New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
FAREWELL TO CAPTAIN sIGSBEE.
THE COMMANDER OF THE ILL-FATED
MAINE LEAVES HAVANA HARBOR
WITH IT'S DISMAL. MEMORIES.

MAINE LEAVES HAVANA HARBOR
WITH IT'S DISMAL MEMORIES
Havana, March 2G-No one privileged to he
present will ever forget the scene In the cabin
OF the Ovette just before that boat sailed for
Key West to-day On the centre-table stood
large floral piece intended to represent ship.
II was not good as a model. but 1t was beauti-
full in color and fragrance. Near the flowers
, stood Consul General Lee: at his left was cap
tain Sicsbec while grouped around were all the
naval officers of the Maine and the FERN, TO-
G. Their with newspaper men TO the nuinper
Of n score. American women were there' 100
They were few in number. but they were soou
representatives. In face. figure ana COSTUME VI
their country women There was sadness ID AL
the faces for the time had come to say goodpy
70 Captain Sigsbee and his officers In voice
trembling with emotion General Lee In behal
OF the newspaper men. presented to the Captain
the flowers. saying
They are given as token OF heh resa'o
and deem love: regard for your superb qualities
as an officer and a seaman. love for the maehh
cent attributes Of heart and head which have
made YOU pre-eminent among your Fellows
With wet eyes (anl those who looked on felt
the moisture tool General Lee bade Captain
Sjeshee and his companions adieu wishing
them good fortune now and always. 10 when
there was a deep chorus OF assent as Captain
Sigsbee stepped forward into the circle. For
moment he could not speak but he recovered
his voice and expressed his thanks in the SIM
pie manly manner characteristics or MIN lie
said that as to the Maine he must be SILENT ana
The language OF flowers was silent The Cap
tain could no, trust himself to speak Of his
shin but he could say and gladly. what he had
nut into cipher dispatches to the Navy Depart
ment that all the newspaper men In havana
had treated him with absolute good faith' had
never intruded upon him and had never taken
advantage Of the confidence placed in them on
his part he added. he had never refused 10
see newspaper men. a remark which Drought
forth cries of You never did.
Continuing. Captain Sigsbee said he reccsnzeu
that they had orders. as stringent ana dlihcuI'
to carry out as those given him. though differing
! in their tenor
Then turning to General Lee Captain Sgsbee
paid him a high tribute. lie said 1--WE all love
him" (cries of Right. Captain. we DOB las
being bravery. geniality and good judgment per-
sonned." The Captain also said
The United States has no better representa-
tive abroad than gallant Ftzhugh Lee. its Con-
sui General at Havana" loud applause)
CAPTAIN Sigsbee then thanked the donors for
the flowers and they all left the Olivette as the
whistle blew. after giving parting grip OF the
hand to Captain Sigsbee Chief Engineer Charles
p Howell Paymaster Ray. the Rev John +.
Chadwick the chaplain: Surgeon L. G. Hene-
berger Naval Cadet J. A. Holden and Naval
Cadet w T. Cluverius. When the parting was
over Commanders Cowles and Wainwright went
/ on board the Fern. AS all those bound for the
shore left the ship cheers and goodbys were
shouted and handkerchiefs waved from
Iork no
out of the harbor Captain Sigsbee looked sadly
on the gaunt wreckage of what was little
over a month ago. his pride the battle-ship
Maine
Nine bodies recovered from the wreck Of the
Maine including that of Lieutenant Jenkins.
were sent to Key West on board the Oivette.
The body of the lieutenant will be sent to Pitts
burg
The Mangrove arrived here this morning. and
will take care of the valuables which may he
recovered from the wreck, we'll as of the high
explosives which the merchant vessels do not
like TO carry.
Dr. Lesser and his wife went North to-day
Half a gale Of wind was blowing here TO-
day. making wrecklng slow work.
Albert Miller arrived here to-day to arrange
for the coming Of the steamer Ctstein, from
Ncw-Or,eans. bound for Matanzes with 200 tons
] K.
uted through the efforts Of The Kansas City
/ Star" The UtstAin will reach Consul Brice. at
/ Matanzas. next Tuesday Mr.. Miller has made
! all tho arrangements necessary TO lighter her
cargo Trains carrying go tons to $50 tons 10
four towns on the coast and In the interior leave
here to- night in charge Of a committee appointed
/ by Commissioner Klopsch. All the arrange
ments have been made for the distribution in
| the interior
All is quiet here. Neither the information
from the American Court of Inquiry nor the
| war rumo~s haze been able TO produce any
| sentiment among the Volunteers or other Span
ish bodies. They take everything coolly. await
ing future facts They do not believe peace
will be interrupted by the report Of the Ameri-
can Court. and they seem to feel certain that
arhtrators will declare that the explosion oc-
CURED inside, and not outside, the Maine. La
LuCha," in an editorial. says:
Captain Slgsbees request to be allowed to
blow up the rest of the wreck most inno-
cent destroying 1T so that the arbitrators would
not be able to verify any examination in the
! future. and so as to render 1t unable to find out
II the explosion was from the inside or from
/ without" La Lucha" adds:
The American Court has not taken proper
, time to examine the wreck"
The other Havana dailies say the American
! Court was Influenced by the sensational press
DESERVING FARMS FOR FORTS.
TIE WORK On THE DEFENCEs NEAR GREENPORT
Work IS being rushed day ard night the for
tincatlons Fishers Gull and Plum Islands, at
the extreme end OF Long Island. great amount
Of work has already been done. but I, is thought;
that all Will not be completed for Ten days yet.
There is "a scarcity OF laborers. and many farm
hands near Greenport have entered the employ Of
the Government laborcrs. They have deserted
the farms and this has also placed the farmers In
II prcdicament. because prepa gatons are now being
made to pldnt The carly potato crop. The farm
hands receiving for weeks service more