The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-24

atoms, no portions of their bodies be-
ing recoverable. and there Is much
doubt that any considerable number of
those whose remains are now being re-
moved will be identified.
A DIsCREDITED REPORT.
| General Lee Did Not Advise Ameri-
cans to Leave Havana.
| Washington. Feb. A.-The arrival Of
mail in Washington from Key West
| yesterday afternoon bringing several
| private letters from naval officers late
| ly attached to the Maine caused wave
OF excitement to run over the depart
| ments and the Capitol for there were
| all sorts of rumors as to the contents
| of these letters. very few of which ru-
| mors In point Of fact had any sound
| basis. The only feature, so far as could
bs discovered. Of real importance as
throwing any light on the cause Of the
| explosion contained in the letters was
| the statement that the two after boil
ers In the after boiler space were all
of the eight boilers of the Maine that
were under steam at the time Of the
explosion. This fact had negative
value. for It disposed at once of the
theory that an exploding boiler had
caused the wreck. The experts all say
that by no possibility could the after
boilers explosion have wrecked the fore
part Of the Maine and left the after
part almost unharmed.
Much interest was shown In dis
patch received shortly before 3 o'clock
from Admiral Sicard giving the recon-
mendations of Captain Sampson. of the
court Of inquiry. as to the raising of the
wreck. The view Of naval officers was
that Captain Sampson and his assocl-
ates were giving this advice not as q
court. but as officers In position to
speak es the best methods to be adopt
ed. Various interpretations were put on
the expression forward half complete
ly destroyed" This was regarded as
partial confirmation of the theory
that the forward magazine had ex-
ploded. as that Is one of the most i'm
p0rtant portions Of the forward half
of the ship. At the same time II was
held by some naval authorities that the
destruction Of the forward half of the
ship did not necessarily mean that the
forward magazine had exploded as
this might be still intact although
part of the general Wrackage.
Captain Sampson's recommendation
that contract be made with the best
equipped wrecking company to remove
material and lift the ship without de-
lay was In line with the action already
taken In closing O contract with the
two largest wreckirg companies In the
country, by which their combined fa-
cilities will be at the service of the
government. A clause Of the contract
itemizes the amounts to be paid for
each branch OF wrecking work. viz:
Wrecking tug Underwater. $50 per
day: wrecking steamer Jones, $500:
lighter Seymour. sI5; derrick Chief. s75:
barge Lone Star. $780, wrecking tug
Right Arm. $500: wreck master. SIS;
wreckers. $3.50 each: divers. $40 each.
Evidently the president of the court
Of inquiry is fearful of the effect on tho
public of Ill judged attempts to ac-
count for the destruction of the Maine,
for yesterday afternoon he telegraphed
Secretary Long as follows: ANY re-
ported interview with divers untrue.
Every precauton has been taken. OF.
flcer always present"
This brief statement disposes Of all
the allegations that have been made
pro and con rs to the blowing UP of the
forward magazines.
The officers here are still thinking of
Captain sigsbeos request Of Tuesday
to be furnished with the plans of the
ms,n.r sye,.vi. through VI. the magazines
and coal bunker pockets. The reIer-
ence 10 the latter IS particularly inter-
esting. and leads to a desire to be in
formed on the exact quantity and quail.
ity Of the coal supply at the time of
the explosion. 1t Is said that these
pocket bunkers are rarely emptied, be-
ing designed as much for the protec-
tion of the ship against gunshots as
for capacity to hold coal. One expert
said that these bunkcrs, in his own ex- |
perience. had not been emptied in |
months. All of this has to do with the
spontaneous combustion theory, as the
bunkers abut of the magazines might
have set off even the safe brown pow
der II the latter were exposed to a de-
gree of heat above 600 degrees for some
time. The request, besides may show
that Captain Sigsbee is not yet satisfied
as to the cause Of the explosion. not
the expressions that have
been attributed to him by unauthorized
persons.
The report that Consul General Lee
had advised Americans to quit Havana
Is dlscredited here. 1t Is said that the
consul general. In the course Of friendly
talk In Havana with Americans, may
have Expressed the view that there are
at present other places more desirable
rs resorts for persons who have no PAR
ocular business there than Havana, but
he state department authorizes the an
loucemnnt that 1t has not yet been ad-
,!scd that he has either officially or
'emi officially delivered himself of any
on the subject The Spanish
e3aticn also discredits the reports that
General Lee has given such warning.
t Is also said at the department that
10 message has been conveyed to tho
wners Of American vessels at New Or
cans or elsewhere that 1t would not be
afe for them to visit Cuban ports at
his time.
Assistant Secretary Of State Day de-
lied an interview attributed to him in
which he was reported to have said
hat the Americans in Havana were in
reat danger. and that General Lee had
cen quite right If he had advised them
D leave the city. Il have not had any
animation that General Lee has given
he Americans in Havana any such ad-
ice.' said Secretary Day, "and have
OF discussed the matter with any one"
,
The Weather. :
For District Of Columbia, eastern
ennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware,