Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-24
RUMORSAND RUMORS
Mail From Key West Starts
1onguesto Wagging.
NOTHING BUT THEORIES
The c. urt OF Inquiry Proceeds With the
Examination OF Witnesses. Pre-
pairing to Raise the
Warslaip.
(By Tele.gT-anhl

(By Telegraph.)
WASHINGTON. Feb 23-'rhe ARRIVAL
% maui Ian Washington from Key
west tnis Afternoon, bringing several
| private letters from naval Off GERS bate
sfolac1hel to the Alalnke caused a wave
OK eSc:eeinStt at the departments and
the capitCa, for there were ali sorts OF
cumorS aia to the contents OF the letters.
very few of which rumors i'm point of
tact had amy sound bass. The onl,
fealulMte SO far als could be discovered Of
ieal Importance ais throwing light ON
the cause of the explosion cont lined i'm
the leut,ers. WAS the statement THAT the
two after boilers lin the after boiler
space were ALL of the eight boilers of
ne Maine THAT We're under steam at
he time of the eXploss.bn This fact
had Ia negative value, fon- ut disposed at
once of the theory THAT any exploding
boiler had caused the wreck The, ex-
perts all say THAT by no possibility
could the after boiler expulsion have
wrecked the fore part of the Ala.ne and
ett the after part almost un;harmed.
Much interest was shown in "a dis
pttc'h received shortly after 3 O'Clock
from Admiral SicaTd giving the rec
q .5''lThu.un of C'aTGuin Sampson. of
the COURT of enquiry. as to the n-aising of
the wreck. The view of naval officers
was tfL.t Captain Sampson and his as
rpciat'es We're giving this advice mott .,s
u court. but ais Officers i'm a position to
speak 'aS ITO the methods to be adopted
for raising the Malina. Various npter-
prata'..'Orlj We're put tNn the EXPRESSION
fer ward half completely destroyed. +"
This was regarded as "a partial corfir-
nation OF the Theory THAT the forward
magazine HAD exploded, as THAT is ONE of
the most imp0Irsall. PORTIONS of the for
Ward half of the ship. AT the SAINT
time II WtaS held by some naval au.
'h.sri,fisCs shat tine desrru ctinn of the for
ward half of the ship did mot nacessta ri
ly mean that tine forward magazine
had exploded as thiSs might still be in
tact. although part of the general
WneckaSe In the absence OF IAN eXpMc-
1T statement as to the forward maga
ZINE there was "a. disposition not to &C
cept amy implied statement as to it's de
|GtructtGHl.
Captain Simpsons recommendation
that a contract be made with the best
equipped wreckhng company, to remove
material and llft the ship without de-
lay, was in lime With the action already
taken i'm CLOSING a contract with the two
largest wreck!ng concerns lin the coun-
Try. by which tileiT combined facilities
Will be ait 1 f1- service OF the government.
The contract corhsafns ia. clause Gsnd.E &
the wTeckerS to use their utmost eft
FORTS to expedite the work, 50 THAT 1.-THE
department feels that everything haas
been done to CARRY out the views ex-
of THE contract itemiZeS the amounts
10 be paid for each branch of work.
wiz. Wreck:ns tug Underwater $3.50
Per day: WreckNlg steamer Jones, 5000;
lighter Seymour, $75; derrick chief SIS;
barge Lone Star. $50; wreclling tug
Right Arm, 5000; wrecknrlster. SIS;
wr'ecker1s, 80 each divers, $50 each.
Evidently the president of the court
of inquiry is fearful of THE effect upon
the public of iNjudgei attempts TO &C
count for the desitru ctioul of the Maine,
for thiiS afternoon he photographed Sec
Rotary Long, doubtless having in mind
ars follows:
'iHavama. FEB. 23-Any reported i'm
terviews with divers untrue. Every
precaution has been taken, Officer al-
ways present"
This brief suatemenit tli:puses of all the
allie CATIONS that have been miauia pro
and con as to the blowing up of the for
ward MIA Sa2ineS.
The officers here are Still thinking OF
Captain SgSbees request of yesterday
to be furnished with the plans of the
Maine's sectjbn Through the astaz:nes
and coal bunker pockets. The reference
ito the latter is paruicu harly interesting
and leads TO a desire Ito be INFORMED ON
the exact quantity and quaElty of THE
coal supply at fthe time of the explos-
ion. 1t is Said tllat these pocket bunk
ers are rarely amptied, being designed
as much for the protection of the ship
against gun shots as for capacity to
hold coal. One expert said that these
bunISerS in his own experience have not
been empt.ead in months. All of these
have to do with tihe spontaneous COM
bustEon theory. as the hunk*ars sabut on
THE magazines and might lhave set off
even the safe brown, powder. if the lat
ter We're exposed to "a. degree of heat
a bove six-hunGred degrees for some
time The request besides may show
that Captain SigSbee is NOT yet sa!tis-
fled as ITO the cause of the explosion.
not understanding the expressions THAT
have been attributed to him by author
lied persons.
here today. in speaking of the disaster,
says 1T Was all over i'm five minutes
The WRITER WAS ashore and heard the
noise. He HASTILY took "a boat and
started for the Maine. arriving there in
about twenty-five minutes. Then all
was Qufei and smooth and in fact. ais
he said, in five minutes after the blast
the Maine was i'm about her present
condition.
Some ,solicatude was expressed at the
Navy Department over THE report of
Admiral Sicari's health. 1t lis said,
however, THAT there was no occasion for
| relieving him NOW; that the fla gship
New York is not to leave Key West,
and even if she could Captain Samp-
son Ur Captain Taylor can assume
charge of the. squadron whiit. the admi-
raj takes the TWO weeks leave to recu-
peIate from his ma!ad'ial fever, which
he was about to entoy when he Volunta-
r:.y returned ITO his place.
A formal order was made out this
aft ternODn for Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright to take station ait Havana
and look after the government inter
t4si,S white the work of raising the
Maine progressed. IT has been arran gel
lha.t he shall be subsisted ON board ~
the wrecking steamers. The big double
turretted monitor Terror remains under
orders to stay at Hampton Roads until
further notice. 1t is likely THAT she Will
be sent to take the place of the Main"
in tire Moth Atlantic Squadron, If Not
needed elsewhere Immediately. The
| otficialS however. are loAth to encun1-
Der the battleships and speetiier craft
| with the Terror, as she might retarG
| the execution of manoeuvres.
| HAV ANA, Feb. 23.-The United
States court of inquiry into the loss OF
the Maine met this morning at Il
lo'cIock, and examined DR.. Holfeberger
| ErayTra Ster Rary and CHIEF Etn gnxas.f