wainwright.
the executive officer of the Maine, now in
| Havana, will be assigned to the duty of
| inspecting the work as 1t proceeds.
| The officers of the two wrecking COM
panies said today that after the expedi-
| ton was assembled in Havana harbor. a
| complete inspection of the wreck would
be made and the exact line of work deter
| mined upon. The facilities will be ample,
so that all the divers will be able to work
| at one time on different parts of the
wreck. Most of the lifting will be done by
the smaller derricks, which are of suffi-
cient capacity for the lighter upper works
of the Maine, but it will take the monster
derrick of the Monarch to life the huge
| trrrats of tho Maine and the guns mOlInte ed
within them Capt. Humphreys stated that
| the purpose was not to separate the big
guns from the turrets, but to lift them out
| as whole. This will be tremendous un-
! dertakng, as the combined weight of each
| turret and gun is 166 TONS The Monarch
| can lift 260 tons, so there is an ample mar
gin of lifting power. The wreckers were
loath to express an opinion as to their
ability to raise the hull of the Maine. Mr..
| Chapman and Capt. Humphreys stated
| that nothing but a close personal inspection
would permit a decision on that point.
They are hopeful, however, that the ship
| can be brougN to the surface. The iron
barge Lone Star will be used to receive
the turrets, guns and wreckage, and as
| fast as loads are made up she will be
| towed to the Norfolk navy yard
| The navy department received dis
patch from Capt. Sigsbee this evening,
| saying that fourteen mare bodies had been
| recovered from the WRECK Oh tne MdinS.
| ALI the remains are unidentified. 1t is not
| thought that any bodies will be identified
hereafter, unless by the clothing. Aside
| from the effect of the long submersion, the
| men still missing were nearly all directly
under the main deck which was blown up.
and the tremendous force of the explosion
prabably blotted scores of them out of ex-
| istence entirely. The department knew
| nothing of the printed report that the ten
| der Bache had left Havana with dispatches
| for Admiral Sicard at Key West