Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-24

QOlrlGS Wnetner the department was sup
pressing information concerning the dis
aster to the Maine, wrote the following:
Navy Department, Washington, D. c.,
February a. 1885,
mo telegram has beer received from
either Admiral Sicard or Captains Samp-
Sigsbee since yesterday, and tine
department has received information
with regard to the disaster that has not
already been made public. The department
is waiting the result of the inquiry, and
public opinion should be suspended until
some official information is received.
tSiSncd JOHN D. LONG,"
1t is stated upon authority that the public
has been fully informed as to all matters
connected with the disaster to the Maine
which have come to the knowledge of the
government, that nothing has been with
held of the least public interest that this
policy will be continued until the problem
has been solved and the whole truth
brought to light. and that the government
has not received any information from Of
hcial sources tending to show with any de-
gree of certainty that the explosion was
the work of enemies.
No Cable News From Gen. Lee.
Nothing has been heard from General
terday in the shape of a cablegram, and as
the consul general has been prompt here
tofore in informing the State Department
of any developments of significance it is
supposed that there has been none of these
since General Lees last report In the
mail received from him this morning was
copy Of the message of coincidence re-
ceived by him on the 18th instant from Cap
tain General Bianco in the following terms
1T becomes my painful duty to express
to you my profound sorrow for the misfor-
tune which occurred yesterday on board
the American ship Maine. l associate my
self with all my heart to the grief of the
nation and of the families who have lost
some of their members, and upon doing so
do not only express my personal senti-
ments, but speak in the name of all the
inhabitants of Havana, witnesses of the
catastrophe which has afflicted so MANY
homes.
God guard you many years.
RAMON BLANCO."
There were no dispatches in the forenoon
at the Navy Department from either Ha-
vana or Key West, and the only naval
movement reported was the dropping down
from the Norfolk navy yard to Hampton
Roads of the big double-turreted monitor
orders of the department.
Length of the Inquiry.
The Navy Department has not been in
formed a. to the probable length of time to
be occupied by the court of inquiry in it's
work Such court, it is said, has the
greatest liberty of action, much greater
than courtmartial which is strictly lin
tied by the naval regulations. OF course it
&c ciH L. t1,a@ H.
in course of a day or two for Key West in
order to take there the testimony of such
of the surviving officers and men as are now
qrartered at Key West. The latter are not
subject to release from their position until
the court has declared that it has concluded
their testimony, and as many of these sur
viyors are anxious to secure snort leaves of
absence in order to see their families and
friends, It ay be that the court will cut
short it's stay at Havana in order to ac-
ccmmodate them 1t is believed however
that in this case. unless there should be un-
expectedly significant developments before
the court leaves Havana, it will return to
that place later in order to ascertain from
the work of the divers the cause of the ex-
p!osion, if any trace is left that will be of
value.
The mystery surrounding the blowing up
of the Maine remains dense as on the
day following the explosion That is the
opinion of the administration at least and
presumtively it is as well informed of the
state of affairs as any unofficial person. If
there were any developments of value at
Havana yesterday, if anything was dis
covered ten6ing to throw light upon the
nature and cause of the explosion, none of
these facts has been reported to either the
Navy or the State Department. To attempt
to say from the position of an armor plate
lying in the upper works Of the wreck that
the explosion was internal or external III
origin, is, in the opinion Of the officials here,
without warrant. The Maine carried no
armor below water at a greater depth than
21z feet. Bereath that there was nothing
but the ordinary thin hull plates of about
half-inch structural steel. All of the armor
even that worked into the protective deck
was entirely above the magazines and in
case the latter exploded the armor might
easily have been tossed upward.
Raising the Wreck.
In view Of the many expressions Of doubt
concerning the possibility of raising the
wreck of the Maine e, the message sent yes
terday to the Navy Department by Adj
miral Sicard may have some weight. The
admiral reported that the court of inquiry,
which is on the spot and has had the ad-
vantage OF the opinions of divers, had
declared that the most powerful appliances
would be necessary to remove the wreck
or raise the ship. The last expression is
taken to mean that the court has SO far
not concluded that it would be impossible
to again float the Maine, else the language
would seem to have been unnecessary, an
unwarranted supposition in the case of
expensive cablegrams
Relief of Admiral Sicard.
1t can be stated that up to this time the
naval officials have given no thought to the
relief of Admiral Sicsrd. as commander-in-
chief of the naval forces on the North
Atlantic station. They do not believe that
the admiral's health is seriously impaired.
and it is safe to say that no movement will
be made toward his relief unless a sugges-
tiOn cones first from himself. The ad-
miral has been in command of the squad
ron less than year. and is, by naval prac-
tice, entitled to retain that command for
another year at les VI II he desires. It so
bar. hat