New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-21
REPORT NOT YET RECEIVED
PRESIDENT HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE
BOARD OF INQUIRY.
CONFERENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY
PURCHASE oF wARsHIPs BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN DIsCUssED-THE CON
FERENCE OF GENERALS
N CT'pA.


Washington. March 2O-Presdcrt Mckinley
did not attend church this morning as Is his
custom. but instead spent two hours and more
In conference with several members OF his Cab
met. Asslsian. Secretary Day called at 1890
a. In and remained until nearly p. m. Secre-
tary Long and Secretary Bliss were the other
members present They remained less than an
hour Commander Glover, in company with
Charles r. Flint. who hes been acting for the
Government in the negotiations for the purchase
Of ships also called. and shown into the
Presidents private oflicc.
The members OF the Cabre: on leaving the
White House said there was no specia signlfi-
canoe in The meeting this m,rrinE. The report
Of he Maine Cour, % Inquiry had not been re-
ccivcd. nor was 1t definitely known when IL
would arlTre. 1t was expected. howevef' carry
in the pr:sen: week and az soon as received IL
would be handed at once to the Presiden, ana
when !, had been read and considered by him
/: woul3 be made public Secretary Long in
speaking OF the report, said that while fully real
izing rs importance. the country In his opinion,
would willingly accord 10 the President day
or two. II necessary. for it consideration The
indications seem 10 he that the repor- Will De
made public by tho middle Of the present week
The prcsercc of Charles r. Flint at the con-
dent and his advisers were discussing the ques-
ton Of acquiring additional ships. Mr. Flint.
whose commercial interests are largely with
South American countries, is believed in meas
ure at leas. to represent Chill and the Argen-
tine Republic in any negotiations which are
under wav for the disposition OF their war Ves-
sells reporter to-day asked Mr.. tInt II ne
could say whether or not the United States had
secured possession OF the Chilian ship O'Hggins
and the Argentine ship San Martino, but he de-
clined 10 make any statement as TO that partlcu-
lar feature OF the subject. When pressed for
some information in regard to the matter he
replied:
Both Chi and the Argentine Republic have
the warmest friendship and admiration FOR the
United States and her institutions. Neither
country is anxious to sell its ships 10 this Gov
ernment basng this indisposition on the belief
that we have an excellent Navy Of our own.
They want these vessels themselves. If the time
should come however when it was apparent that
,he United States needed these Vessels they
would gladly part with them to us.
The attention Of Mr.. Flint was called to the
/ published report that the United states would
| purchase the Brazilian torpedo gunboat 1uby,
but this he said would not he done, so far as he
was aware as there were no negotiations under
oay to that effect.
of the Cabinet at the White House there were
no incidents Of importance in the course OF the
day. Judge Day. Assistant Secretary Adee,
chief Clerk Michael and other officials were at
| the Department. but this has been quite COM
mon during the last month. Also at the War
Department and Navy DepaI tment a number or
the clerks Of bureaus were at their desks FOR
several hours. mainly for the purpose Of dispos-
ing If the business which recently has accumu-
la ted so rapidly.
The most Interesting topic Of the day was
based on the dispatches from Havana indicat-
ing a prospective conference between General
Paudo and Generals Garcia, Gomez and others
Of the insurgent army. for the purpose Of sub
mitting 10 the latter formal offer Of autonomy.
The basis OF autonomy as outlined in the dis
matches apparently found no credence with the
officials of the Spanish Legation. They stated
their disbelief that conference on the proposed
lines probable, and added that they had
no Information on the subject. Minister Polo
de Bernabe expressed the opinion that the re
port from Havana unfounded as he said
the basis upon which IL was proposed TO grant
autonomy absurd.