The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-22
NAVAL BOARD REPORT
It Has Not Yet Been Received at
Washington.
ALL SORTS OF RuMORs CURRENT.

Documeht NOT Llkely To keach the Iresi-
dent Before Thursday or Friday-Spain
Cannot Buy the warship O'Higgins
Secretary Long Changes the Name OF Our
New Naval Acquisition from Amazonas
to New Orleans.
Washington, March 22.--It can be
stated positively and authoritatively
that the report OF the court of inquiry
on the Maine disaster had not been re-
eeived up to noon From the authorita-
tive source il can be stated that the
present official information is that the
report is not likely TO be here before
next Thursday or Friday. This is
material change from the expectation
prior to this time. The cause of the de-
lay is not known, but it is assumed that
the conclusions Of the court are not yet
in such exact forms as to warrant their
earlier presentation hers. The govern
ment has made no furt Sssr purchases of
ships, but its negotiations in that line
have been productive Of at least one
important result, namely, in establish
ing that unless the battleship General
O'Higgins becomes the property of the
United States it will not be sold at all.
Spain. il is confidently asserted, will
not be able to secure this war vessel,
nor are her chances any better or as
good as those of the United States.
Practically the same condition prevails
as to the Argentine armored cruiser San
Martino, which will become the proper
ty Of this government If it passes out
Of the hands of Argentina.
Speculative Reports.
Aside from these facts, there was the
usual food Of speculative reports cur
rent, including a renewal Of the report
that Lieutenant Blow, one Of the
Names survivors, who reached here
Saturday, brought letter from Admir-
al Sicard containing the information
that the explosion was external. but
could not be directly attributed to the
Spanish government. Officials high in
authority are 10th to make specific de-
malls Of these reports, as SO many of
them are afoat but inferentially the
statement was dismissed as unwar-
ranted. One high official who would be
very likely to know II such information
had been brought, stated that if II was
in hand the fact had never been made
known to him, and he very seriously
doubted It's correctness. 1t is undoubt-
edly true, however, that the Names
officers who have reached here ex-
pressed II to be their personal opinion
that the cause of the explosion was ex-
ternal. Lieutenant Blow is junior Of
ficer compared with Lieutenant Hol-
man, another Of the Names survivors
who arrived here Saturday, and Ad-
miral Sicard, it was stated. would not
so set aside the punctilous requirements
Of naval procedure by overlooking a
higher official and committing such
grave responsibility to a junior officer
Can Go Where They Wish.
Lieutenant Blow has gone to LaSalle,
Ills, for a rest. and the other Maine
survivors are also free to go where
they please and recuperate from the
trying ordeal through which they have
passed. If the report is coming by Cap
tain Barker, as some press dispatches
intimate, the fact is not disclosed in
any official quarter here. Nor. indeed
is the routine by which the report will
be transmitted made public as 1t would
merely serve to jeopardize its safe
transmission and arouse groundless
conjecture. Captain Barker left Wash
ington the middle of last week. He is
the naval aide to Secretary Long, and
It is naturally inferred that his going
from the secretary to Key West at this
time had some direct relation to the |
important pending question. Further I
than this, however, the naval officials |
will say nothing as to the purposes OF |
his trip. Secretary Longs office al the |
navy department was again the center l
Of conferences.
Called on by Senator's.
Senator Hale. chairman OF the senate
committee on naval affairs was one
Of the early callers, and spent half an
hour with Secretary Long. Senator
Pritchard Of North Carolina also had
a talk with the secretary. Senator
Hale went from the secretary's office to
he president. Within short time he
vas followed by Secretary Long, who
spent some time with the president.
rhe secretary carried with him
bundle Of documents which. however.
has become his usual custom. Senator
Hanna came to the secretary's Office
Turing his absence. and learning that
le was with the president spent some
ime I'm conference with Assistant Sec
etary Roosevelt. The Spanish minis
er called at the state department and
resented Messrs. Angulo. Valera, and
who are the direct represen-
atives of the autonomous cabinet at
'uba- With this presentation negotia-
Ions toward q commercial treaty will
e opened.