The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-25

oO o14O1 - 41O4 O444SC
Washington, February 21.-Today's
developments in the Maine disaster
were of a negative character, greatly
to the disappointment of a consider
able number Of persons who were look
ing for some startling discovery by a
diver working in the sunken hull.
The state department, after learning
that Lieutenant Commander tSObral
was no longer recognized as an. at
tachee 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
rotary Long late Saturday evening
called upon Secretary Day, Of the
state department, and laid before him
newspaper clippings containing the
reported interview. Acting Secretary
Day agreed with Secretary Long that
there was warrant for looking into the
matter and called the attention of the
Spanish charge to the publications.
The charge, however, promptly de-
clared that the naval officer was no
longer an attachee Of the legation, his
successor having been appointed and
gazetted December oath last. He fur
Their explained that it was owing en-
tIreiy to he more important and press
ing matters of business before it that
the legation had overlooked the send
ing of he proper notification of the
change to the state department. Tt is
said that as a matter of fact there are
frequently great delays in the receipt
,hf c1Inh i'm nry11 otinp ~ nIo ~ ooc n ,o0~r
attaches at the state department..
MORE DIVERS NEEDED.
For very obvious reasons Captain
SigSbee at ava is making strenu-
Gus efforts to hasten the recovery of
the bodies, probably nearly 100 in num-
Der, still imprisoned in the wreck of
the Maine. 1t was a knowledge Of the
captains desire that probably led Con-
Sul-General Lee to notify the state de-
partment of need of more divers. This
had the desired effect, for the navy de-
partment took action to send more
help.
Admiral Sicard t~elegraphed from Key
West this afternoon that he had sent
five divers to Captain Sigsbee and ask
ed if that was sufficient. The acting
chief OF the navigation bureau, Cap
tain Dickins, at nee took the sensible
course of directing the admiral to put
himself in communication with Cap
tain SigSbee and learn his needs at
first hand. The business of the navy
department is getting back to its nor
NAL conditions, as is evidenced by the
fact that an order has been issued to
discontinue the special telegraph SER
vice which was established with Key
West and hereafter the office at that
place will close at 10 o'clock at night
as formerly. Commander Forsythe,
the commandment at Key West, has
also asked permission of the depart
ment to stop his daily bulletins and
this has been granted, with an under
standing that he will report any deaths
that may occur among the sufferers in
the hospital there. Today he reported
that they are all getting along nicely.
The exchange of official condolences
still continues.
Today Secretary Long sent a tele-
gram as follows to Captain Eulate:
Commanding officer of the Spanish
Cruiser Vizcaya, Tompkinsville, NY:
Il have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your telegram of con-
dolence for the loss of the Maine and
to thank you for the expression Of
sympathy"
A similar response was also made to
a telegram from Vice Admiral Spann,
at Vienna, expressive of sympathy for
the disaster of the Maine.
Inquiry at leading embassies and le-
cations today fails to confirm rumors
that members of the diplomatic corps
have reached the conclusion that a
crisis in Spanish affairs is near at
hand and that several of the foreign
representatives have notified their
governments that war is inevitable.
The rumors mentioned the French and
and the British embassies as having
advised their governments to this eff
feet, but it can be stated positively
that nc such reports have been made
from these quarters.
NOTHING DEFINITE FOR SEWER
AL DAYS.
Several reports came by telegraph
to the state department from Havan
All Of the naval kilograms, however,
bore date of yesterday, while that from
General Lee to the state department
probably was sent late last night,
though marked as received this morn
ing. None of these messages throw
any light upon the cause of the Maine
disaster, and in fact, the officers in the
navy department have about resigned
themselves to the belief that nothing
definite on this point can be known for
several days to come. Their reason for
this belief is thai the operations of the
divers upon the wreck Of the Maine are
being confined at present to the re-
coyery of the bodies of the dead still
entangled in the wreck, and the re-
covery of v~aluables, neither or Whlch
can be neglected, while the other
branch of the work, namely, the in
v~estigation of the cause OF the dlsas-
ter, may be more properly left 10 the
conduct of the court of inquiry.
General Lees despatch was as fol-
lows:
Havana, Feb. u, 1898.
Assistant Secretary of State, Wash
ington:
There is great need of divers to get
effects and bodies from the wreck. Two
are now employed, blu twelve or nj
teen could be used. One hundred and
fortv-three bodies have been buried.
very few were found today, but over
100 are supposed to be confined in the
ship. The sailors o in the TWO Span
isb hospitals number eleven. / visited