New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-25
NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAINE
DISASTER SUPPRESSED.
SECRETARY LONG AGAIN ASKS THE PUBLIC 10
SUSPEND JUDGMENT UNTIL THE COURT ov
INQUIRY REPoRTs-woRK OF DIVERS
ON THE WRECK CAPTAIN
sIGsBEE's REcoMMENDA-
TIONS APPROVED
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUSE.I

The Department knows nothing more at this
minute than 1t did five minutes after It received
Captain Sigsbee's first dispatch Nothing has
come in to-day except the dispatch that has
been posted this afternoon. Captain Crownn-
shield has not been TO Cuba. He has been OF
with his boy on matters in nowise connected
with the Navy"
Earlier In the day, when the Secretary learned
that an impression being created that tho
Department was suppressing information con-
cerning the disaster. he wrote the following:
Navy Department Washington. d. c.,
February o. 1898.
No telegram has been received from either
Admiral Sicard Captains Sampson or Sigs-
bee since yesterday. and the Department has
received no information with regard TO the
disaster that has not already been made public.
The Department is waiting the result or the IN.
Quiry, and public opinion should be suspended
until some official Information is received
JOHN d. LONG.
REPORT FROM CAPTAIN sIGsBEE.
The dispatch to which Secretary Long re.
ferred as having been posted was received at
o'clock follows
Havana. February p. 1898.
Secretary of the Navy Washington.
Wrecking tug Right Arm arrived yesterday.
Begins work to-day Much encumDerng metal
must be blasted away in detail Navy divers
down aft seven days. forward four days. Bodies
of Jenkins and Merritt not found. Two un-
identified bodies Of crew found yesterday. After
compartments filed with detached, broken ana
buoyant furniture and fittings. mud and confu-
sion. Spanish authorities continue offers of as
sstance and care for wounded and dead Every
thing that goes from wreck 10 United states
should be disinfected Wrecking company should
provide for this. Surgeon Of the Maine, after
consultation with others recommended that all
bedding and clothing should be abandoned.
Might go to accmated poor. Useless nttngS
and equipment might be tOwed 10 sea and
thrown overheard. VIII take all immediate re-
sponsiblty. but invite Departments wishes
S-f,rrl al non no
be saved? Friends of dead should understand
that IN the tropics. Chaplain chidwick
charged with all matters relative 10 the dead.
His conduct is beyond praise. Don't know what
reports are being printed. but the intensely ac-
tive representatives of the press here have been
'' ''''''' ''| " " sTGsBEE
THE RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED.
Secretary Long Immediately answered Captain
Sigsbee approving all his recommendations He
was directed to have Lieutenant Wainwright.
the executive officer Of the Maine. make
rangements with the wreckers for the disinfec-
ton Of everything sent to the United States.
The recommendation that all bedding and cloth
ing be abandoned and If need be given to the
acclimated poor, was approved without COM
ment The same approval given 10 the sug-
geston that useless fittings and equipment be
towed to sea and thrown overheard, IT being left
to Captain Sigsbee's judgment 10 determine
how far this destruction should be carried on.
To the Captains inquiry as TO the saving Of
old metal and parts Of the superstructure the
answer was given that such material Of
no use to the Bureau OF Equipment. IL was
left to Captain SgsDee to say what OF this
shattered material was worth preserving. His
statement that much blasting will be required
to clear away encumbering ma terial indicates
that IT Is essential further to destroy the upper
portions OF the wreck in order 10 get At what
is more valuable beneath
Captain Sigsoees statement that the divers
have been down aft seven days and forward
four days gave the Navy Department the first
Information OF the time that the divers had been
in the vicinity Of the zone OF explosion"
as he has termed it, This zone is confined TO tho
forward part Of the ship and while the divers
have been down aft for the last week. their
work near the forward magazine has been in
progress only four days which presumably be-
gan on Monday and included to-day.
BODIES CANNOT BE BROUGHT HOME
The statement in Captain Sgsbee's dispatch
that friends OF the dead should understand we
are in the tropics" is understood az the Navy
Department 10 refer 10 the urgent pleas OF rela-
tives OF the dead that the bodies be brought
to the United States. These appeals continue
to be received here. and while they excite the
deepest sympathy of officials hope be
held out that the bodies be brought back.
One Of these appeals makes pitiful plea against
the burying OF the dead by alien hands In an
alien country"
There are circumstances which. II they could
be made known. would end such appeals and
would show that the Department has not been
wanting in q desire 70 bring the bodies TO this
country. These circumstances have been with
Prf
and relatives from the pain which would be
caused by a full disclosure Of the effect Of the
explosion The press reports have given In part
the terrible mutilation OF the bodies. but II Is
feared this has not been fully realized by friends
and relatives. The men were sleeping on the
berth deck with metal floors and ceilings which.
by the force of the terrific explosion. were
ground into confused mass. Knowing this
there is little hope that many OF the bodies stil
missing will be found or IL found that they
will be in a condition 10 be brought to the
United States
CAPTAIN CROWNINsHIELD's JOURNEY.
The reference 10 Caotain Crownnshied. Chief
OF the Bureau OF Navigation was brought ou,
by questions asked that officer. which were
first raised in The Tribune OF last wednes-
day Captain Crowninsheld In COM
mand of the Maine until last April. when
he was relieved b. Captain S!gsbee. and
since that time has had the rank of commodore
at the head OF the most important naval bureau
and practically chief OF the Secretarys stan.
He went away several weeks ago. on leave, af-
fairs being exceedingly quiet AT the time. Yes
terday he landed at Tampa by the cruiser
Montgomery. and this, in connection with the
secrecy which has been manifested by naval
officials regarding his absence. quickly gave rise
sensational stories, attaching 10 him. In some
instances the dignity OF mission OF the high
est character to the leaders OF the Cuban In
surgents
Nobody in the Department, will pretend to say
where Captain CrOWninshied has been, but that
he has not been on naval business or in Cuba
is Enthusiastically certain from Secretary Longs
statement His boy. who was referred 10. is said
TO be about twenty-five years OF age. The Mont
gomery left Key West on February . She was
a, N,fanzaa thirty miles by rail- from Havana,