The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-22
THE COURTS FINDINGS.
Have Not Yet Been Received at
Washington.

THE COURTS FIND1NGS.
Have Not Yet Been Received at
Washington.
WASHINGTON, March 21.-It can
be stated positively and authoritative
ly that the report of the court of in
quiry on the Maine disaster has not
been received From the same source
it can be stated that the present Off
cial information is that the report is
not likely to be here before next Thurs
day or Friday. This is a material
change from the expectation prior to
this time. The cause of the delay is
not known, but it is assumed that the
conclusions Of the court are not yet
in such exact form as to warrant their
earlier presentation here
NO MORE WARSHIPS PURCHASED.
The Government has made no fur
Their purchases of warships, but its ne
gotiations in that line have been pro
ductiVe of at least one important re
suit, namely, in establishing that I'M
less the battleship General O'Higgirs
becomes the property Of the United
States it will not be sold at all. Spain,
it is confidently asserted will not be
able to secure this war vessel. Prac-
tically the same condition prevails as
to the Argentine armored cruiser San
MARITIME. which will become the prop
erty Of this Government if it passes out
of the hands of Argentine.
MANY RUMORS, BUT UNCON-
FIRMED.
There was the usual flood of specula-
-,
a renewal of the report that Lieutenant
Blow, one of the Names survivors, who
reached here Saturday, brought a letter
from Admiral Sicard containing the in
formation that the explosion was ex-
ternal. but could not be directly at
tributed to the Spanish Government.
Officials high in authority are loath 20
make specific denials of these rumors,
as there are so many afioat, but the
story was dismissed as unwarranted.
One high official, who would be likely
~ know If steh information had been
brought, stated that if it was in hand
the fact had never been known to him,
and he seriously doubted it's correct
ness. 1t is undoubtedly true, however,
that the Names officers who have
reached here expressed it to be their
personal opinion that the cause of the
explosion was external.
Lieutenant Blow is a junior officer
compared with Lieutenant Holman,
another of the Names survivors, who
arrived here Saturday, and Admiral
Sicard. it was stated, would not SO set
aside the punctilious requirements of
naval precedence by committing such
grave responsibility to a junior officer.
Lieutenant Blow has gone to La Sale,
H.. for a rest, and the other Maine
survivors are also free to go where
they please. and recuperate from the
trying ordeal through which they have
! passed.
If the report is coming in by Captain
! Barker, as some press dispatches init
mate, the fact is not disclosed in any
/ official quarter Nor, indeed. is the route
/ by which the report will be transmit
ted to be made public, as it would
merely serve to jeopardize it's safe
/ transmission and arouse groundless
conjecture Captain Barker left Wash
! ington the middle of last week He
/ is the naval aide to Secretary Long,
and it is naturally inferred that his
going from the Secretary to Key West
at this time had some immediate re-
! lation to the impending question Fur
/ Their than this however, the naval off,
Gals viii say nothing as to the pun
/ poses of his trip.
| SECRETARY LONG A BUSY MAN.
Secretary Longs office at the Navy
Department was again the center of
! conference to-day. Senator Hale,
! Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Naval Affairs was one of the early
| callers, and spent half an hour with
Mr.. Long Senator Pritchard of North
! Carolina also had talk with Mr.. Long.
| Mr. Hale went from the Secretary S
office to the White House, and had a
1 talk with the President. Within a
/ short time he was followed by Secre-
! tary Long, who spent some time with
/ the President. The Secretary carried
/ with him a bundle of documents, which,
! however, had become his custom. Sen
ator Hanna came to the Secretary
/ office during his absence. and learning
that he was with the President, spent
some time in conference with Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt.
The Spanish Minister called at the
/ State Department to-day and present
! ed Messrs. Angulo, Valera and Cade-
mas. who are the direct representatives
Of the autonomous Cabinet at Cuba
With these presentations negotiations
/ toward a commercial treaty Will be-
opened
WAR PREPARATIONS SATISFAC-
TORY.
A nigh officer Of the navy, who has
intimate knowledge of the affairs, said
| to-day:
The greatest difficulty is being ex-
fperieneed by the Government in pro-
| curing ships abroad. but it is hard al
work. and is making as much progress
as is reasonably TO be expected under
the circumstances. Spain is pushing
work on its war vessels The Pelayo
its largest and best battleship. is prac-
| ticaliy ready for sea, and its second
| biggest ship. the Carlos V, viii be
ready i'll a fortnight or three weeks
The officials Of the Navy Department
are doing everything III their power tc
prepare for any possible conflict. ANY
thing. however, which IS gotten in The
way IF tug boats and yachts will be fol
q makeshift. and our people would dc
| well TO learn that the only way to pre-
pare for an emergency is to see thai