The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-28
TO RETURN TO HAVANA.
BOARD OF INQUIRY WILI 90 BAoK
TO COMPLETE ITS WORK.

IN tho Eli 10 hbCrehhe tne Rn-
listed Fierce or tho Navy UntI the Regular
appropriation mn Csmes Up-A Sentiment
In Congress AEainst PreparinE for war
Until IL IL Certain That War IL to Come.
WARRINGTON, Feb. 27.-Sunday has not de-
veloped any change In the situation resulting
from tho destruction of the Maine. The return
Of the Naval Board of Inquiry to Key West Is
understood in official circles to be for the pur.
pose only OF hearing tho testimony Of officers
and men of the lost battleship who were sent
from Havana mmcdiately after the catastrophe.
Meanwhile the divers nre working on the
wreck. and will have more to tell when the
board goes back to Havana.
1t may appear strange to most people that It
10 merely understood In official circles that
Capt. Simpson and his colleagues are at Key
West to hear testimony and that they will re-
turn to the Cuban capital. As q matter of fact
the administration knows practically nothing
about the doings OF the board. and has
not heard and does not expect to hear
anything from Its members until the
record and findings of the board have been do.
livered into the hands of Secretary Long. As
far as can be ascertained not o line has come to
Washington from any member of the board,
either officially or personally, that contains an
expression of opinion as to what the result of
the boards investigation will DO.
Some letters from naval officers In Havana
have been received by friends here. but none of
the writers knew anything positive about the
cause of tho explosion. or. II he did. he has not
impaired the information to his correspondents.
An officer usually well informed has written
from Havana to a brother officer in Washington
that no doubts very much whether tho
Board Of Inquiry will be able to ascer.
tain tho cause of the disaster, or even whether
1t came from outside or inside means. The work
of the divers. he writes, has been hampered by
the muddy condition of the water. which makes
them dependent almost entirely on touch and
not on sight. Another difficulty is. according to
his letter. that the hull OF the Maine Is sinking
into the mud. which covers the bottom of Ha-
vana harbor, and the writer expresses the
opinion that she can never be raised.
1t now seems probable that the opposition of
Senator Hale and Representative Boutelle,
Chairmen of the Naval Committees Of tho two
houses. to the request OF the Navy Department
for authority TO enlist at once 800 additional
mon. will cause q postponement Of action until
tho Naval Appropriation bill is taken up.
When the letter of Acting Secretary Roose-
welt reached the committee yesterday. Senator
Hale and Mr.. Boutelle both refused to give it
out for publication. Mr.. Boutelle was SO
vehemen In his criticism of the Administra-
ton for recommending such legislation that he
included in his denunciations the newspaper re-
porters who sought to publish Mr.. Roosevelt's
letter, and expressed the hope that they might
be placed in tho front ranks of those
who may DO sent to Cuba to fight
Spain. In making known their opposition to
the proposed legislation the Chairmen of the
Naval Committees placed themselves in direct
antagonism to the President. for he has ap-
proved the sending Of the lettcr. and the request
for the additional seamen Is In direct line with
the preparations that are being made under his
direction for putting the navy In readiness
for whatever active service it may be
suddenly called on to perform. Coincident
with tho receipt Of this letter, authority was
asked by tho Navy Department, through
the chief Of the Equipment Bureau, for an APP
preparation of 500, 900 for the purchase of
coal. This may possibly be approved by tho
Naval Committees. as all Of their members are
willing to admit that it would be only ordinary
precaution to purchase coal while 1t can be OBJ
tanned, and not wait until the moment when 1t
is actually needed. and when perhaps it would
be out Of reach Of the Government.
1t is plain that there is a sentiment in Con-
gress against taking any steps whatever in the
direction of preparing for war until it is certain
that war is to take place. Those who hold these
views are of the opinion that the orders issued
last Friday for tho sending OF guns to New
York to arm tho auxiliary cruisers, tho
request for authority to enlist moro men
Immediately, and tho recommendation for
an appropriation for the purchase OF
coal for possible future use. have resulted in
spreading abroad the belief that the Admins
tration is actually preparing for war. an event
which they think is of the most remote POSSIBLE.
ity. They argue that these orders were In fact
emergency orders. as all that had been issued
up to Friday could be explained as the ordinary
routine movements OF the army and navy In
accordance with plans conceived months
ago and which the Administration has been
putting into execution ever since it came
into power. 1t Is pointed out by those who in.
dorse the attitude OF Chairman Hale and Bou-
telle that the Naval Appropriation bill. now In
course OF preparation and which will be re-
ported TO the House in about ten days. contains
q provision for the additional scamcn, In ac-
cordance with previous recommendations. and
that 1t will probably be agreed to. They think
that there is therefore no cause for haste, and
that to grant the request Of the Navy Depart
ment would be to create a false impression
throughout the country as to the necessity for
active naval preparations.
Moro than usual importance attaches to the
action of Senator Halo and Boutelle, as it Is
now known to be Endorsed by Speaker Reed.
He does not see the necessity OF %enacting lcgis-
lation that could with propriety be placed in
the class of war measures" The Speaker does
not think that there will BIO o war with Spain.
and he does not therefore believe it wise to Gro.
ate an impression in the public mind that Con.
gress and the Administration regard it as even
u possibility.
There will be time enough, the Speaker thinks,
to prepare for war after 1t shall be made appar.
ent that war cannot BIO avoided. 1t is not now
known. of course. what tho Vows of Congress-
men generally are with regard to these emer-
gency recommendation by the Navy Depart
ment, but 1t is probable that, 30 far at least as
the House 10 concerned, tho influence OF the
Speaker and the Chairman Of the Naval Affairs
will be sufficient to defeat them.
1t is quite probable. indeed, that the
attitude of the Senate and House will not DO
made manifest. as the letter of tho acting Sec
rotary Of the Navy is apt to be pigeonholed and
the 1.400 additional men and the 300, 900
for tho purchase of coal pro-
vided for in the regular Naval Appropriation
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