Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-20
AT TER SHIPS.
United States May Secure
Cruiser and Battleship.
THE PROSPECTS GOOD.
Negotiations Well Along With
Chill for the o'Higgins.
The Cruiser san MARITIME Belonging to
the Argentine Republic Likely to
Jcin Uncle Sans Fleet.

Washington, March 19.-The arrival
of several survivors of the Maine and
their extended conferences with Presi-
dent Mckinley and Secretary Long, fur
nished the most interesting feature in
today's developments on the Spanish 81
tuation. Three officers of the Maine
Lieut.. G. F. w. Holman, Lieut.. George
P. Blow and Lieut.. A. w. Catlin of the
Marine corps-accompanied by Boat
swain LJarkins, came on Unexpectedly
from Key West.
1t was said that their visit was purely
voluntary on their part, as they are now
on waiting orders and are free to go
where they please. Their long confer
ences at the navy department and later
at the White House, led to much con-
lecture, it being asserted that Lieut..
Blow brought with him the report of
the court Of inquiry, or at least the gen
eraI conclusions reached by that court.
1t can be stated positively, however,
from an authoritative source, that the
officers did not bring with them the re-
port, either as a, whole or it's general
conclusions. II is stated with equal
positiveness authoritatively, that they
do not know what the action of the
court of inquiry Is, and, therefore, are
not in a position to convey any informa-
ton to the president or secretary of the
navy on that point. Their talks were
confined entirely to graphic narratives
of their experience on tine night of the
explosion.
In the course of this narrative individ-
ual opinion as to the cause of the ex-
plosion found expression. Their opinions
were purely personal, and not founded
on the proceedings of the court of in
quiry. These personal opinions, how
ever, it was learned reliably, were
strongly favorable to the theory of an
external cause leading to the destruc-
ton of the Maine. The officers them
selves maintain the strictest reserve, not
only as to interviews for publication, but
also in speaking with their associates
in the naval service. This leads naval
officers to refrain from referring to the
Maine disaster while talking with them.
One of the officers volunteered the sug-
gestion that he would be glad to talk
If his lips were not sealed by the strict
est orders. After the conferences with
tine president and the secretary Of the
navy, the Maine officers did not return
to the navy department, and consider
able care was exercised in having their
whereabouts kept from public atten-
ton.
Another interesting arrival of the day
was Constructor Hoover, the technical
expert sent to Havana to Identify the
twisted plates in the Maine wreck
with view to the learning whether the
explosion was of internal or external
origin
Mr.. Hoover also maintained silence
concerning the wreck. He made no re-
port to the secretary of the navy, as
he was sent to Havana to learn the
facts, and then embody them in testi-
mony before the naval court of in
CURRY.
Late in the day the prospects became
much brighter for the acquisition by the
United States of two exceptionally fine
foreign warShips-namely the armored
cruiser. San MARITIME, belonging to the
Argentine Republic and the battleship
Gen. OHiggins, belonging to Chilli.
The hope of getting these ships had
been almost given up, but cablegrams
received today from Commander Brown
SON. now in Europe, made the outlook
more encouraging. Up to the close of
office hours, an actual purchase had not
been concluded, but a high official
summed up the situation by saying the
negotiations were getting very hot"
The San MARITIME was originally built
then known as the Varese, but since
her purchase by Argentina she has been
renamed Her dimensions are: Length
32S feet. beam SO feet draft "a feet. dis
placement $40 tons, horse power 13,000
speed 19. 9S knots. Her armament is two
S-inch quick-fire guns mounted in bar
bettes and protected by hoods; ten 6-inch
ouick-fire guns in a central redoubt: six
47-inch quick-fire guns on the upper
deck, and % smaller quick-fire guns on
the upper deck. All the guns on the
upper deck are protected by shell
shields.
The Gen. O'Higgins is a battleship of
$500 tons, built at Elswick. Her dimen-
sions are: Length 400 feet, beam 81 feet,
draft % feet. Her contract speed, 2114
knots. Her armament is four 8-inch,
ten 6-inch, four Al Armstrong guns, eight
12-ponnders, ten 6-pounders and four
submerged torpedo tubes Her protect
i've deck Is a belt of Harveyized steel
seven inches thick. Her gun houses for
the eight-inch guns and the easements
of the 6-inoh gun are protected by six
inches of nickel steel
Both the navy and war departments
continue their active preparation Tor
emergency and contracts in all
branches of armament are being made
daily BY the various bureaus The
naval bureau Of ordnance has contract
ed fofs4 500 900 pounds Of brown powder,
whictfsis probably the largest single
order ever given. This was divided be-
tween the California Powder Company,
ana the Dupont Powder Company.
These concerns together are furnishing
the bureau about 10000 pounds daily,
and within a week or so, ii is expected
the capacity Of these two works will be