The herald., 1898-03-20
STILL WAITING FOR THE MAINE
COURT REPORT
THE PLANS OF THE PRESIDENT
Cannot Be Definitely Arranged Until
That All-Important Document
Has Been Received
Press Special Wire

cial quarters To-Day IN ANTICIPATION OF tne
early receipt of the report from the
Court Of Inquiry on the Maine disaster.
Warlike preparations continue with un-
abated vigor at the War and Navy de-
partments but the main interest of Of
ficials centered in the forthcoming report.
The interest was so intense that many
reports gained currency to the effect
that the official document would be in
the hands of the President within the
next twenty-four hours, but these con-
lectures, on inquiry of authoritative
sources, were found to be inaccurate.
Cabinet officer said 1t would be early
next week. Beyond this he could not 60
It was stated definitely that no advance
intimation of the character of the re-
port had been received here. One re-
port said that Lieutenant Blow had
brought to Washington an abstract OF
the conclusions but this was dismissed
after Lieutenant Blow had been in con-
ference with Secretary Long and other
naval officers.
The chief development Of the morning
was the arrival of four survivors of the
Maine disaster, who held long con-
ference with Secretary Long and later
were taken by the Secretary to the
White House for a talk with the Presi-
dent. These survivors are Lieutenant
Holman, navigator of the Maine; Lieu
tenant Geo. p. Blow, Lieutenant A. B
Catlin, in command Of the marines on
the Maine, and BoatswaiIi Larkin, one
of the commissioned officers of the
wrecked battleship. These men had
passed through the fearful ordeal of the
explosion and had been at Havana since
1t occurred. There had been no an
nouncement of their being detached from
Captain Sigsbee's command in Havana
and their coming was a complete sur
prise except to a few officials With
them came Naval Constructor Hoover
who was sent by Secretary Long, from
Washington, few weeks ago, to make a
technical inspection of the wreck of the
Maine. He was engaged in actual work
the nom commissioned officers of the
stocks, so that he is in position tc
know every plate remaining of the i'll
fated ship. The divers had found great
difficulty in identifying SOME of the
twisted and battered plates from the
bottom Of the Maine and it was believed
that Constructor Hoover's technica
knowledge would enable him to make
Identification complete.
The conference between Lieutenant
Blow and Lieutenant Catln and Secre
tary Long lasted some time, Captain
Crowninshield, of the Bureau of Navi
cation, and other officials being called
in. 1t was stated authoritatively aftel
the conference that the main subject o,
conversation was the explosion itself
comprising a detailed narrative of the
officers and narrowing description Of
the calamity. Whether the cause of the
explosion was under discussion coul6
not be learned. 1t was naturally in
ferred that these officers, with their com
plete personal information of the ex.
plosion and their subsequent visits to the
wreck, would give Secretary Long th'
benefit of their personal views on tn,
cause Of the disaster. At the same time
the Court of Inquiry having complete
jurisdiction on this subject, it was fell
that the subject of cause might be ope1
to much reserve as between these nava
officers and the Secretary of the Navy
So far as official warrant was given Il
the purposes of the conference, it wal
said to be confined strictly to narratives
of the story of the wreck.
Secretary Long, in the morning, die
not deny specifically that Lieutenan
| Blow was the bearer of the report, bu
| he asserted that the Lieutenant hat
conveyed to him some information II
the conference and added that the repor
would be here next week. The reviva
of the rumor was called to the Secre
tary's attention during the afternoon
with a request for an answer to tht
concrete question whether Lieutenan
Blow had brought with him the repor
of the Board of Inquiry. In reply to thi
the Secretary sent word that he woult
say nothing more than he had already
said, that the report would be here
next week"
Senator Chandler, after conference
with several naval officers today, ex
pressed the opinion that the report o.
the Naval Board of Inquiry would no
be received until next week. He sait
it would probably come on Monday o.
Tuesday and was quite confident tina
| the President would send it to Congress
as soon as received if of nature to per.
init it being sent.
1t is barely possible" said the Senator
that the character of the documen
may be such as to render it inexpedien
to give it out until Congress can be made
aware gradually of it's contents. Fol
instance, if it indicates beyond.doubt thf
culpability of the Spaniards in connec.
tion with the Maine disaster, it would
not be wise to place Congress in immed
late possession of the facts for fear thai
war would be declared instantly anc
without due regard to all the condi
tions."
He asserted his conviction that the
Navy Department and the President
were as yet ignorant of the contents O.
the boards findings.
Constructor Hoover refused to tall
about his trip to Havana or to give any
information concerning the work of the
Board of Inquiry or the condition OF
affairs in Cuba. He said that his lips
were sealed by the conditions imposed
upon him. He will leave tonight or to.
morrow for New York.
A contract was let by the Bureau 81
Yards and Docks of the Navy Depart
ment today for dredging about 3O0 0O(
feet of the harbor about Fort jefferson
on Dry Tortugas Island, which will en-.
able large naval and merchant vessels
to anchor very near the shore to take on
coal. The Alabama Dredging and Jetty
Company of Mobile was awarded the
contract at 28 cents per cubic yard.
THE PRESIDENTS PURPOSE
NEW YORK, March 19.-"While the
Maine disaster is inseparably linked with
the general Cuban question:" says the