The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-24
A DIsCREDITED REPORT.
General Lee Did Not Advise Amerl.
rnns to Lenvp HnNnnn.

A DISCREDITED REPORT.
General Lee Did Not Advise AmerI-
cans to Leave Havana.
Washington, Feb. 24.-The arrival of
a mail in Washington from Key West
yesterday afternoon bringing several
private letters from naval officers late
ly attached to the Maine caused a wave
of excitement to run over the depart
ments and the Capitol, for there were
all sorts of rumors as to the contents
of these letters, very few of which ru-
mors, in point of fact, had any sound
basis. The only feature, so far as could
be discovered, of real Importance as
throwing any light on the cause Of the
explosion contained in the letters was
the statement that the two after boil
ers in the after boiler space were all
of the eight boilers Of the Maine that
were under steam at the time of the
explosion. This fact had a negative
value, for it disposed at once of the
theory that an exploding boiler had
caused the wreck. The experts all say
that by no possibility could the after
boilers explosion have wrecked the fore
part of the Maine and left the after
part almost unframed.
Much interest was shown in a dis
patch received shortly before 3 o'clock
from Admiral Sicard giving the recon-
mendatiOns of Captain Sampson, of the
court of inquiry, as to the raising of the
wreck. The view of naval officers was
that Captain Sampson and his associ-
ates were giving this advice not as a
court, but as officers in a position to
speak as the best methods to be adopt
- Nr,,Fl,,r ;a,r y,,f %,
the expression forward half complete
ly destroyed" This was regarded as
a partial confirmation Of the theory
that the forward magazine had ex-
ploded, as that is one Of the most i'm
portant portions of the forward half
of the ship. At the same time it was
held by some naval authorities that the
destruction of the forward half of the
ship did not necessarily mean that the
forward magazine had exploded, as
this might be still intact, although a
part of the general wreckage.
Captain SIMPSONS recommendation
that a contract be made with the best
equipped wrecking company to remove
material and lift the ship without de-
lay was in line with the action already
taken in closing a contract with the
two largest w%recking companies in the
country, by which their combined fa-
cilities will be at the service of the
government. A clause of the contract
itemizes the amounts to be paid for
each branch of wrecking work, viz:
Wrecking tug Underwater, $3.50 per
day; wrecking steamer Jones, 5000;
lighter Seymour, $75; derrick Chief, SIS;
barge Lone Star, $50; wrecking tug
Right Arm, 5000; wreck master, $15;
wreckers, $3.50 each; divers, $50 each,
Evidently the president of the court
of inquiry is fearful of the effect on the
public of i'll judged attempts to ac-
our for the destruction of the Maine,
for yesterday afternoon he telegraphed
Secretary Long as follows: ANY re-
ported interview with divers untrue.
Every p%recaution has been taken. Of
ficer always present"
This brief statement disposes of all
the allegations hat have been made
pro and con as to the blowing up of the
forward magazines.
The officers here are still thinking of
Captain Sigsbee's request of Tuesday
to be furnished with the plans of the
Names section through the magazines
and coal bunker pockets. The refer
ence to the latter is particularly inter-
esting, and lead to a desire to be in
formed on the exact quantity and quail
ity of the coal supply at the time of
the explosion. 1t is said that these
pocket bunkers are rarely emptied, be-
ing designed as much for the protec-
ton of the ship against gunshots as
for capacity to hold coal. one expert
said that these bunkers, in his own eX-
perience, had not been emptied in
months. All of this has to do with the
spontaneous combustion theory, as the
bunkers abut of the magazines might
have set off even the safe brown pow
der if the latter were exposed to a de-
gree of heat above 900 degrees for some
time. The request, besides, ma show
that Captain Sigsbee is not yet satisfied
as to the cause of the explosion, not
withstandinR the expressions that have
been attributed to him by unauthorized
persons.
The report that Consul General Lee
: had advised Americans to quit Havana
Is discredited here, 1t is said that the
: consul general, in the course of friendly
2 talk in Havana with Americans, may
2 have expressed the view that there are
at present other places more desirable
as resorts for persons who have no par
| ticular business there than Havana, but
the state department dulnOIlZeS the an
noucement that it has not yet been ad
[ Vised that he has either officially OF
S semi-oficially delivered himself of any
expression on the subject. The Spanish
I legation also discredits the reports that
T General Lee has given such warning
II is also said at the department that
no message has been conveyed to the
r owners of American vessels at New Or,
{ leans or elsewhere that it would not be
! safe for them to visit Cuban ports a
l this time.
!, Assistant Secretary of State Day de,
MED an interview attributed to him II
e which he was reported to have sait
/ that the Americans in Havana were In
great danger, and hat General Lee haC
e been quite right II he had advised then
TO leave the city. Il nave not had any
y lntimation that General Lee has giveI
= the Americans in Havana any such ad
vice." said Secretary Day, "and 1 hav,
s not discussed the NATTER with any one.'
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