The herald., 1898-02-28
POINTING TO MALICE TOWARD
THE MAINE
W0RKMEN AT LEAGUE ISLAND
Put in the Day Rushing Repairs to
Fit Ram and Monitor For I'm
mediate Service
Associated Press Special Wire

1 lON, L Gu. Ef-lH6 uSudL
Sunday quiet was not broken today by any
important developments in connection
with the Maine disaster. Capt. Crownin-
shield, chief of the navigation bureau,
came to his office in the navy department
to open the department mail and few
unimportant kilograms. A dispatch from
Havana confirmed the press reports that
the court of inquiry left there on the Man
grove for Key West. The state department
received nothing from Gen. Lee during the
day.
Up to o'clock the dispatches of the navy
department were taken to the officers OF
the department and were not regarded as
of sufficient consequence to send to the
secretary.
Mr.. Long said the court of inquiry would
now proceed with its work at Key West,
examining the witnesses there in accord
ance with its original plans. No definite
information has been received as to how
much time would be taken with the inquiry
there or what the next step would be. Mr.
Long stated that the department was today
IN possession of no more information on
the cause of the disaster than it was inn
mediately after the occurrence, and that
no evidence had been received up to the
present time showing that the disaster was
caused by design.
-.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt of the navy
department gave out the following state
ment in regard to the published map with
the Maine in Havana harbor purporting
to be marked on It,
AS soon as the map was brought to my
attention I sent to Mr.. John Russell
Young of the congressional library and
got the original. 1t is simply one of the
innumerable maps of Havana harbor.
There 1t not the slightest sign of mine
marked anywhere on 1t. AS a matter Of
fact, | am informed that this map is one
which has been used in giving lectures at
the Columbian university.
In answer to the question as to what was
the meaning of the movements of guns
and munitions. Mr. Roosevelt said: 1T
merely serves to show that the department
does not believe there will be any trouble.
but neither does it intend to be caught un-
prepared If there should be trouble"
Senior Du Bose. the Spanish charge
d'affaires, today received a cablegram
from the minister of state saying that the
new minister to the United States. Senior
Polo y Bernabe. will start tomorrow from
Gibraltar. This will bring him to WASH
ington In about ten days. At Gibraltar he
Will take one of the German lines of trans
atlantic steamers touching at that point.
The credentials of the new minister viii
be presented soon after his arrival, and 1t
- SAPSSlcu his uTSl dltentlOn Will be given
20 the commercial treaty between the
United States and Spain with particular
reference to Cuba. His services as chief
Oh the commercial bureau of the foreign
office has given him charge of the details
leading upto the negotiation of this treaty
and he will come sharing the carr sst desire
or the Sagasta administration to pnt
through this matter with the least delay
possible. Minister Woodford has been
carrying on the negotiations with the al1-
thorities at Madrid and they are well along
toward completion.
Beyond the foregoing dispatch Senor du
Bose received no news today from Havana
or Madrid. He expressed satisfaction at
the more conservative tone of public sentt.
ment within the last few days.
Press reports from Madrid stated that
the authorities were jubilant over the re-
ceipt OF important favorable information
from Havana Mr.. Du Bose could shed
no light on the nature of this information.
In other quarters, however the ifnpression
prevailed that this information Nonld NOT
refer to the Maine inquiry. but ediioerned
the general conduct of the insurrec3ton IN
Cuba. There have been strong indications
of late that the autonomist cabinet, under
the leadership of Gown, who is the recog-
nized force of that body, would endeavor
TO make terms with the separatist wing
and in turn secure the cooperation OF the
insurgents In movement to concluoe the
war. How far this is possible 1t not known
here, although 1t has been expected that
Gown would succeed In effecting recon-
Citation. There has been added reason
for this belief within the last few days
owing to the fierce attacks made on Gown
by some Of the irreconcilable elements.
He repelled these and repudiated an all
legged letter in which he was reported to
have attacked Premier Sagasta
AT THE NAVY YARD
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 27-League ISL
and navy yard was literally swarming with
visitors today In consequence of the report
from Washington that the cruisers Coiun-
bia and Minneapolis, the double turreted
monitor Miantonomah and the ram Katah-
din had been ordered to go into conmis-
sion with dispatch Both cruisers have
had skeleton crews aboard, while the mon-
itor has been lying at dock for several
years and the katahdin since last winter.
None OF the naval officials at the yard
would say anything relating to the fualoe
movements of the vessels, but from wor61.
men 1t was learned the commission orders
had been issued. This was borne out by
the fact that all day large force of men
in the construction and repair departments
were actively at work on the Maatonomah
and the Katahdin Visitors were kept on
these boats and only those having friends
among the officers and crew of the cruis-
ers were allowed on board.
The repairs to the monitor are all OF a
minor nature and will be completed BY
Tuesday Over twenty men have already
been detailed for her and her full comple-
ment of 150 will be made up as rapidly as
possible. A large force of men were busy
on the Katahdin, improving her ventillat-
ing apparatus and fitting her with steam
pipes. This work will take only few days.
Sunday work at League island is very un@
usual, and today's action is taken to indi-
cate that the navy department intends get-
ting the vessels ready to sail at o moments
notice. This afternoon steam was gotten
up on board the monitor for the purpose of
testing her boilers and machinery.
In one Of the lofts nearly 100 men were at
work on small spars and boat fIttinga.
Everything is in shipshape on the Minne-
apolis and Columbia, and beyond filling W
their complement OF officers and men and
taking coal and provisions nothing remaiao
to be done. This VIII consume about fVQ &
days at the most and thea both vexrele W(l3
be ready Tor actiye service, The W6f1 a g
anlisfipg men VIII contfpu& q n orllo(1 n z<