The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-17
OFFICIAL xEWs OF TIRE D1sAsrER.
TeieSrsu,s from Cart. siEsssc and Ceusui-cen
ernl Lee--06l Men RstssinE.

tho official news connected with the disaster 10
ss follows:
Two officers, Lieut. Friend W. Jenkins and
Engineer Darwin II. Merritt, and 251
men are missing and supposed to be dead; so
enlisted men were wounded, and "a ohicera and
IL enlisted mon were uninjured. This after
noon all the survivors. except 8 officers. a private
of marines, l eunner's mate. and 25 seriously
wounded enlisted men were SAINT to Key West
by the steamer Olivette. The wounded will be
cared for In the Key west Marine Hospital.
No details OF the explosion were given In any of
Capt. SiEsbee's dispatches. He asked for light
house tenders TO render assistance in looking
after wreckage, and tho naval transport Fern,
the lighthouse tender Mangrove and the coast
survey steaIner Bache were ordered from Kay
West to Havana. Surgeons went by these yes
sells. Secretary Long sent TO Capt. Sigsbee q
message Of sympathy in behalf Of President
Mckinley and directed that no expense be
sparea In caring for survivors and the bodies of
the dead. BY direction of tho President tho
official receptions 10 be held at the White House
tonight and tomorrow were postponed.
just before he went home from the Navy De-
partment this afternoon Secretary Long tele.
graphed Rear Admiral Sicard, commanding tho
North Atlantic squadron at the Dry Tortugas,
to appoint a board Of officers to investigate the
cause Of the catastrophe. Until tho report Of
the board has been received no action In the
matter will be taken by tho Government On
that report may depend the continuance of
friendly relations between Spain and the United
States.
At Q o'clock this morning Capt. sigsbee's first
telegram was delivered to Secretary Long. It
said:
MAINE blown up In Havana harbor, $40,
and destroyed. Many wounded. and doubtless
mora lillad md n rnrvnad IVnupdod NH otho,,
on board Spanish man-of.war and Ward line
steamer. Sent lighthouse tenders from Key
Wast for crew and few pieces of equipment still
above water. No one had other clothes than
those upon him. Public opinion should he sus-
pended until further report. AL officers be-
lieved to To saved. Jenkins and Merritt not
yet accounted for. Many Spanish officers. in.
Guiding representatives of Gen. Blanco, now
with me and express sympathy"
Secretary Long immediately sent for Com
mander Dickins, acting chief of the Navigation
Bureau, and both remained up for the rest Of
the night. This telegram was sent by Secretary
Long 10 Capt. Sigshee:
Deepest sympathy and anxiety. We await
particulars and cause. Advise fully. Spare no
effort TO relieve sufferers and learn facts"
Orders were also sent before daybreak to Com
mander Forsyth, commandant Of the Key West
naval station. and the three vessels named woro
despatched there hurriedly. The naval trans
port Fern, under Commander William 8. Coles,
left Key West by 3 o'clock. BY 10 o'clock this
morning dispatches about the disaster came to
the Navy Department at Q rapid rate. Some
were from Capt. Sigsbee and others from news
paper correspondents in Havana and from Con.
sul-General Lee. Gen: Lee sent thIs despatch to
tho State Department.:
a qniot. Great SORROW. expressed by au.
thartttno 0,oahaa hna tAyH,.Lnl a
Navy Department. Not yet prepared to report
cause of explosion"
Nothing about tho cause of tho explosion was
given in any Of these. aud 1t became evident
that nothing could be ascertaincd by Capt. Sigs.
bee without a thorough investigation. In order
to lose no time In translating cipher messages,
Secretary Long directed Capt. Sigsbec TO send
everything in plain English. Admiral Sicard
was informed of the terrible affair in a
telegram from Capt. Sigsbee to Comman-
der Forsyth, which was sent to the Dry
Tortugas from Key West on the torpedo
boat Ericsson. a number of these kilograms
wero delivered to Secretary Long at the White
House, where he spent most Of the morning In
consultation with the President, Secretary
Gnge. and Atiorney.General Griggs. They dis
cussed tho possibility Of Spanish treachcry in
the loss of the armorclad, but decided to follow
NSlN wv w S'SASAA 6NASi Shh Wa
til the facts Gan be ascertained.
1t was after IL o'clock before any accurate in
formation about the loss of life came from Capt.
Sigsbee. Tho despatch was delivered to Secre-
tary Long at the White House, and Immediately
made public. This is the despatch:
Advise sending wrecking vessel at once.
Maine submerged except debris. Mostly work
for divers low. Jenkins and Merritt still miss
ing. Little hope for their safety. Those known
to be saved are: Officers, "a; uninjured. crew.
10; wounded. now on Ward line steamer, in
city hospitals and hotels. SO. so far as known.
All others went down on board or near the
Maine. Total loss or missing. 253. With sew
eral exceptions. no officer or man has
moro than part of o suit of clothing,
and that Is wet with water. Ward steamer
leaves for Mexico at 2 this afternoon. The Off.
GERS saved are uninjured. Damage was in COM
partments Of crew. Am preparing TO telegraph
list OF saved and wounded. Olivette leaves for
Key West at / p. NJ. Will send by her to Key
West officers saved except myself and Vain
wright, Holman. Henneberger. Ray. ana Holden.
VIII turn over three uninjured boats to Captain
OF Port. with request for safe keeping. Will
send all injured men to hospital at Havana"
About this time Secretary Long sent this tele-
gram:
= To Capt. Si0sbes, Havana:
IL poAuSh ufheN'o NV ~ " hiiii
self and the people Of tho United States his pro-
found sympathy with the officers and crew of
the Maine, and desires that no expense be
spared In providing for the survivors and caring
for the dead"
While Secretary Long was at the White House
there were busy times among the officials and
employees of the Bureau of Navigation. Clerks
were set to work copying the roster OF the
Names officers and crew for the information of
the department and the press. Other clerks
were engaged in opening and reading the scores
OF kilograms from anxious relatives and friends.
The roster did not show the home addresses of
the enlisted men, and 1t was necessary to go
through the hles to obtain this aud other In
formation about them. This was tedious work.
and was not completed until midnight. With
tho papers relating TO the services of every mar
is a slip containing the name OF the person
whom he wants H. be informed In case Of death
or injury. 1t was necessary to transcribo these
slips on tho list Of the crew. When the list was
completed kilograms were sent TO all these
persons, telling them OF the loss or safety OF