The San Francisco call., 1898-02-19
Call Office, Riggs House,

Washington, CD. 10.
 No new disclosures were made to-day tending to fix the responsibility for the explosion on the Maine, but Secretary Long said he is convinced that it was an accident
 No importance is attached to the threatening circular handed to Captain SigSbee several days ago and published in several papers this morning. It is such missive, Secretary Long thinks, as is found in the mails of the Presi- dent and high officials every few days, and indicates nothing more than that another irresponsible crank has been heard from. The Navy Department feared the effect of publication on the sentiment of Congress and took steps to counteract it this morning by fresh statements attributing the Maine dis aster to an accident. The opinion of MT Alger, an expert, was given out by the department to show that torpedo could not have done the work.
 The President is ready to send to Congress his information concerning the situation in Cuba. It was laid be- fore the Cabinet to-day. It is not inn probable that definite action by Con- gress will follow. The President was urged to withhold it for the present in view of the public excitement.
 There were no new or important mes sages from any official in Havana to lay before the Cabinet at it's session to- day. The only message of any kind was that of Captain Sigsbee telling of the funeral of the dead seamen of the United States.
 The Cabinet convened at the usual hour and was in session less than the usual time. Secretary Long stated that the official body headed by the Presi- dent had nothing to discuss, and that there were no developments. He em- phatically denied many of the sensa- tiOnal stories now afloat, some of which have obtained publication. One of these is that there have been secret sessions of the Cabinet, and another is that telegrams have been received and sent which have been suppressed.
 The Secretary said that he had SUD- pressed nothing of any kind. The only special session of the Cabinet to talk over the disaster, he said, was on Wednesday. It is further denied that the President has talked with army and navy and congressional people to ascertain the condition of the fighting
 
 how quickly consent to war loan could be obtained from Congress. An important statement made by Secre- tary Long, however, was that in the course of time another warship will be sent to Havana.
 How long will be regarded as proper before this step is taken?" the Secre- tary was asked.
 The reply was that the time cannot
 1 f care to further discuss this point. Dur ing the session the President ordered that bouquet of flowers be cut from the White House conservatory and sent to Mrs. Sigsbee, wife of Captain Sigsbee. This was done, and Ensign Kattelle, son-in-law of Captain Sigs- bee, was sent for to receive them.
 The President has not forgotten the brave seamen who were killed. He gave orders that the families of any of the dead seamen residing in Wash ington be sent bouquets. He did not know the names of Washingtonians who were sacrificed, and instructed that they be looked up.
 Comment is caused among Congress- men by the fact that tI.1 Navy De- partment through every utterance which has official sanction is en- deavoring to allay suspicion that the DlOWlnR suit of foul play. Particularly active efforts in that direction are being made to-day h the opinion of Congress- men who are reserving judgment until the facts are known, the attitude of the Secretary is liable to prove embar- Tassing, and official or semi official ex- .pressions of opinion should be re- served In a semi-official way, they say, the Secretary has already passed judgment on case which a court or inquiry has been appointed to investi- gate. and the investigation of which has not yet begun
 .~ Should that court secure evidence which circumstantiaI1y leads to the conclusion that the Maine was de- stroyed by design it is believed that this country would be very seriously embarrassed by the arguments already advanced. by the department to con- vince the public that the explosion was accidental.
 Dispatches from Havana announce that the Spanish authorities in Cuba have designated officers to make an in vestigation jointly with the American officials as to the cause of the disaster. The Spanish will probably make pri- yate as well as this public investiga- tion. Their taking this precaution rec opnizes that the circumstances of the eSnIosion warrants suspicion, and this action is one of self-defense against the possibility of a biased report by American officials. It is foregone conclusion that no matter what the American board of inquiry may dis cover, the report of the Spanish offi- cials will be that the explosion was ac- cidental In the event of contrary report by the court of inquiry appoint ed by Admiral Sicard, the contention of the Spanish authorities will be sus tained and that of our own officials dis credited.
 The Congressional critics say, by the declarations which are emanating from the Navy Department, that 1t Is pre- AudiciDg the case. .. It is held bY=.t them