The Princeton union., 1898-03-24
THE line OF ACTION.
PROCEDURE TO BE OBSERVED IN
SUBMITTING THE REPORT.
The Report VIII Be Sent to Congress
and Made Public at the same
Timc-Opinion Thnt the Explo.-
lon Was External Is Almost
Unanimous = Conferences with
Speaker Reed and other Promf-
nent Congressman and nafor.
Mt the White House.

washington, March %. - The pro-
cedure IN connection with the submis-
sion OF the report of the Maine court
OF inquiry blythe president to congress
IS now clearly outlined, and a cabinet
oIlcer explained the general line of ac-
ton at present intended to be pursued
upon receipt of the report, which is
expected to reach Washington Thurs
day. A copy Of it will be laid before
the spanish government very early,
ana as soon as can be consistently
done, the report will be sent to con-
gress and made public at the same
t1me. line report to congress will be
accompanied by a message from the
president, stating that after receiving
tue report the conclusions were laid
De1ore the Spanish government and
appropriate action from that quarter
asked. 1t is stated positively that no
part OF the report and no intimation of
the hnd1ngs has reached the executive
authorities In Washington as yet. At
the same time it is a noticeable fact
that the current official opinion is be-
ginning to follow that Of the unofficial
opinion expressed so positively and
persistently at Havana and Key West,
that the cause of the ..',s. =
Explosion Was External
to the battleship. Officials high in the
administration state that while they
were wholly without exact informa-
tlon as to the findings of the court of
inquiry, they found themselves shar-
Ing In the apparently intangible con-
vlct1on that the cause of the explosion
was not accidental. Opinions ex-
pressed by the Maine survivors who
reached here last Saturday doubtless
has contributed largely to this view In
official circles. In this connection it is
understood that one Of the officers who
arrived on Saturday stated, not as
opinion, but as his personal observa-
ton on the night of the disaster, that
there were two distinct explosions,
The tendency Of this is to support the
theory of external cause, as this is
based on the idea that the first external
explosion was followed by second in
ternal explosion. Intense interest in
the report was manifested at the
White House and at the state, war and
navy departments. The president re-
ceived a number of congressional
leaders, among them being Speaker
Reed and Chairman Hit, Of the house
committee on foreign affairs. The
visit of Mr.. Reed naturally
Attracted Much Attention.
as he seldom leaves the congressional
sphere to make calls on the executive
branch, and it was naturally inferred
that the purpose of his visit was to
confer upon the Cuban situation and
its future before congress, though nei-
ther he nor Mr.. Hit was communica-
tive. Secretary Long also had an ex-
tended conference with the president,
but so far as it could be learned it de-
veloped nothing additional relating to
the Spanish question.
The army and navy preparations are
continuing without interruption, al
though they have now become so regu-
lar as to lapse into routine on gi-
gantic scale. The battleship Texas
started Northward from Key West,
thus settling the question as to the
formation of a second squadron at or
near Hampton Roads. 1t is expected
the Massachusetts, will follow in a few
days, but the final orders for that
move have not been made. The navy
department received a preliminary re-
port from one Of it's agents who is at
Havana watching the progress of the
wrecking. It is understood that this
refers mainly to the technical work Of
salvage and not to the question of
cause. The judge advocate generals
office, where the report was received,
will not disclose the details of the re-
port.