The record-union., 1898-02-22
The WRECKINC OF THE
BATTLESH|P maine.

Navy Department have about resigned
themselves to the belief that nothing
definite or certain can be known Tor
several days to come, as the operations
of the divers upon the wreck or the
Maine are being confined at present TO
the recovery of the bodies or the deau
still in the wreck and the recovery OF
valuables, neither of which can be neg
lected While the other branch OF the
work. namely. the investigation of the
cause of the disaster, may be more
properly left to the conduct-of the court
of inquiry.
General Lees dispatch was as fol-
lows: Great need of divers to get eff
fects and bodies from the wreck. Two
are now employed, but twelve or fifteen
could be used. One hundred and forty
three bodies have been buried. Very
few were found to-day, but over 100
are supposed to be confined in the ship.
The sailors now in the Spanish hospi-
tails number eleven. Visited them yes
terday All will recover except two.
They are comfortable and we'll cared
for'
Assistant Secretary Day made the
following answer Immediately: Have
called at Navy Department with your
request for divers. Same will be COM
piled WITH
The scarcity of divers complained Of
by General Lee probably has already
been overcome by the arrival of the
Bache with a force of divers from the
North Atlantic squadron at Tortugas,
and with necessary apparatus.
A dispatch of last night from Captain
Sigsbee was as follows: Mine more
bodies buried yesterday, only two of
whom were identified-William Lund
and NJ. F. Harris
Another dispatch was as follows:
Visited hospital to-day Men much
pleased to see me- Koehler and Hotter
are very low. 1 have hopes of Hotter.
Koehler has a fighting chance only.
Number of bodies found and buried to-
day. No investigation yet at zone of
explosion Need of regular wrecking
divers for that. Lee sent message TO
General Blanco relating to expected
coming of wrecking vessels"
1t is understood that by the zone
of the explosion in his dispatch that
| Captain Sigsbee means that part of tbs
wreck OF the Maine forward of the
main mast that suffered directly.
The reference to the Lee dispatch to
Blanco touches the formal notification
to the Spanish authorities there of the
coming of the American wrecking YES
sels to Havana. Under ordinary circum-
stances there might be some question
of the right of foreign vessel to op-
| crate in the harbor of Havana, presum-
ing that the Spanish law is identical
with our own But in the case of a
national vessel like the Maine the rule
would not apply, though the notice is
conveyed to Captain General Blanco as
matter of courtesy, and to prevent
possible delay through the interference
of some uninstructed subordinateS in
the custom service at Havana
Captain Sigsbees last dispatch. sent
yesterday. was as follows; "Will send
two wounded by the Bache These
two recommended to go to Tortugas.
| Barnett Captain of the Bache) will
report to Admiral"
The Navy Department has informed
Admiral Rowe at Key West of these
facts communicated by Captain Sigsbee.
II leaves entirely to the Admiral's dis
cretion the assignment Of the wounded
arriving from Havana to Tortugas in
stead of Key West.
Captain Lemley, the Judge Advocate
General of the Navy Department, with
Captain Bradford, Chief of Equipment
Bureau. and Commodore Hichborn,
Chief Instructor were in consultation
for some time with Secretary Long re-
porting to him the plans they had
formed for the wrecking of the Maine.
Captain Lemley suggested some further
changes in the details Of the contracts
which are now being drawn from the
wrecking companies. and ii is expected
that within few hours after Congress
shall have enacted and the President
shall have signed the necessary bill
making an appropriation for the work,
the contracts viii be signed.
The incoming mail at the Navy De-
partment brought most interesting
contribution to the news of the day in
the shape of an excellent photograph of
the wrecked Maine as il now lies IN Ha-
vaEa harbor. This was forwarded to
the Secretary of the Navy by Lieutenant
Hood, lately attached to the Maine. 1t
is a view from the port side. and in fea-
lures represents the last newspaper cuts
of the wreck. Secretary Long took it TO
the White House and gave it to the
President. who was much interested in
the details as shown in the photograph.
The Navy Department has not yet de-
termined definitely which of our war
ships shall replace the Maine in Havana
harbor, although il has been determined
that as matter of policy another ship
must be sent there. The choice may be
the Montgomery, now on her way from
San Domingo to Key West, or the Nash
vile, a gunboat now at Galveston par
ticipating in the mardi gras festivities.
II the latter terminates some time this
week as expected. the Nashville Will
probably be selected Tor the trip. as the
Montgomery is just returning from a
cruise in the West Indies. including two
ports OF Cuba. and has been on patrol
duty also.
The State Department, in view Of the
public denial by Captain sobral of the
authenticity OF interviews credited to
him in newspapers. and the further fact
/ that he had previously terminated
his official connection with the
Spanish Legation here. has de-
eided to ignore the matter. What
i threatened 10 be another International
incident growing out. Of certain alleged
/ utteranees by Lieut. enant Commander
s"bfal mas been dismissed sumnarily.
as shown by the following statement
given out al the Department of State.
The Department of State learns from
the Spanish Charge d'Affaires that
Lieutenant Command Ssbfal. to whom
unfavorabie utterances respecting the
discipline of the United States navy had
been attributed in newspaper inter-
view. was relieved of his functions as