Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-19

WASHINGTON. February 1S.-Tht
feature of the day at the Navy Denart.
ment was the large number of rumors Of
warlike tendency that came TO the at.
ienton Of the officials. So formidable
had grown the list that at the close Of
Office hours Secretary Long was induced
90 make the following statement as the
easiest manner of disposing at one time
OF an these stories:
Really. no information has been re-
csived since Captain Sigsbee's first dis
patch, adding anything TO our knowledge
90 the disaster. All we know is that
Maine blew up. There is abundant room
for speculation of all sorts, but no con-
ciusion can be arrived at until an exami-
nation has been made by the divers. and
more facts obtained. 1t is simple fact
20 say the explosion might have happened
by design or It might have happened by
accident There is no indication of design,
and my impression has been all along,
and I rather think that the opinion pre-
ponderatss in the same direction, that it
must have been an accident.
AT the Cabinet meeting to-day, the
matter was not discussed, except as any
body OF men talk about an event of that
kind. and most OF that talk related to the
terrible loss OF life. and to expressions of
sympathy for the sufferers.
1T certainly was a very kind thought
in the President to send flowers TO the
families Of Captain Sgsbee, of Execu-
tIve-Officer Wainwright. and of the lost
seamen whose residences are in Wash
ington.
RUMORS DENIED.
You may say absolutely, that there
has been no secret Cabinet meeting; that
nothing has taken place in the Cabinet
that the public have not been informed
about: that the whole policy of this de-
partment has been TO give the public all
the dispatches. that the department has
n0 more knowledge on the subject of the
Disaster. or even Of the circumstances
attending IL. than has the public. and that
the report which was to the effect
that Captain Sigsbee had warned the
Department that the Maine was in
danger from submarine mines or tor
redoes. is utterly without foundation, no
such report ever having been received
from him or from anybody else.
The Secretary also denied briefly ana
c0mprehensively wild rumors that lie had
requested the Chief Of Police of New
York 10 guard the Viscaya, and that he
had selected Constructor Bowles TO so 10
Habana and raise the Maine.
The last work Of the day for him was
t0 consult the representatives OF the
wrecking companies who probably VIII
have charge Of this work, and endeaVor |
20, arrange for both Of them TO work to- |
gether. so as TO secure the use of each |
peculiar plant and 10 save time.
sIGSBEE COMMENDED.
The Secretary. when asked what was |
the departments estimate OF the con- /
Duct Of Captain Sigsbee in the terrible |
situation in which he had been placed, |
replied: II think / express the feeling OF
the President as well as my own, wheh
] say that Captain SiSsbee has conduct
"a himself as an officer of our navy
should. He was the last 10 leave mis- ship
Whrn she went down. His dispatch TO
me that night was so complete that since
then / have thought of no question OF
fact 10 ask him which is essential 10 the
situation. and which ne could answer
which is not covered by that dispatch
Its tone too Is that Of a discreet and
level-headed man, who realized the I'M
preston any word from him, at that
time. would have on the puohc mihd'
Nothing Is harder than for naval oni-
Ger TO lose his ship; so that / have great
sympathy for him. / wait with conn
oence further reports.
During the DAY the department was In
receipt OF a number OF kilograms from
different parts OF the country, asking In
behalf OF relatives Of the dead sailors
that their remains be brought back TO the
United States for interment. Among
them were requests. from friends OF the
Two oficers-Merritt and jenkins. 10
most Of these the reply was that the Of
fcers bodies had not been round ana ~
The others that In many cases ioentiiicd
ton had not been possible ana 'na'
there was no probability OF any or ,he
remains being taken away from h"D'""
SPANISH INVESTIGATION.
While no decision has been reacneo
formally upon the application OF the
Spanish Government for autnori@"'ion
10 examine the wreck Oh l"e
Maine 20 ascertain the cause OF ne "
p0sion. the officials seem inclined 10 re-
gard the request as one that could not
properly BE- refused, and IL Is hKey tha'
both governments will make an investisa-
ton Of this character concurrehtly'
The miniature United States nasS On
thc mOoel OF the battleship Maine, ~ eno
main oorrider Of the Navy Depatt"en|
were lowered 10 half-mast during tne
day. BY direction OF the Secretary oi tne
Navy. The handsome model mas reei ]
centre Of interest for the tnronss a. ]
The department within recent days. pnu I
me small flags have continued 10 ny az
he mast-heads IN apparent irony OF "'
actual condition OF the Maine.
A movement was started today 70 {
drape the model IA mourning after the q
manner that the model Of the Bri.isn
chip Victory was draped at the WORLDS
Isis Secretary f0nec ofd not JpptVfSt