The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-18
JIuG0 REPORTS
Regarding the Loss of Steamer
Ea Maine Discredited. -..s.r
NAVAL COURT OF INQUIRY.
It Will Not Begin Work in Havana
H.; Until Next Week.
THE STATEMENT OF A SURVIVOR.


Lieutenant Blandin, Who Escaped
From the Trenton at the Time of the
Naval Disaster or Samoa in 1883,
Relates His Experience In the Wreck
of the Malne-His Miraculous Escape
From Death-Captain sigsbee's Cool
nees In Trying Hour.
Washington, Feb. 1S.-The govern
ment has settled back into waiting
attitude in respect to the terrible ma
rine disaster in Havana harbor. The
great shock caused by the news has
given way to a calmer and more ju-
dlciaI state of mind, and realizing from
events Of the day that the court of in
uuiry Is the sole dependence in the
search for the cause Of the Maines
loss, the naval officials are now re-
signed to walt the results Of that In
0Nlry by a court named yesterday by
the navy department. There was lit
Tie new to add to the sum Of inft- ma
fion as to the disaster. All that could
be CLEANED was a denial of some abb
surd story OF other that had "rept liito
print pccuine current gossip. All
the news Of the day came in the late
afternoon In the shape Of Captain Sigs-
bees report of the authorization of the
funeral of his dead sailors, and Gen
eral Lees graphic story Of the terri
BILE struggle for life In the dark hull
Of the Maine,
!. The officials at the navy department
devoted the day to the effort TO correct
the lists Of Lying and dead to answer
ing frantic telegrapliic appeals from
relatives of men ON the batleship, and
last, but rot least in meeting with un-
ns. e1ils Courtesy and patience ": ex-
acting demands upon their time or the
press representatives. The disposition
of the survivors Captain Dickens, act
ing chief Of the navigation bureau, has
arranged for as well Us could be from
this distance The wounded sailors in
the Havana. hospitals, on The Spanish
condition to be brought hack to Key
West, will be carefully looked after by
Miss Clara Barton, who has been given
carte blanche to euy any and every
thing necessary-fo0d. clothing, deli
cacies and hire of nurses and physi-
clans. The wounded able to get across
to Key West will be taken care of in
the Marine hospital there. The sound
survivors will be quartered in the spare
army barracks there.
AAs for the Maine herself, notwith-
standing discouraelng reports as to her
condition the navy department will
make the effort to raise her. While
this is reo,,ired by every creditable
.entiment they say that they are
hound to renove The hull from the
ama,l barb6r in any case. and it may
he as easv or easier to raise her as it
would ba to destroy the hul, and ma
- ..inerv nv the use of divers and dyna-
mite. IT 10 eal,4rca thai this work
can best be done " private working
corporations, and negotiations are al
ready afoot for placing the contract
based on work by the day, at an esti-
mated cost of 5000 eco.
At the navy department specific de-
NAL was given of the report emanating
from Madrid that torpedo flotilla was
HDOuI 10 leave hey "SSl. IOl AuDd. II
was stated that only two torpedo boats
the Cushing and the Ericsson, are at
Key West and these have not been
ordered and viii not be ordered, ac-
cording to present plans to Cuba. II
was strongly asserted that no present
purpose existed of sending any war
ship there.
Senior DuBosie the Spanish charge
has received no instructions as to 60
ing to New York and stopping the