The age-herald., 1898-02-20
STAINS REQUEST
 WAS REFUSED Uncle Sam Will Have an Inde- pendent Investigation OF THE HULL OF THE MAINE The Spanish Minister, Senor DuBose, Comedies ihe Wrecked Maine as Extra Terri tOrial-lfS Spain Investigates it Will
 Be Independently.
OF THE HULL OF THE MAINE

Washington, Feb. 1s.-The interesting feature of the days news at the navy de- partment was the decision of the govern ment to allow concurrent investigations of the cause of the Maine disaster, for its own part making an independent inquiry through the naval court of inquiry already appointed while permitting the Spanish authorities to make such investigation as they desire.
 This arrangement commended itself to naval men as alike fair to all and at the same time as calculated to devolep the ex- act facts in manner that could not be questioned
 Since the spontaneous combustion theory has come so prominently to the front as accounting for the disaster the officials have been looking over the records to find a parallel case, near as may be. The flagship New York was discovered on fire March g, 1896. Smoke was issuing from her main magazine. This was cleared of powder safely and it was found that the wood work had been charred deeply. The cause was not at first perceptible, but 1t was soon discovered that an adjoining coal bunker was burning. When the bunker was opened the coal on top was not hot, but as the men dug down into the mass 1t was found to be red hot inside. There was no manifestation of heat on the top of the bunker nor on any save the one side next the magazine. The belief of the naval ofh- cers and the constructors is that there should be considerable air space between the bunkers and the magazine.
 Lesson Borne in Mind
 In the designing of the new battleships now on the stocks the lesson was kept in mind and everything possible was done to insulate the coal bunkers from the mag azines Secretary Long has given orders that at the expiration ofthis day there need be observed no longer the order to all ships and commands to display the natioanl colors at half-mast.
 Orders have been issued for the enlist ment of 300 men for the navy to fill the vacancies caused by the destruction Of the battleship Maine and to complete the legal quota The men will be sent to receiving ships, from where they will be sent to ships in commission wherever needed
 The contract for the work of saving DOT tions of the Maine and, if possible, raising her was not closed today, although repre- sentatives of the wrecking concerns were In conference with the navy department officials throughout the day.
 Capt. Lemley, who will frame the con- tract said that progress had been toward understanding the general plan of opera ton, but final agreement had not been reached.
 Spain's Request Refused
 The request of the Spanish government for permission to examine the wreck of the Maine reached the state department last night through a message from Consul General Lee.
 The following Is the answer sent:
 ''The government of the United States has already begun an investigation as to the causes of the disaster of the Maine, through officers of the navy appointed es- pecially for that purpose, which will pro- ceed independently.
 'This government will afford every fa- cility it can to the Spanish authorities in whatever investigation they see fit to make upon their part"
 Relieved by DuBose
 The apparent difficulty attending the sending down of divers to the Maine was relieved, If net entirely removed, by a statement today by Senor DuBosc, charge d'affaires of the Spanish legation, that complete and harmonious understanding between Captain SdgSbse and the authorf ties at Havana had been reached on the matter of divers, and that the Spanish au- thorfties viewed the Maine as extra ter ritorial, that is, a part of the sovereign territory of the United States, tine same as United States legation situated in for eign territory of the United States, the same as a United States legation situated in foreign territory. With the Mane hold ing its status extra territorial, all doubts as to the work on the wreck are removed. The waters of Havana harbor are of course, Spanish territory and some confus- ion had bsen aroused by the idea that hhis jurisdiction over the waters attached also to the wreck in its present helpless condi- tdon at the bottom of the bay.
 It appears, however, that thene Is no disposition to extend this Jurisdiction to the ship, and that the Spanish authorities freely assent to the Maine's being regarded as extra territorial and under the immed- fate direction of Captain Sigsbee as the representative of the United States Ac- corJing to the view taken by the Spanish authorities there can be no trouble attend ing the work of divers. Captain Sigsbee will be recognized as the one to direct opp erations and to send down the government divers for such inspection as he sees proper to make.
 May Proceed Together. MT. DuBosc feels assured however, that Captain Sigsbee will extend equal facili- ties to the Spanish divers. so that the in spectons may proceed together. AS to what divers Captain Sigsbee will employ, the feeling among Spanish officers here is that that will be wholly a mattsr of discretion with Captain Sigsbee as ta1e one in charge of piece of property having the attributes of American soil. But at the same time the feeling Is expressed that this discretion will lead to the choice of authorized divers of the navy department, rather than those representing newspapers.
 The view taken by the Spanish authorl-