Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-01
DELAY NECESSARY.
An Immediate Report BY Cour
of Inquiry Not Possible.
MUST RETURN TO HAVANA.
\ Maine Officer Maintains His
Theory of Design.
70 Orders Issued for Dlspatching Another
! Ship to Havana-Various Rumors
Reported in Washington.

Washington Feb. 2S.--At the close of
flee hours. today. the following tele-
ram came to the navy department
rom Admiral Sicard, at Key West, in
he following terms: "Court of inquiry
kill commence session at Key West to-
ay. 1t must resume session at Hav-
ma to obtain evidence of divers after
urther work upon the wreck"
This communication sets at rest ru-
hors current for some days that the
purt was not to return to Havana for
he reason that it had discovered the
ause of the sinking of the Maine was
lot an accident. The important deduc-
Jon to be drawn from the message is
hat the report of inquiry can scarcely
De expected for several weeks to come.
The court will be occupied at Key
West for some days, at least, in taking
he testimony of the survivors there.
rhen upon the return to Havana it is
Expected that a good deal of time must
slapse before the divers can get through
;he mud that now encompasses the low
sr part of the Maine, and examine the
bottoni. After this is done the court
hust be deliberate in order to secure all
agreement upon its findings. The prev
HlenC. DeIlPI at IHS navy utpdi tlilCAt -
that up to this moment the court has
hot once undertaken to compare notes
and endeavor to reach such an agree
lment
/ 4 Cuban mail was received during the
Bday. and Secretary Long caused 1t 10
I be given to the reporters. 1t was maze
up of one letter from Capt. SampsoA
dated at Havana Feb %, and although
it is simply a statement OF events al
ready reported by telegraph, one fact is
significant. viz. the statement that tes-
timonv Of certain civilian witnesses be-
fore the court would be of no import
ance The letter is as follows:
''Sir-The court has taken the testl-
mony of all the officers of the Maine
still here Tomorrow will take sucn
testimony as the divers have accu-
mulsted The Right Arm arrived mere
this morning and reported TO capt.
Sigsbae. according to the order. rust
some wrecking company will be given
the entire lob, as no other plan will be
feasible. There are two citizens in the
harbor who have sisnified their willing
ness to testify, although they have
nothing important. After taking tnls
evidence and that of the divers, pro-
pose to return to Key West and take
the evidence of the officers and men
there 1t may be necessary to return
mere dIler IuTlHeI pIOSlC09 las N-Stf
made with the divers.
The report that came from Key West
about great activity, and the obserV-
ance of unusual precautions among the
few soldiers quartered there, was re-
ceiyed with amusement at army mead
quarters here. 1t was said that no or
ders had gone from this city to explain
the hustle, but there was the best rea-
son to suspect that the commandant
was simply brushing up the post and
putting his best foot forward against
the expected appearance there on his
tour of inspection of General Merritt
The gun boat Wilmington sailed to-
day from La Guyara for Barbados,
travelling over the course covered a FEW
days before by the Cincinnati and Cas-
tine. All Of the boats are slowly cruising
around in the Caribbean, and will be
so employed until April, when they will
go south again.
Secretary Long said. at the close of Of
flee hours. that no orders had gone out
to send another warship to Havana. At
the White House the utmost quiet pre-
vailed. Many offers have come from or
ganizations and individuals of their ser
vices in case of a conflict. Some of the
congressional callers also have stated
to the president that their states were
ready to furnish full quotas of men.
secretaries Long ana Anger ana rep
resentative Dingley were among the
presidents visitors today, but it was
stated that they had nothing of impor-
tance on the Maine affair to discuss with
him. Mr. Dingley spoke afterward in
strong terms against reports that finan-
ciaI circles in New York were being
sounded as TO the readiness with which
funds could be raised in an emergency.
Secretary Gage declared that the pub
lished statement that he was making
prepaTations for bond issue, and that
theglbureau Of engraving and printing
was preparing the plate. was unquali-
fedly false. No such action has even
been considered, he said.