The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-22

To-day's developments in the Maine
disaster were Of u negative character,
greatly to the disappointment OF a
considerable number Of persons who
were looking for some startling dis
covery by diver working in the
sunken hull.
The State Department, after learning
that L!eutenaItt-C Commander Sobral
was no longer recognized as an at
tache of the Spanish Legation, decid-
ed to ignore the interview attributed
to him, which it at first was disposed
TO resent. 1t is now learned that Sec
retary Long late Saturday evening
called upon Secretary Day, of the State
Department, and laid before him news
paper clippings containing the report
ed Interview. Acting Secretary Day
agreed with Secretary Long that there
was warrant for looking into the mat
ter, ana called the attention OF the
Spanish Charge to the publications
The Charge. however, promptly de-
clared that the naval officer was no
longer an attache of the Legation, his
successor having been appointed and
gazctted December "a last. He further
explained that it was owing entirely
matters of business before 1t that the
Legation had overlooked the sending of
the proper notification of the change
to the State Department II Is said
that as n mater of fact there are
frequently great delays in the receipt
of such Information Of changes among
attaches at the State Department
For very obvious reasons Captain
Sigsbee. at Havana, is making strenu-
Gus efforts to hasten the recovery OF
the bodies, probably nearly n hundred
in number, still imprisoned in the
wreck of the Maine. 1t was a knowl-
edge of the Captains desire that pro-
the State Department of the need for
more divers. This had the desired
effect. for the Navy Department took
action to send more help.
Admiral Sicard tclegraphed from Key
West this afternoon that he had sent
five divers to Capt. Sigsbee, and asked
il that was sufficient The acting CHIEF
of the Navigation Bureau, Captain
D!ckins. at once took the sensible
course of directing the Admiral to put
himself in communication with Capt
S!gsbce and learn his needs ut first
hand. The business of the Navy De-
partment is getting back to its normal
condition, as is evidenced by the fact
that an order has been issued to dis
1''liiiitN tHt sIpCIil teIeSTtIn service
which was established with Key West,
and hereafter the Office at that place
VIII close at 10 o'clock at night as
formerly. Commander Forsythc, the
commandant at Key West, has also
asked permission of the department to
stop his daily bulletins, and this has
been granted with an understanding
that he will report any deaths that
may occur among the sufferers in the
hospital there.
To-day he reported that they are al!
getting along nicely. The exchange of
official condolences still continues.
To-day Secretary Long sent a tele-
gram as follows to Captain EuIate:
commanding officer of the Spanish
Cruiser tVizcaya. Tompkinsville,
N. Y:
II have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your telegram of CON
dolence for the less of the Maine AMI
to thank you for the expression of
sympathy"
y similar response was also made 10
a cableEram from Vice-Admiral Spann,
at Vienna, expressive Of sympathy for
the disaster of the Maine.