New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-20
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY Y ARD
A FEELING OF GLOOM OVER THE DIS
ASTER TO THE MAINE
TIE DANCE SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW POST
poyEp OUT OF RESPECT TO THE DEAD
OPINIONS AS TO THE CAUSES OF
THE CATASTROPHE UN
CHANGED-NEws OF

CHANGED-NEwS OF
THE WEEK.
For the last four days of the week just ended
gloom has prevailed at the Navy Yard. and the
tension OF waiting for authentic news or the
disaster to the Maine and the full particulars
as 10 the dead and injured has hardly begun
10 slacken The loss OF the officers and men
who went down with their ship falls on every
par; Of the country. but the loss of the ship
itself is more severely felt in the Brooklyn yard'
for from the windows Of the commanoaht
Office can be seen the launching ways from
which the big ship went into the water for the
first time and In the big shop buildings are
men who wrought with all their skill TO MAKE
her "stanch and strong. goodly vessel. Inc
hope that she can be raised and again used III
the service Of the Nation brings little rehei
10 the feeling which naturally arises when the
minds eve sees her in the foul mud OF Havana
Harbor shattered and torn. and the workmen
are more than anxious that they shall have the
opportunity OF rehtting her.
THE FEELING OVER THE DISASTER
Feeling at the yard regarding the causes OF
the disaster has undergone no change. and the
number Of adherents 10 the accident theory mas
not increased The latest dispatches from the
scene Of the wreck have gone long way Tow
ard diss,pating the idea that the ship was IN
the first instance injured by an internai eH-
plosion, and many points were raised 10 thTo"
discredit on that theory. For instance. the TACT
that some men who were sleeping in a boat
within thirty feet Of the magazine containing
the ten-inch ammunition, which was the aitei
Of the two on the starboard side, in the Tor
ward part of the ship. were entirely unin)ufeo
ard escaped without harm was clted 70 sho"
that this magazine could not have exploded
man who was at rest directly over the maya
zines containing the six-inch ammunition III inc
forward COMPARTMENTS. also escaped unhurt;
while. according TO the best recollection oil 'n'se
thoroughly acquainted with the ship. the maya
zne-room on the port side contained only
small quantity Of saluting powder. stored in such
way that its explosion could not have caused
half the damage reported. and in no possible
way have wrecked the ship. All these things
are counted on to show that there is strong
weight Of evidence toward the idea Of outside
influences having been a. work.
All hands are waiting. however. for the re-
port Of the board which is TO investigate the
affair. and no one cares 10 discuss the possible
result oe a decision which may provoke con-
fict
MARINE BARRACKS IRREGULARITIES
II is understood that there will be no court
martial following the findings Of the Court or
Inquiry which Investigated the Irregularities az
the Marine Barracks The report was sent In
week ago. and as many Of the alleged In
stances Of wrong doing occurred so long ago
that the statute Of limitations comes into play
the officers concerned at that time are not likely
TO hear anything more of the cases. 1t IL barely
possible that Lieutenant Colonel John IL. Hig-
bee may IN soma slight degree be held RESPONSE
Ole for o. the matters brought to the az
tentioN Of the Department, as he was command
ing officer at the Barracks during the PERIOD In
which some Of the occurrences are alleged 10
have been committed.
The usual formaities attending the Visit OF
foreign warship TO the waters Of the STATION
VIII be observed soon as the ViZcaya COMES
within the jurisdiction Of the Department ou.
until the captain Of the Spanish ship mas peen
seer the date which he will visit me yaIu
WIN not be known. The tugs Nina ana Narkeeta
nave been detailed 10 keep watch or the V,sito''
aiio me yard officials do not look TOT any a.
Tempt TO nfct injury on the Vizcaya "hiie BIC
is IN New-YOrk Barbor.
DANCE POSTPONED THROUGH RESPECT
Captain Merrill Miller, of the receiving snip
vermont has sent out notice that the dance
.cheouled for tomorrow afternoon on the sp"'
ueck OF the receiving ship will not be heio' i"''