Omaha daily bee., 1898-02-24
RECORDS FROM THE MAINE
Water-Goaked Rook Taken Out of Havana
Harbor.
REACH NAVY DEPARTMENT FROM HAvAN,
Navy Regulations Prevent Officers
from Tnlking-Monitor Terror
Held on Waiting
Orders.

total lack of official news respecting the
Maine disaster ln both State and Navy de-
partments up to noon today, no kilograms
having come in over night, and none having
been dispatched. A reminder of the dis
aster, however, reached the Navy depart
ment in the shape of water stained and
brine favored package enclosing the medical
journal Of the Maine. This document came
through Consul General Lees mail pouch
to the State department instead of through
the mails, from which it was probably barred
by it's weight. 1t was turned over to the
chief clerk of the Navy department and by
him referred to the Bureau of Marine and
Surgery, where 1t will be kept for further
reference in case of necessity The officials
say the package was under water four days
from its appearance and 1t still bears evil
deuce of that fact besides having an un-
pleasant brackish odor. The blue mark
lines ruled on the paper by the government
printing Office are nearly faded out, but the
reading in the journal in the metallic ink
used by the navy IS clear and distinct. OF
course, there is nothing in the book bearing
upon the disaster. but it is a tribute to the
methodical habits of Surgeon Henneberger
the Names medical officer that the record
was brought up to the last moment before
the wreck of the ship, the last entry be-
ing February 10.
While there remains an air OF expectancy
among the naval officers whenever there is
the least suggestion of news from Havana,
the department appears to have settled pretty
well down into its old routine. There is no
longer much disposition exhibited to theorize
as to the cause of the disaster Probably
this is fcom lack of evidence to base theory
on, or because the ingenuity OF the experts
in devlsing hypothets has been exhausted.
TERROR ON WAITING ORDERS.
No orders have yet gone out to the big
double-turreted monitor Terror, so the situa-
tion as to it remains as it did yesterday
when Secretary Long stated that it was
being held for orders at NOCfClk.
In regard to the statement coming from
Kew West that naval Office there had been
warned by Admiral SicaTd, at the instance OF
the Navy department, not to discuss 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 discussions as are
calculated to effect improperly the conclu-
scn Of the court of inquiry end also perhaps
10 cause interDosition of obstacles to the
investigation 1t is probable that like In
structions have been given to the few naval
officers who remain with Captain Sigsbee at
Havana, engaged in paying the last sad rites
to the bodies of the victims.
Consul General Lee in the course of
friendly talk in Havana with Americans may
have expressed the view that there are at
present other places more desirable as re-
svrts Tor persons who have no particular bus
mess there than Havana, but the State de-
partment authorizes the announcement that
it has not yet been advised that he has either
officially or semi officially delivered himself
of any expression on the subject The Span
ish legation also dscredits reports that Cen
eral Lee has given any such warning, as Mr..
du Bose, the charge daffaires, said today
that such complete quiet and harmony eN-
listed today al Havana that it was manfestly
out of the question that any such warning
had been given. 1t is also said at the de-
partment that no message has been conveyed
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.
SICARD IS NOT WELL
Secretary Long received letter today
flom Admiral Sicard at Key West The ad-
miral writes that he has not regainod his
health and will not go to sea with the
squadron. He will remain at his hotel at
Key West ana maintain command of the
squadron from that place so long as it re-
mains in the harbor there. Should the
squadron be obliged to go to sea with the
admiral i'll at Key West and the senior Off
Ger of his fleet Captain sampson, engaged
in the investigation at Havana, probably
tho command Of the squadron would deyolye
on Captain Taylor now commanding the
MaSSa chusetts and commonly regarded as
one of the brightest ana brainiest officers
in the naval service.
Simultaneously with the departure OF the
Texas and Nashville from Galveston The
Marblehead will leave New Orl 'ans and the
Detroit will leave Mobile for Key West. The
result will be to bring togethe" the large
number of vessels under Admiral Sicard at
Key West and the immediate vicinity These
will be the New York. indiana Massachu-
setts Texas, Iowa, MarblehcAd, Detroit,
Nashville. Montgomery. Ericsson aud Cush-