The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-14
SECRETARY ALGER SAID NO
Would Not Give Mr.. Long In
formation.
A SECRET Closely GUARDED
The Secretary OF the Navy Is Not
Discreet Trough TO Invite Con-
fidencc- Import of Capt. Sigshee's
Memo rahIe Message Clash in
the Presidents Official Family.


the Presidents Official Family.
What might be termed clash in the
official family Of the President has just
come to light. and has caused considera-
Bile feeling between the War and Nay
Departments.
a few days ago Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt wrote to the Acting Chief of
Engineers asking for a detailed state
ment in regard TO the location Of sub
marine mines and torpedo outfits at the
several ports where modern fortifications
have been or are being constructed. This
data Secretary Long desired as he deem
ed il necessary for the use of the Navy
in the event of expected hostilities.
The engineers office, however, declined
positively to give to the Navy Depart
ment the information desired. and Secre-
tary Long Immediately sent an official
communication TO the War Department.
in which the request was repeated.
This action is regarded as being very
significant. and is said to prove conclu-
sively that the Secretary of the Navy
is aware that war is inevitable. despite
his repeated assertions to the effect that
there viii be no war.
The War Department refused positively
to accede to the request of the head of
the Navy Department. the only rason
for the refusal being a statement 10 the
effect that as army officers operate the
should be put in possession of the facts
which Mr. Long desired to obtain.
officials generally regard this as di-
rect intimation to Mr. Long that he can
not intrusted with those things which
il Is of interest % the service to keep
comparatively secret The many indis-
credons which are credited to the Sec
retary OF the Navy are believed in both
departments. to have been the cause of
Secretary AigAr's, direct refusal of a re
quest which was made in such a manner
and came from such a source. No person
in the Government service believes that
Mr. Long would deliberately do anything
detrimental to the arm of the Goverin-
ment Of which he is the head. but that
he might indiscreeuy confde too much
in friend and thus injure the plans laid
so carefully is feared.
Great Secrecy Maintained.
That the President approves of the
course OF the Secretary of War many
persons familiar with the existing rela-
tions between the Executive and the Cab.
met officers believe. Only the most trust.
| ed officers in the army are aware Of tn,
/ location and plans Of the mines used fol
/ the defense Of the rivers and harbors o
| America. In fact, few persons in tht
! country, few even in the War Depart
| ment are cognizant of the fact that al
Of the most important rivers and harbor
/ on both the Atlantic and the Pacih,
! Coasts are protected by submarine mine
| and torpedoes.
| 1t has been the policy of the War De
| partment 10 keep in ignorance of thi
/ fact all persons save the few who haud
! the maps and charts Of the mines and tn
officers in the Engineer Corps trainin!
school a Willets Point.
Usually, however, when one of tn
| heads Of the fighting departments Of tn
Government asks the other for informa
[ tiOn in regard to such things, the answe
is all that could be desired.
This was the case in regard TO I'll
mines in Havana harbor when the Nav
Department asked the War Department
| for copy Of the chart Of the SAT-
mines shortly before the Maine was or
dered 10 that part.
Strange as IT may seem, It is an un
( doubted fact that the War Department
has in its possession charts Of mines /
Havana and other Cuban ports Natur
ally one would suppose that the Navy De
partment would have the care Of sue
1 important and essentially naval thing.
but as a matter Of fact the bureau Of se
cret military intelligence Of the War De
partment is the only thoroughly equippe
bureau Of secret Information in either Dc
partment.
Last Summer this bureau became pos
sesscd of chart sf the submarine mine
IN the harbor at Havana and at the re
quest Of the Navy Department sever
naval officials we're allowed TO see it. A
The Times assarEed five daVs after the cS
plosion which destroyed the Maine oc
CURED Capt. Sfssbee knew that his shi
was directly. over one OF these mines. an
50 informed Secretary Long. who in tur
1 told Sigsbee that he must not search tC
( openly for evidences of the mine AS Spai
and America were friendly powers. an
also that there was little likelihood thu
disaster would befall the Maine
do nothing but fold his hands and hoT
tnat his snip and crew would get out
the harbor without being blown up II
remarkable message describing the di
aster contained these words:
capt. SigsbCe's Message.
Public opinion should be suspended" 3"
They did not mean, as the Navy D.
partment officials led the public to b,
lieve, that the public must not blan
the Spaniards, but meant that he fear,
that the explosion would be called IN a,
cident and thar he would be blame
for II.
just how the disagreement between Ii
War and Navy Departments will end \
one pretends 10 say, but the dissensio
has brought 10 these two facts: America
harbors are well mined ana the Govern
ment IS IN possession Of charts shown
the location of every mine in Spanish an
Cuban waters.
AN OFFICIAL IN TROUBLE.
Charges Against the United State