The herald., 1898-03-01
WEEKS ASS
Before the Maine Inquiry
Will End
SESSION AT KEY WEST
WILL PREcEDE A RETURN TO
HAVANA
A PLAIN DEDUCTION DRAWN
That No Trustworthy Evidence Of the
Cause Of Explosion Has Yet
Been Obtained
A PLAIN DEDUCTION DRAWN

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2s.-At the close Of
office hours q telegram came to the navy
department from Admiral Sicard at Key
West in the following terms:
KEY WEST. Feb. rs.
To the Secretary Of the Navy, Washing
ton: Court of inquiry will commence ses-
sion at Key West today. They must re-
sumo session at Havana to obtain evidence
Of divers after their work on the wreck.
SICARD.
The important feature of this COM
munication is the declaration that the
court viii return to Havana 1t sets at rest
the rumors that have been current for
days past that the court was not to re-
turn to Havana for the reason that 1t had
discovered the cause Of the sinking OF the
Maine. which was not an accident and
that they had consequently no further
business in Havana. One important de-
duction to be drawn from the message was
that the report OF the court of inquiry
can scarcely be expected for several weeks
to come. The court will be occupied at
Key West for some days at least In taking
the testimony of the survivors there. Then
upon the return to Havana 1t is expected
that q good deal of time must elapse be-
fore the divers can get through the mud
which now encompasses the lower part or
the wreck of the Maine and examine the
bottom. After this Is done the court must
deliberate in order to secure an agree
ment upon their finds. The prevalent be-
lief at the navy department Is that up to
this moment the court has only UNDER
taken to compare notes and reach such an
agreement.
A Cuban mail was received during the
day, and, with the candor which has so
far characterized all his dealings with the
public in this matter. Secretary Long
caused it to be given to the newspaper re-
porters as soon as he had read 1t him
self. 1t was made UP Of one letter from
Captain Sampson, dated at Havana. Feb.
23d, and although 1t Is simply a statement
of events that had already been reported
by telegraph, one fact is significant, viz:
the statement that the testimony Of GER
tain civilian witnesses before the court
would be Of no Importance. His letter is
as follows:
FEBRUARY 2s. 1898.
Sir: The court has taken the testimony
Of all the officers OF the Maine still here.
Tomorrow we will take such testimony as
the divers have accumulated. The Right
Arm arrived here this morning and re-
ported to Captain Sigsbee, according to
orders. I trust some wrecking company
will be given the entire Job. as no other
plan will be feasible. There are two citi-
zens in the harbor who have signified their
willingness to testify, although they have
nothing important. After taking this evi-
dence and that of the divers propose to
return to Key West and take the evidence
of the officers and men there. It may be
necessary to return here after further
progress has been made by the divers. Very
respectfully. w. T. SAMPSON,
Captain, u. s. N.
The reports that came from Key West
about unusual activity and the observance
of unusual precautions among the few
soldiers quartered there was received with
amusement at army headquarters here. 1t
was said that no orders had gone forward
from this city to explain the hustle, but
there was the best reason to suspect that
the commandant was simply brushing up
the post and putting his best foot forward
against the expected appearance there, on
his tour Of inspection, Of General Merritt,