The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-20
Then the Spaniards and Their Divers
VIII BE Afforded Every Facility
They May Require.
LAW REGARDING THE WRECK
WAR SHIPS WHILE IN FOREIGN WA
TIERS ARE LIKE CONsULATEs.
They Are Part of the Sovereign Ter
So Recognized by the Spaniards.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb 1s.-Unanimous ap-
proval greets the decision OF the President
to make the first examination of the wreck
of the Maine Independent of Spanish as
sistance or cooperation. He is determined
that the facts, whatever they may be. shall
be first discovered and first told the officials
of the United States government and by ex-
perts acting under their direction. BY the
refusal of the executive to allow the
| Spaniards to NEEDLE with the wreck of the
Maine until after our own experts have
completed their examination the Spaniards
will be deprived of any opportunity what
| to in any way conceal the incriminating
facts if any should be developed. This is
probably one of the leading motives which
| induced the executive to take the action
which he has done to-day. He wants no
cloud or taint on any finding which the
court of inquiry will make. and is deter
mined that there shall be none.
Secretary Long and Assistant Secretary
Day, of the State Department. had an in
terview with the President this morning,
which lasted nearly an hour. Mr.. Day read
| a cablegram from Consul General Lee, at
Havana, transmitting a request for the
Spanish authorities in Cuba that the Span
| ish officials be permitted to join with our
own people in making an investigation into
| the cause of the disaster. The matter was
discussed at considerable length and the
conclusion was reached, and General Lee
notified, that while this government is will
| ing to afford the Spanish authorities ali
reasonable facilities for conducting an in
vestigation. yet it is thought best the first
inquiry shall be made by our own commits
sioners. The request of the Spanish au-
thorities, therefore, was respectfully de-
| clined. The request of the Spanish govern
ment for permission to examine the wreck
of the Maine reached the State Department
| last night through the following message
from Consul General Lee, at Havana, to
| <1cSAoCeAAb e1CNASeoAJ LAY
''Sigsbee begins tomorrow with divers
sent him from the United States to recover
all bodies still left in the wreck of the
| Maine, as well as the personal effects of the
officers and men, and whatever else can
be obtained that way. After that is COM
pleted the Spanish government would like
| to unite with ours in having the bottom of
| the ship and harbor in the vicinity jointly
| examined"
| Following is the answer sent by Assist
ant Secretary of State Day to the consul
general:
THE government Of the United States has
| already begun an investigation as to the
cause of the disaster to the Maine through
officers of the navy specially appointed for
that purpose. which will proceed inde-
pendently. This government will afford
every facility it can to the Spanish authori-
ties in whatever investigation they see fit
to make on their part"
Secretary Long wired Admiral Sicard to-
day, after his consultation with President
Mckinley, telling him briefly what answer
had been returned to General Lees appli-
cation in behalf of the Spanish government
for permission to examine the Maine. He
also instructed the admiral to press forward
as rapidly possible the work of survey
on the Names hull, and to have the court
of inquiry proceed to Havana as soon as
possihle IT is scarcely exnectad or tho
department that any information of value
as to the cause of the explosion will be
available until the court has begun the
formal inquiry. The divers now at work
ployed in securing dead bodies and in re-
moving the ships papers and small articles
of value, so that it is unlikely they would
give any heed to the bottom of the hull
buried, as it probably is, deep in mud The
officials here intimate that the discovery
of pieces Of torpedoes is not to be taken
in itself as evidence of an outside attack
on the vessel, for it is fully expected that
were more or less ruptured and scattered
by the explosion which destroyed the ship.
LEGAL STATUS OF THE MAINE.
The apparent difficulty attending the
sending down of divers to the Maine was
relieved, If not entirely removed, by a state
ment to-day by Senor Du Bose, charge d. az
faires of the Spanish legation. that com
plete and harmonious understanding be-
tween Captain Sigsbee and the authorities