The herald., 1898-02-24
,S..bville MONTGOMERY. Ericsson ana


Nashville. Montgomery. Eriecson and
The forpedo boats Porter and Dupont are
In dry dock at Mobile, and are not ex-
pectcd to be ready to go to Key west Ioi
eeveral days. The Brooklyn Is also cruis-
ing In the West Indies at present, en- route
from st. Thomas to Vera Cruz.
At the Spanish legations anairs nave
resumed their normal aspect. Mr.. Du
feosc has received no reports of any char
acter concerning the Maine or the progress
beinr made by the Spanish authorities at
Havana in investigating the occurrence.
when the Spanish inquiry is completed II
doubtless will be sent to Madrid and 1t IS
not likely to come to the Spanish autnorl-
ties here.
Mr.. Du Bose continues to speak of the
satisfactory relations which exist between
the American and Spanish authorities al
Havana concerning the work on the wreck
and the Investigation of Its cause. IL Is no,
known here how far the American court
will avail itself of the evidence OF spanish
officers, or whether the Spanish inquiry
will include the evidence OF American ON,
GERS, but at the legation 1t Is SAID that an
the indications reaching the officials here
are that there will be such co-operatlon as
will be helpful to the two branches Oh IN
quiry and as the courts desire
Mr. Du Bose has received no word as 10
the reported capture of the Dauntless with
the filfbustering expedition, which is salo
to have got away from point petWeeh
Miami and Palm Beach. Fla, recently. A
capture of this importance wouid pe speen-
ily reported to the Spanish authorities
here. and in the absence of adv!ces no
credit is given to the report.
Captain Sobral did not come to the Span
ish legation last night, as has been stated.
He has been expected for some days now
ever, and probably will be here TO-DAY, al
though his visit is said to be without sig
nificance, as the incident with whlch ms
name was recently connected is consid-
cred closed.
No orders have as yet gone to the big
double-turreted monitor Terror, so the
situation Is to her remains as II dld yes
terday, when Secretary Long stated tnat
she was being held for orders at Nor1olK
In regard to the statement coming from
Key West that naval officers there mad
been warned by Admiral Sicard, at the in
stance of the navy department not to DIS
cuss the Maine disaster publicly and with
newspaper men, it is said by naval officers
that this is only the usual course, for the
regulations especially prohibit such dis
cussions as are calculated TO aHect I'M
properly the conclusions of the court of
inquiry and also perhaps to cause the In
terposition of obstacles to the lnVestlga-
tion.
Consul-General Lee, in friendly talks in
Havana with Americans, may have ex-
pressed the view that there are a present
other places that are more desirable as
resorts for persons who have no particular
business in Havana than that city; but
the state department authorizes the an
nouncement that it has not yet been ad-
vised that he has either officially or semi
officially delivered himself of any express
Mr
Spanish charge d'affaires. said today that
such complete quiet and harmony existed
today at Havana that it was manifesty
out of the question that any such warning
had been given. 1t is also said at the oe-
partment that no message had been con-
veyed to the owners of American vessels
at New Orleans or elsewhere that it would
not be safe for them to visit Cuban ports
at this time.
The officers here are still thinking of
Captain Sigsbee's request of yesterday to
be furnished with the plans of the Names
section through the magazines and coal
bunker pockets. The reference to the lat
ter is particularly interesting and leads
to desire to be informed of the exact
quantity and quality of the coal supply at
the time of the explosion. 1t is said that
these pocket bunkers are rarely emptied
bein designed as much for the protection
of the ship against gunshots as for -capac-
ity to hold coal. One expert says that these
bunkers, in his opinion, have not been
emptied in months. All of this has to do
with the spontaneous combustion theory,
as the bunkers abut on the magazines and
might have set off even the safe brown
powder, if the latter were exposed to a
degree of heat above 600 degrees for some
time.
The request, besides, may show that
Captain Sgsbee is not yet satisfied as to
the cause of the explosion.
One of the private letters received here
today, in speaking of the disaster, says
1t was all over in five minutes. The writer
was ashore and heard the noise. He hastily
took a boat and started for the Maine, ar
rivng there in about twenty-five minutes.
Then all was quiet and smooth, and, in
fact, as he said in five minutes after the
blast the Maine was in about her present
condition.
Some solicitude was expressed at the
navy department over the report of Ad-
miral Sicard's health. 1t was said, how
ever, that there was no occasion for reliev-
ing him now, that the flagship New York
is not to leave Key West, and even if she
should, Captain Sampson or Captain Tay-
lor can assume charge of the squadron
while the admiral takes two weeks leave,
which he was about to enjoy when he vol
UNFAIRLY returned to his place.
A formal order was made out this after
noon for Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright to take station at Havana and
look after the government interests while
the work of wrecking the Maine progresses
1t has been arranged that he shall be sub
sisted on board one of the wrecking
steamers. The big double-turreted mon
itor Terror remains under orders to stay
in Hampton Roads until further notice.
1t is likely that she will be sent to take the
place of the Maine in the North Atlantic
squadron if not needed elsewhere immedi-
ately. The officials, however, are loath to
cucumber the battleships and speeder
craft with the Terror, as he might retard
the execution of the maneuvers.