Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-23

The wrecking companies officials say ii
Mlii Ne silpo>sSbl to assemble this ma
ter.ai and get 1t into Havana harDor
really Cor work for week They wt1l
make every effort. however to .,xp,.1it a
the wi'k. The Underwater mas a
| ere" of seventeen men. Including hen
| own staff OF divers. who are veterans
IN thls lEe o6 work. The Jones has
Like crew and equipment OK divers. T1..,
| crews are available for wreSkine work
out aside fru:rl these men there WIFI ne
1orty experen- ed wrecke:s Each
"reckfns vessel has large complement
St pumps. ahlehIrs, iron mnsts with
| henNy hois'drg gear, cables, etc. VINO
| VII! command the expedition has no,
netn determined thus far as the com
1 ia'NeS nave severa. experienced wreck
| ing MASTERS available
she wrecking master will be in COM
! p!e,e charge as the government will
crust @ntreiy to the experience OF the
"feSkeis. although a naval officer Will
pc ostaaled to inspect the work as 1t
proceeds.
Inc officers Of the two wrecking COM
Fsrhies said today that after ;,,,a exne-
1tovon had assembled lin Havana ha rbor
u complete INSPECTION OF the wreck
would be made and th,. exact line of
work determined upon. The Facilities
VIII be ~ ample that all of the divers
| Will be able 'nt, work at one tim. on dtf
| felH@nt parts of the wreck Most of th.,
! hfting will be dome by the smaller der
rick. which is of sufficient capacity for
ohe mshter upper works of the Maine,
put 1T will take the monster derrick
Monarch, Ito iirt the. huge turrets of the
Maine and the big guns mounted With
in them.
Captain Humphreys stated that the
purpose was Hivt to separate the big
gums from the turrets, but to lift them
us "a whole. This will be u tremendous
undertak king. as the comb.ned weight OF
each turrett and guns is l66 tons The
Monarch can lift 260 toms. 50 there is an
ample margin of lifting power.
| The wrecker.s We're loauh to express
en opinion as It" their ability to raise
the hull of the Maine. MIR Chapman
and Captain Humphreys stated that
nothing but q close personal inspection
| would permit "A decision on that point.
They are hopeful, however, that t,iie
ship can be brought ITO the surface.
Inc IN barge Lone Star will be used
to re GIVE the turret guns and wreck
ase. and ais fast as loads are made up
she will be towed to the Norfolk navy
| yard.
| The most potent sign that the first
and xcit:ng state Of the Maine disas-
ter IN s been parsed was the fact that
not 4 single cabegram was received
overnight or this morning at the Navy
Department Relating i'm amy manner to
that event.
Acting Secretary Day spent some
,ime at lis Office but he had little news
~ toililI Tie Eiu received Only
one dispat ch since yesterday from Con
sui General Lee. and THAT related to
the shipment of Cuban tobacco to the
United States. The department has
heard nothing of the reported revival
OF the Weyler edict prohibiting the ex-
pirt&'u0n of tobacco from Cuba. On
the contrary General Lees reports
show shat the movements are lin regu-
lar progress OF ait least had not been
checked up to the sth instant. Judge
.b.nl1 ~,
nrored capture of the Dauntless, and i'm
fact the above cablegram was all tha.t
lie lad from Havana in the last twenty-
four ho2rs.
The naval officials assert that THE re-
Port to GLle effect that the movements
of the South Atlantic Squadron now
under way are with IA view to THE early
ASSEMBLING Of THE vessels near Havana,
is without foundation This movement,
ney say. lis in direct accord with the
pan outlined i'm December last by Cap
tain Chester. of the Cincinnati. in COM
maE,i of che squadron. and approved
by the department.. This plan is about
-: follows:
After the smaller vessels were locked
at BuenCtS AyreS he would assemble
the squadron and proceed up the coast
of South America for squadron drill.
| visiting all the ports where American
interests exist, going as far as Para.
Upon ',he return OF the squadron from
|
10 Rio Janeiro with all THE vessels.
Near RIO is the harb>Gr of Isle de
c,-ande, where the vessels would have
Target practice and other squadron eX-
ercises. THIS would also give the small
er vessels AN opportunity for torpedo
practice.
/ In further explanation OF the move
mcnt of the Two ships OF ;ne South At
,ani'c Suuad r,sn, 1T rs said ut the Navy
| Dc9lii'tmeni that sometime ago word
| t,tt 4 hay w.. in k.H ~
but that yellow fever prevailed ait
Para, where they We're then. and south
OF Them in brazil. They were author
izela to proceed to some healthy port
for their coal and this. it lis stated. is
how they came TO so tx Earbidoes.
| In explanation of the order given
yesterday 10 The Norfolk navy yard ar-
ticiaiS to have the Terror N Ct.!d!. ,&a!l
for service. Secretary Long said this
ORDER had been given 10 replace the
, Maine III being deemed desirable tina
Lht. ar1nured fleet should not fall below
a certain number. There was very LIT
tie work 10 bs. done on the Terror. and
forty-~GSht hours should suffice 10 nm
ism it. The Terror is our most power
full double-tu!>re,ted moni tor, and, al
though NOT AS effective ElE a sea boat
as - baatleship~in the smooth waters
of THE hairbor. she probably would be
able 10 hold her own against almost
uny craft.
| Inc 1plNb".H5 ltieSIaIIl WIS ittSis S'i
by the Navy Department this after
| noon from Captain Sigsbee:
Send to Forsyuhe for SiSshee's trans
verse sectional drawing of Maine
through forward l0-inch magazine and
shell room, showing pocket coal bunk
els.'
I'M; request was Immediately COM
pleG with. 1t is supposed that Cap
tain ,jigsbee wants these drawings to
assist IN ;3he work OF wrecking the ship.
5NE. 4Ny tl 70 4
divers.
Tnsy will be useful also as the basis
FOR the testimony now being taken by
the court OF inquiry at Havana. I'ne
fact ! rat it is deemed essential THAT
the drawings Snail show the pocket coal
Dunkers winch abut on thv. magazine.
IS evidenced that Captain Sigsbee has
n mind the spontaneous combustion
theory, though it does not follow by
iany means that he is committed tc 1T.