Evening journal., 1898-03-02
ExoNERArEs SPAIN.
Secretary Longs Impression Il the Cow
ernment Was Not Implicated.

Secretary Longs Impression II the Cow
ernment Was Not Implicated.
WASHINGTON, March 2.--The main
interest Of the day In connection with
the Maine inquiry centered In a state
ment by SECRETARY Long following the
cabihet meeting yesterday that IN his
personal opinion any official participa-
tion by the Spanish government In the
blowing up of the Maine was now prnc-
tically eliminated from the situation.
This statement was not of a formal or
official character and was made by Mr..
Long as he walked away from the
White House. AS usual, the various
cabinet officers were besleged with In
qulrlos as TO the questions before the
meeting, and In response TO these inn
portunites the secretary rather casual
ly summed up the situation In a few
words. stating that most of the time
had been Given TO the outrages on coll
ored postmasters In the south.
Naturally the Cuban situation had
been gone over. he said, but there were
no actual developments, and he felt
that public excitement over the sub
ject had materially abated Then he
added the statement In the same pass
ing way that any participation by the
Spanish government in the blowing up
of the Maine was practically eliminated
in his judgment This last remark was
speedily given wide circulation. apart
from the quieting references which had
accompanied IT, It Immediately started
much comment and discussion, and
when Mr Long returned TO the navy
department after lunch he found that
what he had Intended to convey was
being given the force Of an official dec
laration that spain's responsibility for
the disaster had been eliminated
Aside from this incident the day
brought forth few developments OF Inn
portance relating TO the Maine. No dis
patches of any character from Key
West. where the court of Inquiry Is sit.
ting. were given out during the day
and as the rule Of publicity is still in
force, presumably nothing came from
that quarter The vessel movements
announced during the day were devoid
of significance. Orders went out from
the navy department late yesterday
afternoon &c put the monitor Mlanto.
nomoh ana the Katahdin in commission
on the 10th inst They are now al tn,
League island navy yard, where the,
have been laid up for q year or tw,
past 1t is said at the department tina
the purpose of putting them in com
mission is to make berths for the sur
vieors Of the Maine The two vessels
have crews respectively of i5O and q
men.
The only word received by the nav,
department from Havana came lat
last night in the following telegram
from Captain Sigsbee
"Bache leaves today for Tortugas WIT
all wounded men now here. five in al
as follows: Mattison. Cahln. Aller
Webber and Mack. All able 70 wal
except Mattison, whose jaw was brok
en-. Bache takes one unrecogniaed bod,
VIII probably take four wounded me
from Tortugas TO Key West Bache wi
report 10 the flagship Thursday befor
eIaering Key West. Cannot tell whe
more bodies may be expected at Ke
West. but Bache should return prompt
ly."
1t mas Just been learned at the nav
department why the Maine was tied u
10 a buoy in Havana harbor Instead
apchoring. a fact that has been II
lase for some of the theories as to Il