The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-21
WORK. On THE WRECK.
Naval Court to Begin Its
Inquiry at Once.
DIVERS WORK DIFFICULT.
Men Experienced in Deep Sea work
Needed.
BOILER MAY HAVE BURST.
Wrsekage Seems TO Support the
Theory.

Washington, Feb. 20.-The naval court
of inquiry appointed to investigate the
Maine disaster will begin its work at Ha-
va0a tomorrow.
This news came to the navy department
this morning from Admiral Sicard at Key
West He simply telegraphed as follows:
The court of inquiry sail for Havana,
29h by lighthouse steamer Mangrove.
Mark arrived to-day"
This prompt action is undoubtedly due to
the express direction from Secretary Long
sent yesterday to have the investigation
begun at the earliest possible moment. The
telegram was dated yesterday, SO the
board should have arrived there before
nightfan and be ready to begin it's work
tomorrow morning.
BY an error incident to the haste with
which the orders were gotten out, the first
accounts placed Lieut.. Commander Seaton
Schroeder on the board as the third mem
Der. while as a matter of fact Lieut.. Com
mander Potter, the executive officer of
the flagship New York, holds that place.
The board undoubtedly would have start
ed previously but for the necessity of
awaiting the arrival. at Key West from
Washington of Lieut.. Commander Mark,
a naval officer well skilled in matters ma
rne, who is to be Judge Advocate Of the
court
Capt. Sigsbee was heard from late last
night, but the telegram was not delivered
at the navy department until this morn
ing. His message goes to confirm the
press reports of the events of yesterday
in Havana harbor so far as they relate to
the exploration of the wreck 1t reads as
follows:
Havana, Feb 19.-Only most experience
ed wrecking divers can do effective work
on the Maine. In the upper works l can
use service divers. Did some work to-day,
but with little success. VIII do better
tomorrow Parts of the Maine, espec-
tally the surperstructure, and connections
are one confused mass of metal"
Another brief telegram from Capt. Sigs-
bee read:
Havana, Feb. 19.-Bache" (Which
means the coast survey steamer), "has ar
N''N' e'l AietF eiAAtt plAll5lhS vi bOeiin an
Wrecking apparatus sent from squadron"
The statement relative to experienced
divers, it is explained at the navy depart
ment, is no reflection on the men engaged
now in the work, they being enlisted men
belonging to the navy. 1t is the practice
on board men-of-war to assign a few men,
always volunteers, on account of the haZ-
ardous nature of the work to dury as div
ers
me scope of their work Is the exploration
OF the ships bottom generally, the disen-
'ahglement of cables from the propeller
sAalts and sometimes the search for a lost
torpedo or anchor. Such work rarely
carries them deeper than twenty-five feet
INTO the water and 1t is said that for op-
eIauons in deeper water such as would
ne involved in examination of the Names
Oo.lom their training has not fitted them.
1hey are also lacking in that kind of
skill necessary to enable a diver to grope
MS way safely through the internal parts
VI mighty ship like the Maine, and torn
ana ulsmembered as she is and this work
~ hlghly dangerous. Creeping through
narrow tron-bound passages and cropping
rom the doors of the numerous water
u5HI buikheads which divide the hull into
many compartments, on Shiny floors and
!" perfect darkness, requires the highest
S@peit skill, and that is why Capt Sigs-
Dee' with only his sailor divers at COM
Hahd' had not been able to do much so
1a' towards unravelling the mystery of the
a.ne's untimey end.
~ is TO meet just this emergency that
tne navy department is making every eff
loIt TO hasten the beginning of the work
y recovery of goods, and perhaps the
'a,.sing Of the hull by professionals.
40 that end Capt. Lemley. the Judge
ou'ocate general of the department, was
al Work to-day in his Office with represen-
"Nea OF wrecking companies trying to
"l'" up contracts for the immediate
.os"eution Of the work. He has been at
,'' task now two days and it has not
leu easy TO dispose of. This is owing to
apparent disposition on the part of
east one of the concerns to drive a
i nargain leaving the department in
,-s Uark as to the amount of money to be
rA.u Tor their services. But it is believed
r''l the obstacles have now been sur
ted and that the contracts can be
s'shed tomorrow.
AZ !s the purpose of Capt Lemley to hur-
- lnls work, and to that end he is ar
onSlug to have two of the companies
9"U,ihe their forces. They VIII be paid
~ 'he scale of days work, with a pro-
-ti9n Tor bonus if they succeed in
.ai's the vessel. thus ensuring the re-
- OF as much of the valuable equip
as Is possible, should it not be prac-
ucable to float the Maine again.
,D',at difhculty is expected in recover
ing the big ten-inch turrent guns. each
~, W. SiV,VOj owing not only to their own
weight fifty tons a piece without car