The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-03-31


Wreck Was from External ErpIo-
sIon-The Report Goes TO Congress
Monday.
WASHINGTON, March 26.-Interest
bordering upon concern is manifested
among officials of the navy depart
ment over the movement of the Spanish
feet of torpedo boats from the Canaries
to Porto Rico. The fotilla is one of
the most formidable Of its kind afioat
and the sending OF il to the West
Indies at this time is regarded as an
indication of SPANS endeavor TO be
prepared for any emergency that may
arise in or near Cuba Naval experts
are Of the opinion that under ordinary
circumstances it viii take the fotilla
about ten days to make the journey.
but il is exceedingly likely that
il will actually require sew
eral days longer The liability
of the boats to accident is great.
particularly IL they should encounter
rough weather. Then, too, If they
! should be accompanied by a collier the
speed of the feet would be reduced To
that of the coal boat. Speaking of the
movement of the fiotilla one Of the
naval officials compared the torpedo
boats To- race horses trained to a nice
". They are keyed mp to a high pitch
for short sharp and decisive work and
If overtsxed are liable TO break down.
While the fiotilla might make the trip
70 Porto Rico in ten days in order TO
do so absolutely smooth water would
have to be insured them throughout
the passage. IL is understood to-day
that some correspondence with Spain
through Minister Polo concerning the
movements of the torpedo boat fiotilla
/ is not unlikely. The statements made
yesterday to the effect that this gov
ernment might regard the sending of
the fiotilla to West Indian waters as an
unfriendly act. inasmucn as IL was evil
dent that the boats were not intended
for use against the Cubans, and. as a
matter of fact, could be employed only
against a hostile feet of warships,
were accentuated to-day, but what
representations, if any. will be made
to Spain cannot be ascertained, reserve
being maintained.
shows Mine Caused the Disaster.
WASHINGTON, March 20. One of the
| highest official in the service of the
government said definitely to-day that
the report of the Maine court of in
quiry showed that the explosion was
due to external causes. 1t was impos-
sible to get from him an exact informa-
tion, though the impression was given
that the cause of the explosion could not
be located beyond that it was external
The board of inquiry does not fix the re-
sponsibility for the disaster. 1t does
not express an opinion as to the char
acter of the explosion. but the testi-
mony goes. to show that it was pow
erful submarine mine. the exact char
acter of which is not determined by
the testimony. though the belief was
expressed that il was what is known
as floating submarine mine. There
were two explosions, the board finds.
The first was from the outside and
that set off one of the smaller maya
zines
Report Goes to Congress Monday.
WASHINGTON, March 90. - As an out
come of the numerous conferences
which the president held with repub-
lican and democratic leaders and with
his cabinet yesterday, it was an
nounced last night that the substan-
tial points of the administrations pro-
gramme is the transmission of the
court of inquiry report to congress on
Monday, an appropriation next week
by congress. either with or without
a request from the president, of a
sum yet to be agreed upon for
the relief of the Cuban people,
regardless of where they live
or TO what faction they belong, mes
sage to congress by the Goth OF April
setting forth the terrible condition of
affairs on the islCnd, the duty of this
country to prevent a continuation of
this condition, and a suggestion for
interference, either in a recognition
of independence or else by force The
report will be accompanied simply by
"A note, containing a statement to the
effect that Spain has been notified of
the findings of the court and that "a
copy of the findings has been present.
ed TO that country through Minister
| Polo.
Courts Report in the Presidenrs Hands.
WASHINGTON, March 20. The report
of the Maine court of inquiry is now
in the hands of President Mckinley.
The formal transmission of this mo-
mentous document was accomplished
at $40 o'clock this morning. Itwas de-
livered by Lieutenant Commander
Mark, Judge advocate of the court of
inquiry, To Secretary Long, and by the
latter taken to the white house and
handed 10 the president The arrival
of the report hardly created ripple
of excitement at the white house ex-
cept among the group of newspaper
correspondents gathered there. As
sistant Secretary Day had called about
nine o'clock, but as the president was
at breakfast he retired and returned
| about ten O'Clock. Secretary Alger
came about half an hour later and was
followed by the postmaster general
and Secretary Bliss The other mem
bers of the cabinet did not arrive un-
til about the usual hour for meeting,
II o'clock.
| Waited FOR - Big Enbezxiement.