The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-20
Surviving Officers of the Maine
Give Mckinley Information.
THE EXPLOSION DISCUSSED.
Secretary Long Announces "That TIL G
Report Would Bc Here Next
Week"-Great Secrecy.

oelpt of the report from the court OF In
quiry into the Maine disaster. W6rlik
preparations continued at an unabate
vigor at the war and navy department;
but the main interest centered in tn
/ forthcoming report. The interest was $
Intense that many reports gained circula
ton that the official document would b
in the hands of the president within IN
next few hours, but these conjectures oil
| inquiry in authoritative sources were fount
! to be inaccurate.
The chief development of the morniu,
was the arrival of four OF the survivor
OF the Maine, who held u long conterenc
with Secretary Long and later were takel
by the secretary TO the White House TO
u talk with the president These survivor!
are Lieutenant q. f. w. Homan, navi
| gator of the Maine Lieutenant George p
Pillow, Lieutenant A. 3. Catlin, commander
of the marines and Boatswain Larkin
There had been no announcement OF theil
being detached from Captain slgsbee.
command at Havana and their coming Wa;
| a complete surprise except to few OFT
er, who was sent by So rotary Long iron
Washington few weeks ago 10 MAKE a
technical inspection OF the wreck oil the
Maine, He was the naval constructor wh1
Tor months Was engaged in actual WORK
on the Maine while spe vas on the stocks,
so that he is in a position TO know every
Plate ana piece OF structural steel coming
from the Ill iat2d snip. The divers ral
found great dnicplty IN Identifying some
OF the twisted and battered Plates from
the potion OF the Name and ii was be-
lieyed that Constructor Hoovers technical
knowledge would be able to make this
identification complete.
The conference .astcd for some time,
Captain Crowninshield of the bureau or
navigation ana other officials being cal d
in.
1t was stated authorita,iyely that the
main subject OF conversation was the eX-
ploslon itself, comprising detailed mar
ratiye OF the officers and the narrowing
description OF the calamity
The cause OF the explosion was also dis
cussed. 1t is inferred that these Officers,
with their complete personal information
Of the explosion and their subsequent WISH
TO the wreck, would give Secretary Long
the benefit OF their personal views on the
cause OF the disaster. AT the same time
while the court of inquiry have compi te
jurisdiction OF this subject 1t was felt the
question might be open to as much re-
serve as between these naval officers and
he secretary of the navy So lar as OH
'lai warrant was given to the purpose or
he conference it was said to be confined
strictly to narratives of the story of the
srcck
Constructor Hoover refused absolutely 10 |
alk about his trip to Havana or to give |
my information concerning the work o |
he board OF inquiry or the condition OF
nairs in Cuba
Secretary Long did not deny specifically |
hat Lieutenant Flow was the bearer of
he report, but he asserted that the lieu
endht had conveyed TO him no information
the conference and he said that the
eport would be here next week The
unor Was called to the secretary's atten-
on with request for an answer to the
uestion whether Lieutenant BLOW had
Fought with him the report (the actual
oeumenD of the hoard of Inquiry. In
ply TO this Secretary Long sent word
lat he could say nothing but what ho
adj already said that the report would
, here next week
Besides receiving the Maine survivors
'cretary Long conferred with members Of :
e senate ana house naval committees and
I'm number of ship owners No further
lrchases Of ships We're made TODAY.
ougn number Of vessels are beinp ev-
mined.
Lieutenant Commander colweu b,, /
bled from England that the I,ritad
ates Gag was holsted to the npak Of ~ /
nazonas with ceremony Yesterday '"e I
The reports have given tbe Jatai,s =, ,
is ceremony, but Commander Cotms,,.t
icial report of the fgct bas tbe 90. !
making the Amazonas an actual e,,se nc. :
the United States navy. She is AMI, "a,
lied among the other crpisers ana G'S fr en- :,
Is time forth will be subject 10 he ns .rti h
iers from the department As'Ai
The trim yacht Mayfower which mo r,
vernment purchased OF Mr.. Coeiet ~ S
" York, has been sent 10 the Nan. W VI al
w yard to receive a seyen-eigbths III; ;nas il
I of armor inoh h
secretary Long expressly contr,a,.,os II
'ort to the effect that the ordars ~ ~
Sas and Massachusetts had bas, ros 80 sas r.
and that they would remain a, \,
st. The day of their leayinn s @ NY %
largely to Admiral s;card WI We
sent orders are restricted ~ as .ne
m from the squadron at tho ro ostaun,ns
q moment .''os' "Faii- In
here Is M douh, ~. ed
@ ara keening tha, va. cue authorities in
a |