The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-02
NAVAL BOARD TELLS NOTHING.
CAUSE of THE EXPLOSION STILL A
SECRET If KNOWN.

People who Asserted n Week Ago
That the Vessel Was Blown Up by
an External Agency Now Modify
the COnvictiOn-COurt VIII PrObn-
bly, Finish Its Work at Key West
TO-day-NO Truth in the Report
That Remnants of a Sub-Marine
Mine Have Been Found.
Key West March 1.-The second days
session Of the court of inquiry is over and
nothing new is known regarding the fate
of the Maine, at all events outside the
members of the court.
Some who confidently declared a week
ago that the court had already found that
the vessel was intentionally blown up
have modified this conviction, and for the
most part admit that such reports must
have been based largely on speculation
Even navy officers are apparently as
much in the dark as the civilians as to
what the courts opinion is at the present
moment
Excellent progress has been made in the
examinations and the court will probaly
finish its work here tomorrow, when its
members will be taken back 10 Havana
on the Mangrove.
Interest In the proceedings tagged some
what to-day owing to the utter futility of
all attempts to crafty the general curios-
ity. The correspondent of the Associated
| Press placed before one of the members
of the court the letter signed 'Maquinista'
(machnis) giving alleged details of the
filling of the Names torpedo holes with
dynamite cartridges and their subsequent
explosion by electric wires. The member
of the court in question said that neither
the letter nor it's developments had been
officially before the court.
The Cubans here are constantly reeeiv-
ing mysterious missives from Havana
purporting to reveal the method by which
the Maine was sent to destruction, but as
| there are as many suggestions or theories
as there are letters little reliance can be
| placed upon any.
Most of the morning session of the
| court was devoted to verifying testimony
previously given. -Four engineer officers
and eight enlisted men of the Maine were
examined. The engineers examined were
Passed Assistant Engineer Morris, Assist
| ant Engineer Bowers, Cadet (engineer di-
| vision) Washington and Crenshaw.
| The afternoon session of the court be-
gan at 2 o'clock and adjournment was
taken at about 4, until tomorrow morn
| ing.
The whole number of enlisted men ex-
amned during the day is ten.
Admiral Sieard has requested DR.. Ma
loney, the mayor of Key West, to prevent
| a local demonstration when the funeral
| of the Names dead occurs. He has asked
that in the event of a parade being form
ed by the residents, only American flags
| shall be displayed.
| Mayor Maloney has promised to carry
| out Admiral Sicards wishes as far as pos
sible, but doubts whether the strong Gu
! ban and anti-Spain sentiment can be sup
| pressed.
All the funeral arrangements will be
! under the direction of Commander Nc
Gala of the Marblehead. AS now plan
ned, small details of marines will be
! landed from the vessels here, and at the
| Tortugas, and the artillery at the bar
racks will join in paying the last honors.
| The services will probably be held Thurs
day The interment will take place in the
city cemetery.
The general situation here remains the
same. The fleet has not moved, though
there are signs of activity which give rise
to the rumor that an important naval step
is contemplated. Admiral Sicard, when
questioned on this point this afternoon,
merely reiterated his remark of yesterday:
There is no movement to-day. The ships
have steam up always, and they can 90
anywhere"
The tugboat Merritt passed here at sun
set with a large scow in tow apd other
wrecking apparatus. She is bound for
Havana.
The report that remnants of a submarine
mine, alleged to have been raised by the
United States naval divers at Havana
with the electrical wires in which they
had been entangled, were brought here
Sunday by the Mangrove and are now in
the warehouse of the ligh thouse depart
ment, is denied in high official quarters.
A high naval officer said to-day: per
haps the court of inquiry may return to
Havana on board the cruiser Marblehead
or on board the Nashville, instead of the
coast survey boat Bache. The Marble
head would be especially suitable. She
has remarkably strong electric light
plant"