Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-03-10
THE WRECKED Maine
No Report from the Court Yet Re-
ceived by Secretary Long.
SPAIN NAY BEGIN HOS1ILITIES.
Miniater woodford Tia. Warned the State
Department at Washington To Watch
the Movements Of spain's Warships
Japan May Make u Demand.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-Secretarv
Long yesterday authorized an abso-
lutte and positive denial of the report
asserting that partial or preliminary
report had been received by the gov
eminent from the Maine inquiry board
indicating or declaring that the loss
of the Maine was due to an external
explosion. He said that no report OF
any kind had been received and that
the public had all the information
that had been received. He said that
no word had been received from the
court Of inquiry, and that no orders
had been or would be given as to the
movements of the court from Key
West, as the court was fully author
lied to shape its own movements.
The original orders to the court
were issued by Adm. Sicard,
and it has the technical status
of an admiraPs COURT report
ing directly to him, both as to
Its movements and as to its final report
OH the cause of the disaster. The un-
Outstanding here is that the court as
not concluded it's work, but will re-
turn to Havana to take testimony
which has been delayed by the difficult
ties in the way of the divers If the
progress of the inquiry at Havana de-
ponds upon the work Of the wreckers,
as seems to be the case, for nothing of
substantial Importance can be achieved
until the heavy debris is removed from
the wreck, considerable delay must
inevitably occur. TO tow the large
derricks from Boston and New York
to Havana is never speedy and
seldom a safe undertaking. As a
matter of fact, the derrick, Chief, at
Norfolk, is now stormbonnd just out
side Of the Chesapeake capes, although
1t was fully expected that by this
time she would be far below Hatteras.
This makes it improbable that the
derrick can reach Havana harbor and
get at work much before the middle of
next week. AS for the big derrick,
Monarch, which is required to raise
turrets and extremely heavy weights
from the hull, the date for her sailing
has not been set, although the depart
ment has inquired Of the contractors
on that point.
Some private letters are coming to
Washington from officers in Havana
but while they have something to say
touching the Maine explosion it can
not be seen that the statements are
based upon any recent and generally
unknown developments.
Secretary Long spent good part
of the morning in close communica-
ton with Chairman Boutelle, of the
house naval committee. but the con-
ference was in reference to the regular
naval bill, and had no connection with
the emergency measures. Wr. Long
said that they had gone over the ques-
tion of docks, equipments, etc, as pro-
vided in the regular bill. Capt.
Crowninshield had been called in to
discuss the matter of additional men
and apprentices which had been rec
commended. In no sense, the secretary
said, had emergency questions come
up, There was no need of consider
ing them now, he said, as no doubt
existed that congress would act
promptly should any emergency arise
requiring supplies beyond those of the
regular appropriation bills.
SPAIN MAY BEGIN H0sTIIITIEs.
WASHINGTON, March minister
Woodford has warned the state depart
ment TO watch the future movements
of Spanish warships. 1t is stated that
Spain, urged on by the party in power
at Madrid, is preparing to begin hos.
tilities against the United States with.
out waiting for a formal declaration
of war. She believes that the United
States is unprepared for war, and that
by forcing a conflict soon, our navy
may be crippled before the administra-
tion conld reinforce it. The state de-
partment, the president and the
navy department have taken en-
ergetic efforts to offset this
new threatened danger. Definite
plans for campaign under
such circumstances and conditions
have been formulated. In the event
that Spain should seek to attack Amer
lean seaports and commerce without
first having notified the United States,
this country would at once establish
relations with Gomez and his army,
and by furnishing them with ample
munitions of war. enable them to at.
tack all the seaport cities Of Cuba, in
Guiding Havana, from the land side,
while the American battleships bonn
barded them from the sea BY this
course the Spanish army could be
driven out Of Cuba possibly without
sending an American army to
the island. Disclosure of the secret
plans OF Spain have intensified the
preparations of war
TALK ABOUT BLOWING UP THE MAINE.
HAVANA, March 4-Direct evidence
Of an intention on the part Of Spanish
officers to destroy the Maine was given
to the board of inquiry just before 1t
left Havana for Key West This evil
dence is in the shape Of a conversation
overheard on the ferryboat which ran
near the American vessel. The con-
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