The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-23
COMBUSTION IN THE COAL.
IGsBEE To INVESTIGATE THE
THEORY CAREFULLY.

Calls on the Navy Department for
traverse Sectional Drawing of the
unine-NO New Developments of
Importance at the Department.
signing of "A Wrecking Contract
be Most Important Work of the
nav-Gen. Miles Denies a SensR-
tionaI Report.
Washington, Feb % The following tele-
gram was received by the navy depart
ment this afternoon from Capt. Sigsbee:
send to Forsyth for Sigsbee transverse
sectional drawing of Maine through .or-
ward lO-inch and magazine and shell room
showing pocket coal bunkers.
This request was Immediately complied
with 1t is supposed that Capt. Sigsbee
wants these drawings to assist in the
work of wrecking the ship. as they would
he of great aid to the divers.
They VIII be useful also as the basis
for the testimony now being taken by the
court Of inquiry at Havana.
The fact that it is deemed essential that
the drawings shall show the pocket coal
bunkers which abut on the magazine is
evidence that Capt Sigsbee has in mind
the spontaneous combustion theory,
though it does not follow by any means
that he is committed to it.
Some of the employees of the navy Ge-
partment have been making estimates of
The amount of money that will be required
to meet the demands of the joint resolu-
ton which Mr.. Boutelle proposes to in
uoduce in the House allowing a years
sea pay to the families of the dead sail
ors and money for lost clothing and ef-
fects not to exceed years pay to the sur
viyors. They fix the sum at not to eX
ceed $150000.
All the government departments were
closed to-day, save the navy department,
where few of the officials assembled to
receive any dispatches that might arrive,
and 10 close the contract with the wreck
ers for the recovery of the effects on the
Maine and the vessel herself, if that be
practicable. The signing of the wrecking
contract was the most important event of
the day, and this concluded, the officers
closed up shop and went home to enjoy
a respite from the rush of the past week.
The navy department officials unques-
tonably have been for some time prepar-
ing for any emergency that may arise, but
appearances at the department to-day
would indicate that any necessary orders
have been given already, and that the
situation is not one calling for immediate
action at Washington.
The Castine and Cincinnati in accord
ance with orders made known some time
ago by the Associated Press, are to move
much further north to West Indian wa
ters, and at Norfolk the monitor Terror
has been ordered to be in readiness and
may be sent to New York later.
The Senate passed a bill TO add two
artillery regiments to the strength of the
army. This measure has been urged for
many months by officials of the war de-
lartment, who foresaw that while Con-
gress of late years had taken measures
for the protection of our coasts by con-
siderable appropriations for extensive
works and great guns, it had not provided
the men necessary to operate these engines
of war.
Should the House pass the bill 1t will
enable the department to carry out plans
it has long had in view. Criticisms late
" passed upon the state of the army and
our fortifications has caused increased ac-
uVlty in military matters, and to some ex-
tent this is responsible for reports arriving
from various quarters of movements at
army posts.
A report was circulated that Gen. Miles,
as commander of the army, had issued ad-
ditonai orders for troops at all forts to
be on the alert and ready for immediate
the Generals chief of staff Nothing what
ever of a sensational character occurred
IN Washington, and on the whole the day
was free of rumors by comparison with
Its immediate predecessors for the past
week or more
The navy department received a tele-
gram from Capt. Sigsbee this evening say
ing that fourteen more bodies had been
recovered of the wreck of the Maine.
inc u - i
thought any bodies will be identified here
after unless by the clothing. Aside from
me effects of long submersion, the men
sun miss rs were nearly all directly under
me main deck. which was blown up, and
'ie tremendous force of the explosion prob
amy blotted scores of them out of exist
ence entirely.
me department knew nothing of the
printed report that the tender Bache has
lelt Havana with dispa tches for Admiral
slcard at Key West.