The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-21
SUNDAY CONCLAVE
president Mckinley Fails to At.
tend Church Services. -.
7
C0NFERS WITH ADVISERS.
Probably Discussed the Purchase Of
More War Vessels !.
MAINE INVESTIGATORS REPORT.
CONFERS WITH ADVISERS.
MAINE INVESTIGATORS REPORT.

IT May Reach the President at Any
Hour Now, and VIII Soon Be Given
to the Public After He Has Given 1t
Due Consideration-Omce of New
jerseys Militia Decide to Be In
Readiness to Protect the States
Coast in Case of fWar-Captain Wiley,
+; of the Merritt Wrecking Company,
Declares the Maine Disaster Was
Caused by an Internal Explosion.
= Washington. March 21.-President
Mckinley did not attend church yes
terday, as Is his custom, but instead
spent two hours and more in confer
ence with several members of the cab
inet. Assistant Secretary Day called
about 1890 o'clock and remained until
nearly /. Secretary Long and Secretary
Bliss were the other members present
They remained less than an hour
Commander Glover, in company with
Mr.. Charles r. Flint, who has been
acting for the government in the nego-
tiations for the purchase of ships, also
called, and acre shown into the presi-
dents private office.
The presence of Mr.. Flint at the con-
ference naturally gives the inference
that the president and his advisers
were discussing the question of ac-
qulring additional ships. Mr.. Flint,
whose commercial iterests are largely
with South American countries, is be-
lieved, in a measure at least, to repre-
sent Chile and the Argentine Republic
In any negotiations which are under
way for the disposition of their war
vessels. A reporter asked Mr.. Flint IL
he would say whether or not the Uni
ted States had secured possession of
the Chilean ship O'Higgins and the
Argentine ship San MARITIME. He re-
piled:
Both Chile and the Argentine Re-
public have the warmest friendship
and admiration for the United States
and her institutions. Neither country
is anxious to sell their ships to this
government, basng this indisposition
on the belief that we have an excellent
navy of our own. They want these
vessels themselves. If the time should
come, however, when it was apparent
that the United States needed these
vessels they would gladly part with
them to u.s.
The attention of Mr.. Flint was called
to the published report that the United
States would purchase the Brazilian
torpedo gunboat Tuby, but this, he
said would not be done, so far as he
was aware, as there were no nesotia-
tions under way to that effect.
The members of the cabinet on leav-
ing the White House said that there
was no special significance in the meet
ing. The report of the Maine court of
inquiry, they said, had not been re-
ceived, nor was it definitely known
when it would reach here. 1t was eX-
pected, however, early this week, and
as soon as received it would be handed
at once to the president, and when it
had been read and considered by the
president 1t would be made public.
Secretary Long, in speaking Of the re-
port. said that while fully realizing its
Importance the country, in his opin-
Ion, would willingly accord to the presi-
dent day or two, If necessary, for its
consideration. The indications seem
to be that the report will be made pub
lie by the middle Of the present week.
aside from the meeting of several
members of the cabinet at the White
House there were no incidents of i'm
portance during the day. Judge Day,
Assistant Secretary Adee, Chief Clerk
Michael and other officials were at the
department, but this has been quite
common during the recent month.
Also at the war and navy departments
a number of the chiefs of bureaus were
at their desks for several hours, main
ly for the purpose of disposing of the
business which recently has accumu-
lated so rapidly.
The most interesting topic of the day
was based on the dispatches from Ha-
vana, indicating propective confer
ence between General Pando and Gen
erals Garcia Gomez and others of the
insurgent army for the purpose of sub
mitting to the latter formal offer of
autonomy. The basis of autonomy as
outlined in the dispatches apparently
found no credence with the officials of
the Spanish legation. They stated their
disbelief that a conference on the pro-
posed lines was probable, and added
that they had no information on the
subject. Minister Polo Bernabe ex-
pressed the opinion that the report
from Havana was unfounded, as he
said the basis upon which 1t was pro-
posed to grant autonomy was absurd.