The record-union., 1898-02-18
Many Sensational Reports Given
Little Credence.
No Present Purpose Of Sending Any War
shIps to Cuha-FuneraI Of Victims
Of the Disaster at Havana
Care Of the Injured.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-The Gov
eminent has settled back into a walt
ing attitude in Respect to the terrible
marine disaster in Havana harbor. The
great shock caused by the news has
given away to a calmer and more jul
dicial state of mind, and realizing from
the events of the day that the court
of inquiry is the sole dependence in the
search for the cause Of the Names loss,
the naval officials are now resigned 70
await the results of that inquiry by a
court named to-day by the Navy De-
partment.
There was little news to add to the
sum Ct information as to the disaster
during the day No kilograms came.
and all that could be CLEANED was
denial of some absurd story or other
that had crept into print or became cur
rent gossip All of the news of the day
came in the late afternoon in the shape
of Captain Sigsbee's report of the au-
thorization Of the funeral Of his dead
sailors. and the story of the terrible
struggle for life in the dark hull of
the Maine.
The officials at the Navy Department
devoted the day to the effort of cor
rectiag the list of living and dead; to
answering frantic Geographic appeals
from relatives of men on the battle
ship. and last, but not least, in meet
ing with unwavering courtesy and pa
tien.e the exacting demands upon their
time of the press representatives.
The disposition of the survivors, Cap
tain Dickens, acting chief of the Navi-
CATION Bureau, has arranged for as
we'll as could be from this distance.
The wounded sailors in the Havana
hospitals, on the Spanish flagship and
elsewhere, who are not in condition 10
be brought to Key West, will be care
fully looked after by Miss Clara Bar
ton, who has been given carte blanche
to buy any and everything necessary,
food, clothing and delicacies. and to hire
nurses and physicians. The wounded
able to get across to Key West win be
taken charge of in the Marine Hospital
there. The sound survivors Will be
quartered in the spare army barracks
there.
AS for the Maine herself. notwith-
standing discouraging reports from
Lieutenant Hood as to her condition
the Navy Department viii make the
effort to raise her. While this is re-
cuired by every creditable sentiment,
they say they are bound to remove the
hull from the small harbor in any case,
and 1t may be as easy or easier TO raise
her as it would be to destroy the hull
and machinery by the use Of divers and
dynamite. 1t is believed this work can
best be done by private wrecking cor
porations. and negotiations are already
afoot for placing the contract, based on
work by the day, at an estimated cost
of $500, 900.
At the Navy Department specific de-
NAL was given of the reports, eInanat-
ing from Madrid, that a torpedo fiotilla
was about 10 leave Key West for Cuba
II was stated that only two torpedo
boats. the Gushing and the Ericsson.
are at Key West, and these have not
been ordered and will not be ordered,
according to the present plans. to Cuba.
1t was strongly asserted that no pres
ent purpose existed of sending any war
ship there.
Senior Dubosie. the Spanish Charge
d'Anaire~. had received no instructions
up TO p. m. as to going to New York
and stopping the Spanish ship Niscaya
from entering the port. and reports 10
this effect We're discredited.
The air of Suppressed excitement which
characterized the movement of the en-
ployes and visitors at the White House
Yesterday was not noticeable to-day.
There were comparatively few visitors
during the morning hours. and fer con-
siderable time in the middle OF the day
the White House bore an almost de-