Evening star., 1898-02-19

Princess of Wales has been laid before the
President, who charges you in the name of
the American people no less than in his own
to express grateful appreciation of this
tribute of their royal hghnesses to this
nation in its hour of grief"
President directs you convey to his
royal hjghness, the Duke of Connaught
deep appreciation of his sympathy and
coincidence by reason of the appalling dis
aster that has befallen this government
and people in the loss of the Maine and
her crew."
please convey to the lord mayor of
London the Presidents deep appreciation
of his message expressing the sympathy
Of the citizens of London in the terrible
bereavement that has afflicted the Amer
ican people. In their name the President
returns grateful thanks"
Communications have been received con-
veying the sympathy of the minister of
foreign affairs of The Hague, the Guate-
malan minister, the Italian minister of
foreign affairs, the Colombian minister,
the general commanding in Canada, the
minister from Ecuador and the premiers
of New South Wales, Victoria, South Aus
tralia, Tasmania and Western Australia.
THE TEMPER IN THE HOUSE.
Action Depending on the Result OF
tine Inquiry.
While the disaster to the Maine has
created q temper in the House in favor
of liberal appropriations for the navy
and while it is undoubtedly true that the
House in its present frame of mind would
not hesitate to vote for two new battle
ships, one to replace the Maine, this tenn
tod ha
the Maine was blown up by external agen-
cies.
If the result of the official inquiry should
develop the fact, beyond peradventure.
| that the ships magazine exploded from
fire CT other cause within her hull, 1t is
believed sentiment in Congress will
be created against the expenditure of
millions in the construction of warships
That may blow up at any time. 1t is pre-
dlcted that congressional investigation
would follow report from the court of
inquiry attributing the loss of the Maine
TO an explosion of her magazine. No reso-
Iution for this purpose has yet been in
| troduced in the House. however
| A prominent member of the House naval
committee said that he was absolutely
! amazed when he learned that the Names
| coal bunkers abutted the magazine with
| only thin partition between when /
learned of the fire in the coal bunkers of
! the Cincinnati, which charred the boxes
in which the shells in her magazine were
| stored L did not consider 1t my duty to
attempt to initiate congressional action to
avert this danger due to her construction.
| l assumed as a matter of course that il
was the duty Of the Navy Department offi-
| cials to effect such changes as would re-
move that danger.
THE construction Of a second bulkhead.
| ieaVlng an air passage between the bunk
| ers and the magazine. would have removed
this danger. Now, find that nothing was
done, either to correct the defect on the
| Cincinnati or on any other ship"
Mr.. Cummings IN. ", who continues to
adhere to the theory that the Maine was
blown up by a torpedo, when asked what
| the effect of report showing that the
Names magazine exploded would have on
appropriations for the increase of the navy.
| replied frankly:
1t Is perfectly true that the modern
| warship, both as fighter or a safe marine
machine. is still an experiment. But We
are on the same footing as England or any
other country in this respect, and We must
keep abreast Of them. We have absolutely
| no data except the fight on the Yulu, and
| it was unsatisfactory. A war might be
good thing, If for no other purpose than to
| clear up the doubts which at present hang
over these expensive modern war engines.
But as regards the Maine. cannot believe
she blew up from fire in her coal bunkers
As one of the naval officers has said,
anthracite coal is about as much subject
to spontaneous combustion as a pile of
stones. and 1t is in evidence that the Maine
took on 400 tons of anthracite at Key West
To read some Of the opinions Of those who
desire to escape the conclusion that Span
| ish treachery may have been responsible
for the accident, one would imagine that
| every load of coal. unless guarded, would
| take fire by spontaneous combustion in
twenty-four hours"