Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-22


chased, But it is Settled That
snain Cannot Get Her-Argen-
rina's Warship Not for Sale to
Spain-Many Runlors Concern
ing the Report of the Naval
Court-Will Not Be in Washing
+1n Before Thursday or Friday
Views of a Prominent Naval
officer on the Method for Getting
Navy.
Washington, D. c., March 21.-It
can he stated positively and authorita-
,rs,v that the report eff the court of
i-orirv on the Maine disaster had not
haen received up to noon to-day.
FROM the same authoritative source it
ran he stated that the present official
irforlnatiou is that the report is not
likely TO be here before next Thursday
e. Friday. This is a material change
from the expectation prior to this
time. The cause of the delay is not
known. but it is assumed that the
conclusions of the court are not yet
in such exact form as to warrant their
earlier presentation here.
The government has made no further
purchase of warships, but its negotia-
tons in that line have been productive
Of al least one important result, name
Iv. in establishing that unless the bat
Heship General O'Higgins becomes
the property of the United States It
will not De sold at all Spain, it is
confidently asserted, will not be able
TO secure this war vessel, nor. are her
chances any better OF as good as those
of the United States. Practically, the
same condition prevails as to the Ar
gentine armored cruiser San Martina
which will become the property of this
government if it passes out of the
hands of Argentina. Aside from these
facts there was The usual flood of spec
ulative report current to-day, includ-
ing renewal of the report that Lieu
tenant Blow, one of the Names sur
vivors who reached here Saturday,
brought a letter from Admiral Sicard,
containing the Information that the
EXPLOSION WAS EXTERNAL.
but could not be directly attributed to
he Spanish government. Officials high
tn authority are loath to make spe-
cifc denials Of these reports, as so
many Of them are afloat, but inferen-
tally the statement was dismissed as
nwawanted. One high official who
would be very likely to know If such
information had been brought, stated
that if it was in hand the fact had
never been made known to him and
ne very seriously doubted it's correct
ness. Il is undoubtedly true. however
that the Names officers who have
reached here expressed it to be their
personal opinion that the cause of the
explosion was external Lieutenant
Blow is junior officer compared with
Lieutenant Holman, another of the
NAME survivors who arrived here Sat
uroaH. and Admiral Sicard. is was sta
0d' would not SO set aside the punctil-
gus requirements Of naval procedure
NJ passing over a higher official and
committing such a grave responsible
IT, 10 a Junior officer. Lieutenant Blow
Has gone 10 La Sale. ILL.,. for rest.
fno The other Maine survivors are also
Hee % 60 where they please and re-
Gdpefate from the trying ordeal
through which they have passed.
tAe report is coming by Captain
naiker as some press dispatches init
mae the fact is not disclosed in any
'Hiclal quarter here. Nor indeed is the
route by which the report will be
fanSmitted made public, as it would
merely serve to jeopardize its safe
Nansmission and arouse groundless
conjecture.
CAPTAIN BARKER LEFT
washington the middle of last week.
''e is tne naval aide to Secretary Long.
"No 1t is naturally inferred that his
SONG from the Secretary to Key West
:. ms time had some direct relation
~, ~ mo important pending question.
u'lher than this, however, the naval
oIlclals will say nothing as to the pur-
poses Of his trip.
Secretary Long Office at the Navy
department. was again the centre of
eQ4lefences to-day Senator Hale,
Of u
naval affairs, was one of the early call
'S ana spent half an hour with Mr..
l9ng Senator Pritchard. of North
aroma, also had a talk with Mr..
Luhg Mr.. Hale went from the Secre-
,af{ Office to the White House and
aa1 talk with the President. With
IN d short time ne was followed by
secretary Long, who spent some time
N'lh the President. The Secretary car
-i5a with him a bundle of documents
"nich, however, has become his usual
custom. Senator Hanna came to the
9ecfetary's Office during his absence
Gnu earning that he was with the
resident spent some time in confer
Veil.
Q. I ne Spanish minister called at the
~ya'e department to-day and present
Messfs Angulo, Valera and Cad
mas who are the direct representa-
ives Of the autonomous cabinet at
eHod' With this presentation negoti-
q'ohS toward Il commercial treaty Will
Os opened.
= HIGH OFFICER OF THE NAVY
NAo has intimate knowledge of its af-