The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-20
FEArs no n1rsn Trs nAra.
Conferences t~tstvvssn representative .
vyreehins Earu.. ara naval omcers.

Conferences netvveen REPRESENTATIVE II
wreehins Efrsss asa Naval onncerp.
WARRINGTON, Feb. l9.-No satisfactory agree
ment has yet boon reached between the Navy
Department and the representatives Of the Bos-
ton Towboat Company and the Merritt-Chapman
Derrick and WreckinR Company OF New York
as TO raising or removing the sunken hull Of the
Maine. For several hours to-day there was .
conference between the wreoking firms and
naval officials.
Chief Constructor Hichborn and JudRe-Advo-
cate-Genoral Lemley represented tho Govern
ment. When the conference adjourned 1t was
with the understanding that q contract Of some
sort would DO signed. on Monday. The Judge
Advocato-General will offer as q basis
OF agreement q contract which follows the
lines Of that made. but never executed. for
recovering the old Kearsarge from Roncador
Reef. The terms named will DO within the ap-
propriatinn Of $780, 900 for the purpose. There
will be q per diem allowance to the contractors
to cover the cost Of examining the wreck and
making an effort to raise Il, and salvage will DO
paid IL the shattered hull is delivered at o port
Of the United States.
The two wreckinR concerns which will under
take the contract jointly havo not yet figured
out just how much they win require daily under
tho per diem arrangement. They will DO
obliged to include in this the cost Of tugs. divers.
maintenance Of the wrecking steamer and its
crew, and many other expenses.
Whether the Maine can be brought to tho
United States will depend on the reports Of ex.
pert divers. II they ind that tho wreck Is too
badly injured TO DO towed to an American port.
the hulk viii DO destroyed by dynamite and tho
remnants removed. Engineer in. Chief Melville
has added his testimony 70 that of Chief
Constructor Hichborn that tho Maine can
nn rnnavnrod ,nA rah,Nt rkt.e nt,hho,n
wants the wreck towed to New York instead of
to Norfolk. where the Navy Department is in
clined to send IL. provided 1t can be lowed. He
says that the appliances for rebuilding tho
Maine a. tho New York Navy Yard, where she
was constructed. are far superior to those at
Norfolk. Chief Melville and Chief Hiohborn
agree that the cost of rebuilding will not exceed
81. O0O.00 49,
The representatives Of the wrecking compa-
nies say that to raise tho Maine will DO the big
Gest wrecking job ever attempted. It will be
even moro difficult than the successful attempt
to raise the British battleship. Lord Howe. be-
cause the Maine. while lighter, is more firmly
imbedded. There was some friction at the con-
ference to-day, but both sides showed q DISPOSE
ton to como to an agreement.
The Observation-Disclosures was not willing
to consent to an elastic arrangement as to the
contract price. because. 40 ho explained, tho
auditing officers of tho Treasury might dissl-
low the money expended unless q fixed amount
were named.
A number Of propositions for raising tho
Maine have been made to the Navy Department.
One Of these came from the Lake Submarine
Torpedo Boat Company of Baltimore. the build
ers Of the submarine craft Argonaut. They pro-
posed that the ArRonaut DO sent to Havana and
be submerged with the members of the Board Of
Inquiry on her beside the wreck OF the Maine.
thus affordinR tho board an opportunity OF see
ing the remains of the battleship beneath the
water. No price was named in the proposition.
This telegram was received from Capt. Sigsbee
tonight:
"only most experienced wrecking divers can
do effective work on Maine. In upper works
can use service divers. Did some work to-day
with but little success. VIII do better to-
morrow. Parts of the Maine, especially super
structure and connections, arc confused mass of
metal. Surgeons that wounded now
in hospital here should be sent to Tortugas in.
stead of Key West when convalescent. Yellow
fever cases have been in certain parts of hos.
pital where men now are. This situation was
unavoidable. Brought about on night OF acci.
dent Request that Admiral or department
mako arrangements"