The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-28


THE DETROIT, THE FASTEST OF HER CLASS
been the ordinary dispositions which |
are made from time to time; for in
stance, the shipping guns to New York
is to supply the Chicago and other ves-
sells which are under reconstruction
there, and they would go in any
event The gun factory at Washington
is where they are made and they are
sent to various points as the occasion
requires. So, too, the call for more
men, he said, is simply the revival of
the recommendation in his annual re-
port.
Detroit and Marblehead.
This statement by the secretary evil
IDENTIFY was made to allay the impress
sion caused by the reports of heavy
shipments of guns from the Washing
ton navy yard and other warlike meas
ures. The movements of some of the
warships such as the Detroit and Mar
blehead towards Key West had already
been shown to have been in accordance
with orders not only made but pub
lished in the newspapers before the
Maine disaster, so that the secretary's
explanation on this point is only con-
| frmatory of the statements of the su-
bordinate officials of the navy depart
ment.
The telegraph brought news of the
arrival at Key West OF the two vessels
named, the Detroit coming from Mo-
| bile, where she was sent to partici-
| pate in the mardi gras festivities, and
| the Marblehead from New Orleans,
where she went for a similar purpose.
| The Detroit is going up to the naval
oto IN tol
! sells will remain attached to the north
Atlantic squadron. 1t is again stated
at the navy department that the Mont
! gomery, which has been ordered to
( drop down to Key West from Tampa,
! where she landed Captain Crownin-
| shield, has not as yet received any
! orders to proceed to Havana and 1t Is
| not decided yet when the orders will
| issue, If at all.
No Mines In the Harbor.
! The attention Of naval officers has
| been strongly attracted to the state
] ment made by representatives of the
| Spanish government to the effect that
| there were no mines or torpedoes of
[ any kind in Havana harbor. 1t can be
| said that this statement exactly agrees
] with the inquiries that have been un-
I der way for many months by agents
| of our government, for so far, 1t Is said,
/ they have been unable to find the
I slightest evidence of the existence OF
I any plan of defense in the harbor by
means of mine or torpedoes, much less
\ to locate them, as has been reported
| in some quarters. OF course the effecf
\ of this statement, If 1t Is to be accept
/ ed as conclusive on that point, is al
most certain to negative the SUPPOSE
I tion that the disaster results from
other than accidental causes, as the
| almost unanimous testimony OF experts
here, based on the history Of torpedo
! work, is to the effect that no single
| torpedo of any known type could have
caused the terrific wreck of the Maine.
| Powder In six-Inch Magazine.
In the pursuit of details some of the
ordnance officers acting upon the the
/ ory that the large ten-inch magazine
| forward was not exploded, have been
looking into the contents Of the smaller
and adjoining six-inch magazines. They
find that allowing for the amount or
powder that was probably consumed In
practice drill by the Maine before she
arrived in Havana harbor, there was
certainly no less than 5000 pounds OF
powder in this magazine, an amount
1 Suff1Clent 10 nave CduSeu NS-
struction had 1t been exploded at one
time.
Colonel Haywood. commandant of the
marines, acting under orders from the
navy department, is preparing to send
all the marines at Key West. survivors
of the Maine, who are able to travel.
10 New York, where they will be placed
on the receiving ship Vermont, there
TO be held for further assignment.
They will go by steamer to New York.
The sailors at Key West will be dis
posed of in similar fashion.
Will Demand Indemnity.
Secretary Sherman spent some time
at the Capitol He talked freely with
senators concerning the situation in
Havana In view of the Maine disaster.
He told them that no important addi-
ton to the information previously re-
ceiysd had reached the department for
the past few days, but stated that the
situation was being considered with the
view of having a policy developed In
case the naval court now making an
inquiry into the disaster should hnd
that Il was not the result Of accident.
To this he added the statement that he
thought an indemnity would certainly
be demanded, and II II should be. a
good round sum would be asked. What
Il ho