Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-17

dolence ''""""' N0"-
AZ All OF the foreign establishments
"s'e was the deepest interest and sollcl-
.uue over the affair. and during the day
ambassador Cambron. OF France. sir In
''on f"uncefote. OF the British Embassy
ana other foreign representatives called
On 'he President or at the state DEPART
'neht 10 express their regrets.
THE DEAD OFFICERS.
me disaster is remarkable in that only
two officers lost their lives. and these
were OF junior grades. They were Lieu
tenant Friend w. jenkins and Assistant
Engineer Darwin r. Merritt. The former
was unmarried, but leaves a mother ana
sister The latter, ii is thought was also
unmarried but the department is unad-
Nised concerning his family.
Mr.. Jenkins was born I'm Allegheny
City, Pa, June 26. 1865 and was appointed
naval cadet September S. 1852. by Rep-
resentative Thomas Bayne OF the Twen-
y-third Congressional District After a
snort cruise on the Atlanta he was gradu-
"ted IN June, 1883. after which he served
successfully on the Galena. Kearsarge.
and Swatara. He was next attached TO
the coast survey and served with II untii
february, 1880, when he was again ordered
TO sea on the gunboat Bennington.
From June, 1898. to September 1895, he
was on ordnance duty at the naval proving
grounds, Indian Head. Nd, and on Sep
tember is. 1895, he was ordered TO the
oattieship Maine, and has since been at
tached TO that vessel with the exception
Of a short interval in the spring OF 1881.
lie reached his present grade Of junior
Lieutenant in January. 1897. He had many
friends in this city, and was regarded as
most capable and efficient officer
Observation-Disclosures Merritt was born at
ked oak, Montgomery county, la, April
IL, lS62. He was appointed 10 the Naval
Academy September 10. 1891 and gradu-
ated at the head of his class four years
later. He went to sea on the Amphitrfte.
and was subsequently transferred TO the
Indiana, receiving his final graduation
July /, 1897. After short service at the
New York navy-yard ne was ordered TO
the battleship Maine September TO- 1897.
and has since been attached to that Ill
fated vessel.
Although his naval service has been
short, il is said at the department to have
been extremely creditable.
CAPTAIN DICKENSs OPINION.
Captain Dickens, Chief Of the Naviga-
ton Bureau, expressed the opinion to-
day that the explosion took place in the
magazine of the Maine. He said that
this was evident. for the reason that the
ship was afioat for an hour after the. ~
piosiOn. Had a torpedo been fired unS.r
the battleship she would have sunk al
most Immediately
Secretary Long, on behalf of the Presi-
dent, has sent this telegram to Captain
Sigsbee
"Sigsbee. United States Steamship
Maine, Habana,-The President directs
me TO express, for himself anG the peo-
pie Of the United States. his profound
sympathy with the officers and crew of
the Maine. and desires that no expense
be spared in providing for the survivors
and for the care of the dead.
(Signed) JOHN d. LONG,
Secretary"
The President has recalled his invita-
tions for receptions this evening on ac-
count OF the disaster which has befalen
the American navy
CABINET CONFERENCE.
The President and his Cabinet associ-
ates held an extended conference about
noon. II was not a Cabinet meeting. rs
no notices had been sent out, and only
Secretary Long Secretary
Gage Attorney-General Griggs, Postmas-
ter-General Gary and former Attorney
General McKenna were present. The
disaster to the Maine was the only topic
considered
About y o'clock the Cabinet officers
came from the Presidents Office, and
one Of them stated that the President
had given directions that all official in-
formation relative to the disaster should
be given to the public.
DEAD AND MISSING. 25S.
A message was received later in the
day. stating that the DEAD and missing
numbered 253
Cabinet minister stated that there
was many evidences that the disaster
was the result of an accident.
The following was sent to Commander
FORSYTH at Key West Admiral Sicard
ordered to come to Key West with ship
and serve out clothing. if necessary.
Should he not arrive before the Olvette,
you are authorized TO purchase the ne
cessary articles and serve out"
PRDCEDENTS.
It is said at the Navy Department that
there is no lack Of precedent for such
disasters as that sustained by the
Maine. all Of which can be traced TO ac-
cidental causes.
In 1885 the United States man-of-war
Missouri, then lying at Gibraltar, was
totally wrecked by the explosion of her
magazine.
Another case famous in naval history
is that of Her Maiesty's ship Dotterel
In 1887 she was lying at anchor of
Puenta Areneas, in the Straits of Magel-
len. An explosion wiped the ship from
the face of the waters, and left almost
none of her crew alive. This was an
other case of magazine explosion, though
II NAV have originated in the coal bunk
ers or boilers.
senator Hale. chairman Of the Com
,,ittee ON Naval Affairs and a member
of the Committee on Appropriations
said that ne had just come from an IN
terview with the Secretary OF the Navy
and that ne felt confident that the Navy
Denartment woulG institute thorough
investieation into the disaster.
,rhe senator expressed the opinion that
CONGRESS- would take steps TO prevent a
decrease Of the navy. but did not under
80 10 say that there would be immeo1-
ate efforts to replace the Maine.
ctrcu ACCIDENTS SHOULD CEASE.
senator Warren OF Wyoming; II II
sbould devolp that the Spanish had any
thing 10 do with the occurrence, poth the
Irnited States navy and army ought 10
ha eupmoned 10 take the matter up IN
earnest If IL should prove TO De an ac-
cident II should be carefully mVesu-
oatea for IL Is high time that such ac-
otdonts were brought to close
senator clay Of Georgia: The presump,
.,a, ts that the Navy Department VIII
49,, oarsful and thorough attention 10
- .atter and that ii will make Such