Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-19
FROM WASHING TON.
Of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON, March 10

D0p6Tlm6hto IO-OoJ, Hoe Wv -
terest of officials conferred in the forth
coming report of the board of in
ouiry on the Maine disaster. Per
sons in position to know had little
to add to the fact already made
public that the report is expect
ed within tie next few days. 1t
was stated definitely that no advance
intimstion as to the character OF the
report had been received here. The
chief development of the morning was
the arrival of four of the survivors OF
the Maine disaster, who held q long
conference with Secretary Long, ana
later were taken by the Secretary to
the White House for talk with
the President. These survivors are
Lieutenants Holman, Blow and
Catlin and Boatswain Larkin.
With them came Naval Constructor
Hoover, who was sent by Secretary
Long from Washington few weeks
ago to make a technical inspection OF
the wreck of the Maine. The divers
had found great difficulty in identifying
some of the twisted and battered plates
from the bottom of the Maine and 1t was
believed that Constructor Hoover ;
technical knowledge would be able to
make this Identification complete. 1t
was stated after the conference that the
main subject of conversation was the
explosion itself, comprising detailed
narrative Of the officers, and har.
rowing description of the calamity.
Senator Chandler was in conference
with several of the Cabinet officers to-
day, and after leaving them expressed
the opinion that the report of the naval
board of inquiry would not be received
until next week. He thought 1T would
come on Monday or Tuesday and was
quite confident that the President
would send it to Congress as soon as
received if OF nature to permit thai
being done. at is barely possible"
said the Senator, that the character OF
the document may be such as to rem
der it inexpedient to give it out until
Congress can be made aware gradually
of its contents. II, for instance, it indi-
Gates beyond doubt the culpability of
the Spaniards, it would not be wise to
place Congress in immediate possession
of the facts officially for fear that war
would be declared instantaneously and
without due regard to ell the condi
tons" The Senator, however, reiter,
ated his belief, which wes tho result of
his conference with the executive OF
ticials, that the report and the testl-
mony also, whatever their purport,
would be sent to Congress just as soon
as this could be done in the interest of
the public service. He also asserted
his conviction that the Navy Depart
ment and the President were as get ig.
no-ant of the contents of the boards
fiudngs.
The dynamite cruiser Vesuvius,
which has been ordered here to have
her guns repaired, arrived at the navy
yard this morning having remained at
the Indian Head proving ground over
night. 1t is expected the work Noes
say on the vessel can be completed
within fifteen days. Lieut.. Commander
John F. Pillsbury is in command.
The preparations for the second Con-
gres5 of Mothers are going forward ac-
lively. There are to be twenty COM
mittees. Some of the topics to be dis
cussed are Harmony at the hearth,
The mothers who need help, A nation
al training school for women, The
training of motherhood and the public
schools, Expression necessary to evo-
luton, The fathers responsibility, The
education of mothers.
The military affairs committee OF the
House held special meeting to-day
to consider the bill for the reorganizz-
ton of the army. The bill, in so far as
it reorganized the army into what is
known as the three battalion formation,
met with the unanimous approval Of
the members OF the committee
The misunderstanding which grew
up out of an invitation extended by
Vice President Hobart to Secretary
Quesads of the Cuban iunta has been
cleared up. When it came to the at
tention of Mr.. Hobart that political
significance was being given to his re
ceiving Senior Quesada as guest the
Vice President speedily Informed the
State Department that his invitations
were purely of q social character and
that there had been no purpose in the
remotest way to give any political or
official significance to Senior Quesada's
presence ct his house. The Spanish
Minister, on learning the foregoing
dismissed the matter as of no import
ancs.
The Norfolk boat that arrived here
this morning brought up whole bat
terry of artillery and sixty me0, and
landed them at the governments wharf
at the new fertilization at Sheridan'5
Poiot, short distance below Alexan-
dria.
A strong effort will be made to in-
duce Mr.. Speaker Reed to allow the
bill, TO establish national agricultural
station on the low lands eest Of Airing
ton, containing about 500 acres Of
the government reservation there,
to be considered, but as the bill carries
an appropriation of $4,000, the effort
will probably be vain, though the Sec
retaries of both the War and Agricul-
tural Departments desire and recon-
mend the passage of t bill.
Mr.. Frank Hume, of Alexandria
county, is sick and has gone to Atlantic
City to recuperate.
The friends of the bill to pay the
claim of the Richmond Locomotive
Works say to-day they feel confident
that bill will be reached on Monday,
and be passed, but disinterested mem
bers of the House have no such idea.
Amonp the Danciona oroptad rastor