Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-02
WAR SPIRIT WANING
Mr.. Long Makes. an Import
ant Statement.
CAUSES WIDE COMMENT
secretary OF the Navy Thinks Any Onicinl
Participation OF the Spanish Govern
ment in the Maine Disaa,~r Is
Practically Eliminated
(By Telegram


WASHINGTON, Ma: eh 1.-The main
interest ot the day in connection with
iile tA1alEe inquiry centertl in a state
ment by Secretary Long, f,G!owin3, ths
Saoine'i meeting. that in his personal
opni,tn any official pal-ticipaiionl bv the
Slanash government N the blowing up
OIL tine Maine was nsw practjcanlv
eEnnnatdh from the situation, This
Sacrament was not of a fOrmas or Off
c!aa character. and was made by Mr..
Long as he walked away from the
White House. AS slSua,, th.. yan.,ous
CABINET Officers welH= besiegyi with in
qulries as to the quest IONS before. ,rh,.
meeting, and in Response To thes,. i'm
porlahltleS the Secretary rather casu-
ahiy summed up the situation i'm A few
words, Stating that most of the time
mad he'sn given tor the outrages on, col
"ref poScmaStelS in the South. Nutur-
ally. the Cuban situation had been gone
>Nel'. he said. but There were no actua,
developments. and he felt that puIhlt.,
excitement over the subject had ma te-
rally abareA Then H. added the state
inent IN THE same passing way. that
any participation by the Spanish Gov
eminent i'm the blowing up of th,. Ma nv,
was practically eliminated. in his jalds-
llent. This last remark was sre.e,lily
gwen WIDE Circulation apaIt from the
quletnS references which had accom-
panied It. 1t immediately started much
Long re;urned to the Navy Depart
ment after luncheon he found that what
he lha'1 Intended toy convey WAS being
given the hyrce of an official dec,a
t.ol that Spain's responsibility for the
DISASTER had been eliminated In order
to make clear his meaning, as a per
sonal expression of opinion, Mr. Long
Dictated the following statement:
4he main things we talked about in
Sd"illet We're the outraSes on th9 post
masters. one "a Whit man in Georgia
anu one a colore,l man in South Caro-
lima.
In regard to the Cuban question 7
said l thought things we're growing
gu every day, and as far as nv
Ju-gnleMt went 1 was inclined to think
amy oftlclal participation ON the rant of
the Spanish Government in the disaster
was now practically ellminataN"
Inc foregoing conveyed an that Mt
Long desAr5d to say ION the subject, nd
thiS much was given only to off-S,i. en-
Iarged versions of what The had said
PERSONS occupying the closest reIati, MS
with the Secretary sald that this. opin-
ion expressed Was such as anyon.
might give with the facts now alt hand
II was not In any sense, it was eXpatn-
co. Conclusion t2Aawn from l,raw evil
Eence. Mot made public, either from ,t:h.
court OF inquiry or any officer row con-
csrn1h in the inquiry. Neither facts no.
lntFmati0na have come from such
sources, Ic is said at the Department
Which would serve as the basis for an
opinion The official declaration ,o,f Sc
nor bn RosC. the Spanish Charge DAT
laHres that no mines or su bm.ltine d.
lenses exist in the harbDr q: Havana
ha! come to the attention Of Sec,,.t,rv
l1onsi and this statemcrit from the uili-
tn"r!tlzt4d representative of the Spanish
Governments was felt T., have h-.1p
gwen itS due weight 'in the opinion ex-
pressed by the SECRETARY. 1t was point
ed out by Persons bearing, close rtJl.,-
lions to the Secretary that the Ian
suage used was official participation
s.ll the part of the Spanish Government
Iris. 1t was said. had ns lys-aiine on the
question of Spain's responsibility The
off1c!al participation of Spain was
one thing. while the RESPONSIBILITY of
Spain, i'm case the disaster proved TO be
or external origin. was quite another
thlng. The Secretary'S statement was
Instructed, /; Was explained. to SXcul-
rating Spain from direct official knowl-
e.Ge ana participation lin the affair In
case IT was shown that THE act was ,ll1.
10 some fanatic OF. person unteonnactta
With the government. then the uut-s ton
or Spam's reSpOnsi hility would be still
open. MIR. Long was much surprised
that so much attention had been given
to his passing sll1Isiom
ASIDE fr1m this incHl.nt the ,shv
"
portarre relating to- the Maine No
::spatches of any character from Key
WEST. where the court of inquiry is sit
eng We're given out during the day
ana as the ,flle Of publicity is still in
force, presume bly, nothing came. FROM,
that quarter. The vessel movements
announced during THE day were devoid
Ef significance
Orders went out from the Navy, De-
partment late this afternoon to put the
!ioulclads Mantcnomah arid KataIJ1in
unto commission ON the 10th instant.
iney are now at the League Island
Navy Yard, where they have flsen IA id
up for "a year or two past. II is said
cit the Department that the purpose Of
putting them i'm commission is to make
berthSs for the SURVIVORS of the Maine
now at Key West. waiting on tbs court
or inquiry. whiDta without doubt will
have finished wish them by the 10th
This Miantonomeh Is a formtdafye
double turreted monitor carrying four
ten INCH gins. I'm addition to her main
battery. she carries a. good secondary
battery oS rapVs:-fir. guns. and her tur-
Mets are clad with 11k-inch armor
Her commander has not yet been def
nttely selected. hut the remainder of
hs'r officers will b.. as follows: Lieu
tenant Commander Wilson. executive
officer: Lieutenant Underwood. na'viga-
tor: L,e'Atenants H"gg, GEM and Ensign
Coleman watch officers: Passed AS
sistant Surgeon Weaver anil! Chief En-
gin@er Parks.
The Katah'?fn. otherwise lenownt as
the Amnen Ram, is a Ereak in naval
architecture. and although opinions are
divided as to h5r qualities, there is
little doubt that her presence in any
narhor would make On enemy anxious
she lies mostly un5er water, with a
'tirtl. back OF Steel, varying in, thick
f..a.t