The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-03-17
COURTS REPORT.
Il Is Looked for Confidently Early Mex,
Week at Washington.
FOR THE AsIATIC SQUADRON.
The Oregon to ne Detailed to Commodore
Dewey's Fieet--Guns for Coast Defenses
The Montgomery In Danger
slow Work os wrecker~

slow WORK OF Wrecher<.
WASHINGTON. March -. Reports OF
immediate action in regard to cuba
are not well founded. Recognition of
Independence still stands as the prob
able outcome. But no step in this or
any other direction will be taken un-
til the court of inquiry reports The
report is looked for confidently early
next week. What will follow depends
entirely on the character of the report
Most positively. it can be stated that
the administration has received no
preliminary report Since the court
returned to Havana the last time.
some very material additions have
been made to one branch of the in
vestigation. When the court finished
the first visit TO Havana and went to
Key West, the negative side of the
case had been well established. Testi-
mony of witnesses and evidence OBJ
tanned by divers had established pretty
clearly that the ship had not been de-
stroyed by an accident The later ses-
sions held at Havana have been de
voted to the positive side, to the gather
ing of evidence which might show how
and by whom the crime was perpe-
trated. Some sensational testimony
has been taken by the court during this
last visit to Havana Ii bears on the
method adopted and to some extent in
dicates the character of the conspirs-
tors Whether this testimony is suiii-
cient to furnish basis for Bindings
which will materially increase the re-
sponsibility of the Spanish govern
ment only the final action of the court
can determine. The administration
has no information on this line, or
claims to have none. But any one can
see at a glance that there may be vari~
Gus degrees of responsibility.
Asiatic squadron to Be strengthened.
WASHINGTON, March ta.--Having in
view the wrestling from Spain of the
Philippine islands. in the event of hos
tilities, the nav..l authorities are con-
sidering a proposition to strengthen
the Asiatic squadron. This proposition
contemplates the attachment of the bat
tleship Oregon to Commodore Dewey's
effective fighting force. The determi-
nation of the authorities to increase
the Asiatic squadron by the addition of
the Oregon is not based on information
that the Spanish government has sent
any vessels to re-enforce the squadron
in the Philippine waters. The Oregon
will not be needed, however, as much
for her heavy guns, which might be re-
quired to reduce the Notifications of
Manila and other ports, as for the
large number of men she carries, who
could be used for landing party.
Guns for Coast Defenses.
WASHINGTON. March 12.--Seeretary
Alger has authorized Gen. Flagler. the
chief of ordnance, to make arrange
ments at once for procuring large
number of rapid fire guns for sea coast
defenses. This action is taken with
out waiting for the allotment among
the various bureaus of the war and
navy departments of the $50, 600, 900
voted for the national defense. The
secretary felt that there was no rea-
son for further delaying the necessary
steps for the procurement of these
guns. as 1t was felt there would be no
trouble IN arriving at an equitable ad-
justment of the money available. Gen.
Greedy, chief signal officer, has been
given authority by the secretary of
war TO proceed without regard to or
dinary restrictions in establishing
rapid telegraph connections between
the sea coast Notifications.
May Blow Up the Montgomery.
NORFOLK, Va, March 12. 2.-FredericR
]. Dalberts, who was a gunner on the
cruiser Detroit when that vessel went
on its eventful voyage to Chilli, has ar
rived here direct from Havana and
tells of startling remark he over
heard. which, If true, will make war
with Spain inevitable. Dalberts' story
is that while in a restaurant. in IIa-
vana last Saturday night, and while
seated opposite three Spaniards, who
conversed in low tones, he heard them
discussing the Maine explosion and
the sending of the cruiser Montgomery
to Cuba. They said the Yankees were
not satisfied with losing one ship and
would soon see the Montgomery go to
the bottom of the harbor. He says the
conversation indicated that the Span
iards had their plans laid for blowing
up the Montgomery.
slow Work OF wreckers
HAVANA, March l2.-The work of
wreckage appears very slow. Ii any
real progress is made it is scarcely APP
parent from day to day. Still, it is
hoped that when the r3per debris has
been removed TO the barge more bodies
will be recovered. 1t nay be, how
ever, that the last body retaining a
shape recognizable as human has been
removed from the Maine. The officers
and men of the Montgomery are still
refused shore leave They devote
much of their time to drill and set
tling up exercises, the latter exciting
much interest, especially to the sailors
of the Spanish ships, where the tactics
are quite different.