The San Francisco call., 1898-03-05
Administration Will Act According to the Naval
 Courts Findings.
President Mckinley Anxious to Take Hold as Soon
 as Possible.
In the Event of Treachery Being Shown Conflict With Spain
 Would Appear Unavoidable.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, March 4.-The Herald's Washlngton correspondent telegraphs: Although uncertain as to the exact date when the court of inquiry Investigating the Maine disaster will submit it's find- 1ngs, the authorities are growing mora confident that the decision will ba against the accidental theory. Presi- dent Mckinley shows his anxiety to take hold of the Maine matter at the earliest date possible by a dispatch sent to Admiral Sicard to-day by Sec- retary Long at the request of the Pres ident, inquiring as to when the findings of the court might reasonably be ex- pected. This reply received tonight signed by Sicard leaves the President still in the dark on this point:
 II have talked with the President of the court of inquiry and agree with him that it is not yet possible to fix the date of the findings. Much depends on the progress of the divers and the wrecker and the results they obtain. Every ef- fort Is being made to advance the in- Quiry. The court returns to Havana by the Mangrove this evening, having about finished the examination at Key West"
 On the strength of the information received at the State Department from Consult General Lee as to the progress made by the divers in the absence of the court in Key West, Assistant Sec retary Day said yesterday that a re- port was looked for by the middle Of next week. But as it is manifestly the purpose of the court to get every scrap of evidence obtainable, fortnight may yet elapse before the final conclusions are received in Washington. The re- port that the stenographer of the court was on his way to Washington from Key West cannot be confirmed here.
 The possibilities of complication growing out of the Maine disaster are thought here to be somewhat enhanced by the probability, as indicated in the dispatches to the Herald this morning, that the report of the Spanish court of inquiry would be diametrically opposed to that of the report of the American court. It has been realized all along that if hitch occurred it would be over the refusal of Spain to meet our demands for an indemnity. With a re- port from the Spanish court of inquiry showing that an accident caused the disaster and a report from the United States court showing that it could not have been caused by accident, it is appreciated that it would be difficult for the Governments to arrive at an amicable settlement. It may be ac- cepted as foregone conclusion that the administration will stand by the verdict of the court of inquiry, what ever it may be- regardless of any deci- sion reached by the Spanish officials. It is equally certain that if our naval court finds an explosion from the out side caused the destruction of theL Maine demands will be made upoiy Spain for an indemnity. If Spain should undertake to eXonerate herself by en- deavoring to produce the real culprit, or if she disavOwed all knowledge of the affair with the suggestion of in- demnity, this administration would be willing to grant her reasonable time.
 It can be stated, however, that if Spain suggests that the examination made by our officials is an ex parte one and they have reached a verdict of de- liberate explosion in order to shield their own alleged laXity of discipline and carelessness, it will dangerously strain the relations between the two countries. Upon the courts decision the whole question hinges. Its verdict will be accepted by the people of the United States. If they say that the ship was blown up by an accident there may be still lingering doubt in the minds of some, but there will be no official or popular protest. The incident will be considered as closed. If on the other hand, they conclude that the ship was not destroyed by design, the American people will expect Spain to acquiesce in that decision. If she does not there is likely to be trouble.