The herald., 1898-02-27
HAVANA NEWS
Confined to One Dispatch
From Sigsbee
DEAD SAILORS BODIES
ARE TO BE BROUGHT HOME FOR
BURIAL
REPORT OF COURT OF INQUIRY
Anxiously Awaited by Naval Officials.
Pending Its Arrival Preparations
For War Are Pushed
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-In the absence
of news from Havana on any subject other
that the disposition of the dead bodies, the
official mind turned today to an analysis
of the Spanish statements, made with more
or less degree of official sanction, respect
ing the total absence of submarine mines
from Havana harbor, and it was regarded
by the navy department as negativing the
mine theory of an external cause of the
explosion, just as recent letters put an end
to the exploding boiler theory as an inter-
nal cause for the disaster.
Nothing was heard today from the court
of inquiry, and the department is still ig-
| norant of its plans. In fact, the only news
coming direct from Havana to the navy
department during the day was contained
in the following dispatch from Capt. Sigs-
bee:
"HAVANA, Feb. 26.--Have succeeded in
making arrangements by which bodies
may be sent to Key West in hermetically
sealed zinc cases. Refer to Forsythe for
burial in Key West. Probable that bodies
hereafter cannot be recognized Probable
that bodies will not remain intact. Con-
dition of bodies require immediate action.
Jenkins and Merritt may be recognized
by uniforms. Can secure health permit at
Key West to land the bodies there. Divers
cannot get down after bodies this morning.
Much debris. Will clear it away. VAIN
wright placed in charge of wrecking mat
ter.
(Signed) 'SIGSBEE."
The following reply was sent:
WASHINGTON, Feb 26.-To Sigsbee,
Havana: Referring to your telegram of
this date: Send bodies that may here
after be recovered to Key West for burial.
| Send by Bache.
(signeO LONG"
| as follows:
| WASHINGTON Feb. 26.-To Naval
| Station, Key West: Sigsbee ordered to send
bodies that may hereafter be recovered to
| Key West for temporary burial. VIII ar
| rive in hermetically sealed zinc cases.
Make necessary arrangements. Bodies will
| arrive by Bache.
(SigneO LONG"
1t is believed at the department that
there are probably in the neighborhood of
fifty bodies remaining to be discovered and
extricated from the wreck.
The double-turreted monitor Terror
started for New York this evening from
Hampton roads, under orders received to-
day. She will be a most powerful rein
forcement to the defenses of the CONNER
cial metropolis in case of need, and, sta
toned in the NarrowS, it would be diff
cult for any hostile ship to pass her. With
the exception of the training ship Essex,
which arrived at Hampton roads today,
and the Brooklyn, which arrived at st.
Lucia, probably to coal, on her way to La
Guayra, distant 500 miles, this was the only
naval movement today.
There was a number of alarming stories
as to heavy shipments of ordnance from
the Washington navy yard to New York
for arming auxiliary steamers of the new
&c -nt1 nt ,arty,a pr,tt thaf
none of these guns has been shipped today,
but that few for the Chicago, probably
fourteen 5-inch rapid-fire guns, will be dis
patched Monday or Tuesday. With these
guns in place, the Chicago would be pretty
well moderniZed in the matter of arma-
ment. She will still carry her four big s.
inch guns in sponsons on the spar deck,
while on the gun deck these fourteen 5-inch
rapid-tre guns will replace eight 6-inch
guns of old pattern.
The Dolphin is to go into commission at
New York ON the oath of March. Although
rated as the presidents yacht, the vessel,
which has been thoroughly overhauled and
furnishedswith new boilers and decks, car
ries even now a sufficient battery to make
her, when speed is taken into account,
very effective gunboat Her personnel will
remain the same as before she went to the
yard for repairs last fall
With the proceedings of the court of in
Qulry uTaWlIlS 10 d Close, attention Is now
being directed to the form and nature of
this report. The court has the widest lati-
tude for inquiry, and yet certain general
features will have to be observed under
the naval regulations governing inquiries
of this character AS general rule,
court of inquiry submits not only the evil
dence taken, but also gives conclusions
drawn from the evidence.
Under rule 1926, when court are required
to find facts, there Is to be reported not
only recital of evidence, but also the re-
suit and conclusions of the court from
hearing the evidence.
In form, the report will be in two parts
first, the findings of fact, and, second, the
opinion of the court.
The findings sum up each material ques-
tion of fact involved and give the conclu-
sion of the court upon it.
The officials of the war department have
completed all the preliminary arrange
ments for the immediate execution of the
bill, which is expected to become a law
within the next few days, providing for
two additional regiments of artillery
There will be no difficulty whatever in Sc
curing men, applications for enlistment
having been received far in excess of the
number required, viz, 1910 men. Great care
will be taken in the recruiting, and only
the best men will be accepted. Under the
law, all the new men must be citizens of
the United States. 1t is probable the ranks
will be recruited to large extent from
mon who have already served one or more
terms in the army. With the two new regi-
ments, there will be seven regiments of ar
tillery and the total strength of the army,
including the hospital corps, ordnance and
engineer battalions and the West Point
detachment, will be increased to nearly
27 900 men.
INVITED TO LEAVE
NEW YORK, Feb. 26.-Father Weber.
whose recent declarations at Rondout,
that in case OF war between the United
States and Spain. it would become the
duty Of Roman Catholics to fight on the