Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-18


dent Within a Few Hours-Ad-
miral Sicard Has Been Ordered
by Secretary Long to Send the
Information Forthwith - Every
Effort Will 9e Made to Keep Any
Glue to the Nature Of Report from
Becoming Public-For That Rea-
son, a Proposition to Wire it in
Cipher Was Abandoned-A Bill
to Place tn 9 Army Upon a War
fOoting-Strength of the Militia of
the Country.
Washington, March 1.-THE Presi-
dent expects the report of the court of
inquiry tomorrow or next day. 1t
| may even now be on its way from Key
West to Washington. When the court
arrived at Key West yesterday from
Havana. and reported to Admiral ST.
card what progress it had made to-
wards reaching the end of the long
task, the Admiral promptly communi-
Gated with the Secretary of the Navy.
1t was the Secretary's purpose to have
tull synopsis of the courts cOnClu-
slons put in cipher and telegraphed TO
Washington. UDOn consultation with
the President, however, this plan was
abandoned. Both the President and
the Secretary are determined that no
efforts be spared to maintain the Sc
crecy of the courts verdict until they
themselves have determined to give it
publication. Therefore even the admi-
rably designed naval cipher code could
not be relied upon with complete sat
lsfaction and at the Presidents in
stance Admiral Sicard was directed
to place the documents in the custody
of some naval officer, according TO the
usual method, and forward tAem to
Washington in that manner. Whether
this officer has started or not is not
yet known. but if he and Admiral ST.
card have executed their orders with
the regular naval promptness, it will
not be long before the President is
placed in possession of such informa-
ton and conclusions as the court has
so far reached. 1t is not even known
positively that the conclusions are
final, but if the ordinary routine of
the courts inquiry has been followed
~ thlo NSoC t1CS plODcibig ctiC oil cll
and the Secretary, unless the Secretary
of the Navy believes after looking into
the testimony that the investigation
SHOULD BE FURTHER PURSUED.
AS before stated. every precaution
that human ingenuity can suggest will
be adopt to safeguard the report
the main apprehension being that
there may be somehow a publication
in the newspapers that may interfere
seriously with the successful working
out of the policy of the administration.
The documents will be sealed at Key
West under the personal observation
of Admiral Sicard. and the naval Off
Ger who takes papers in his custody
viii be expected to deliver the envel-
opes with seal unbroken into the hands
of the Secretary Of the Navy. Prob
ably the messenger will be Lieut.. Com
mander Mark, the judge advocate of
the court of inquiry, though the selec-
ton is entirely within the authority Of
Admiral Sicard It must be remem-
bered that the Admiral ordered the
court and to him the return must be
made. Technically he must also re-
view the proceedings and conclusions
and submit his own opinion along with
the papers AS Admiral Sicard is the
very incarnation of caution in the dis
charge of official matters and as he is
technically responsible for the safe de-
livery of the courts report TO the sec
rotary of the Navy, it may safely be
set down as fact that any publication
that attempts to set out either IN full
or in substance the court report Will
be absolutely conjectural
TO-DAY WAS DIPLOMATIC DAY,
and in addition to his foreign callers
there were number of Senators ana
Representatives kept waiting for some
time in order to get access TO Assist
ant Secretary Day Vice president
Hobart was also a prominent caller,
but he did not remain longer than ten
minutes. He was Immediately pre-
coded by Senator Davis, chairman OF
the committee on foreign relations,
who was closeted with the assistant
secretary for fully an hour The dip
lomatic callers included the french
ambassador. Senior Cana, the Chilean
minister, and Mr.. Wengelmuller, the
Austrian minister. Because Chile
has been mentioned as the possible
salesman of a warship TO the United
States, the assumption was drawn that
the minister had called on that busl-
ness. As a matter of fact, he is pre-
pairing for his departure for his new
most in London and has Informed the
department that he will sail from New
York on the 2Sd inst, 1t was stated
positively to-day that the Austrian
minister's call had no reference to
presentations to the State department
in behalf of the Spanish side OF the
present issue. In explanation OF MS
call it was suggested that he has not
issued a diplomatic reception day IN
many weeks and is engrossed IN reel
procity relations.
The largest measure of preparation
vet made by the war department TO
meet the contingencies of the future
promptly has just been completed. Ii
is the preparation of bill providing
among other sections for the placing
of the army on war footing for the
full
STRENGTH OF 100000 MEN.
The bill has been carefully gone over
hv the war department and will be in
PRODUCED in the House by Representa-
tive Hull. chairman OF the House COM
mittee on military affairs who, II Is
expected, will urge it vigorously, mas
much as it is an administration meas
ure The basis OF the bill viii be the
well-known three battalion organiZa-
lions. That is the idea Of the peace
status of the army, but provision IS
made for the exercise by the President