The record-union., 1898-02-23

nous action of Congress upon the joint
resolution of Congress, Secretary Long
believes that he is justified in making
the above terms with the wreckers
though he at first thought the per diem
compensation large. 1t must be borne
in mind. however, he said to-day, that
this VIII constitute the largest wreck
ing expedition ever equipped in this
country. Moreover, the wreckers eX-
pressed a willingness TO go to work in
the usual way that they serve under
writer's, namely. to do the wrecking and
| then take the award of a board of ar
| bitration This plan, however, was
not open to the Government which is
compelled by law TO fix terms in ad-
vance.
y clause of the contract requires the
| companies TO proceed with all dis
patch and in a business-like manner
with the work of wrecking, and though
this haste adds to the cost of work, il
| is believed to be necessary, in view OF
the possibility of early appearance o1
! yellow fever at Havana harbor with
| the approach of the rainy season next
| month.
man, representing the two companies
who viii do the work, explained to the
| Associated Press the plans they will
| adopt in wrecking the Maine. In ad-
dition to the emergency work to be
prosecuted by the Right Arm, the main
| expedition will be made up of about
| 100 men, including six skilled divers
| the Wrecking steamer Underwater OF
| Boston, of GOO horsepower; the wreck
| ing steamer John G. Jones of Norfoli
! of similar power; the iron barge Lone
| Star of Boston, capable of carrying
5000 tons; the floating derrick Mon
| arch, capable of lifting go tons, the
| largest floa ting derrick in the country
and another derrick, capable of lifting
| thirty tons The forwarding boats
| derricks and men Will begin at once
| kilograms were sent to-day to begin
| the Quitting, the taking on of coal
and the assembling of men equipped
| The boats are ready to start a any
time, but it will take day or two to
get together the additional facilities re-
quired for this large undertaking.
The wreckers say it will be impossible
! to assemble this material and get into
| Havana harbor ready for work for :
week. They will make every effort
| however, to expedite the work, and or
leaving Secretary Long a l o'clock they
took trains for New York and Bostor
with the determination Of rushine the
| work.
Probably Lieutenant Commando,
! Wainwright, the executive officer of the
Maine, now in Havana, will be assigned
to the duty of inspecting the work as il
proceeds.
The officers of the two wrecking com
panies to-day said that after the expedi-
tion was assembled in Havana harbor, 6
complete inspection of the wreck woulc
| be made and the exact line of work de-
termined upon. The facilities will be
ample that all the divers will be able
to work at one time on different parts OF
| the wreck Most of the lifting will be
done by the smaller derricks, which is OF
sufficient capacity for the lighter. upper
works of the Maine, but it will take the
monster derrick of the Monarch TO lif'
| the huge turrets of the Maine and the
guns mounted within them.
| Captain Humphreys stated that the
purpose was not to separate the big guns
from the turrets, but lift them as g
whole This will be a tremendous un-
dertakng, as the combined weight ot
each turret and gun is 166 tons. The
Monarch can lift 260 tons, so there is
an ample margin of lifting power.
| The wreckers We're loath to express
an opinion as to their ability to raise the
| hull of the Maine Mr.. Chapman an6
Captain Humphreys stated that moth
ling but a close personal inspection woult
permit q decision on that point. They
are hopeful, however, that the ship car
be brought to the surface.
The iron barge Lone Star will be USED
to receive the turrets, guns and wreck
age. and as fast as loads are made VI
she will be towed 20 the Norfolk navy
yard.
A member Of the Spanish Legation re-
| turned to-day from New York, where
he went to deliver mail to Captain Eu-
late and Vizcaya officers. He says the
/ Spanish commander is much gratifeG
with the cordial reception given him by
officials in New York. It has now beer
determined that the cruiser will take
coal before leaving for Havana, and this
will defer the departure from New Yorl
until the latter part of the week
The Navy Department received a dis
patch from Captain Sigsbee this even
| ing saying that fourteen more bodies
had been recovered from the wreck O
| the Maine. All the remains are un
identified 1t is not thought that any
| bodies will be identified hereafter, un
| less by the clothing Aside from tn,
effect of the long submersion the mer
| still missing We're nearly all directly
under the main deck, which was blowy
up. and the tremendous force OF tn,
explosion bIotted scores of them GU
Of existence entirely.
The department knew nothing of tn.
printed report that the tender Bacht
had left Havana with dispatches fol
| Admiral Sicard at Key West