The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-02


60 BE an invention.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-The main In
tercst .u connection with the Maine in
qulry m a statement by Secretary Long
following the Cabinet meeting that IN his
personal opinion any Official particiDa-
tion by tho spanish government In the
blowing up of the Maine was now pract.-
cany eliminated from the situation. This
statement was not OF formal or Official
character ana was made by Mr.. Long as
he walked away from the White House.
AS usual, the various CaOne. officers
were beseiged with inquiries as TO the
questions before the meeting and In se-
spoDc 20 these impOrtuulues. the Se-re-
taIy of the Navy casually summed W ne
session 900 "a lew w0fus. stating tnai most
oi the tine OF the meetins hGu been given
up to the OuIases on cO.o.eI men IN the
south.
1ne Maine incident had been gone over
but there were no actual deveiOpments,
and he lett that the eNcA e.nent over the
situation had materially auated.
lie also said 40 the same passing way
that any participation OF the spanish gov
ernment in the blowing up OF the Maine
was practically eaminattd IN his Juug-
ment
This last remark WAS speedy given wide
circula ion apart from the quleIus inIer-
onco which had accompanied IL.
IL started comment and when MT
Long returned TO the Navy Department
& strN4 a no Ne
tened 10 convey was being given the
force OF an official declaration that
spain's responsibility for the disaster
had been eliminated
HIS opinion.
In order 10 make clear his meaning. as
n personal expression OF opinion MI
Long dictated the following statement:
"Tbe main thing we talked about IN
Cabinet was the Outrages on the post
masters-one white man In Georgia and
one q colored man in South Carolina
"In regard TO the Cuban question
said thought things were growing qtiete
every day and as far as my judgment
went. I was inclined 10 think that any
official participation On the part OF the
Spanish government In the disaster was
now practically eliminated
The FOREGOING conveyed all that MT.
this much was given only TO offset en-
arged versions of what he had said.
Persons occupying ne closest relations
with the Secretary said that the oplrion
expressed was such as any one might
give with the facts now az hand.
10 was not in any sense. IL was ex-
planned. a conclusion drawn from new
evidence not made public either from the
Court of Inqri~y or any ofilcer now con-
cerned ln the inquiry. Neither facts nor
infimations have come from such sources
j, is said an the department. which would
serve as the basis FOR an oDinion
The official declaratCn OF Scnor Dn
Bose. the Spanish Charge Afaires thai
no mines or submarine dctcnces exist n
the harhor of havana mad come 20 the
attention Of Secretary Long. and this
statement from the authorized represen-
tatve Of tic Sro0ish ccvornment was felt
20 have been given its due wdeSt In IN
opinion exrreseed bv the Secre'arv.
NOFFICIAL PARTICIPATION"
10 was pointed Ort bv persons BEARING
close relations 20 the Secretary that the
language used was Official PARTICIPATION
9n the part Of the S0anish government
This 10 was said had no hearing on the
lues'icn ~ S~a'n's responsihility
The official participation Of Srain was
one thing while the responsibility a
Spain IN case the disaster proved to ne
o. external origin. was quite ano'hes
thing The Secretary's statement We
restricted. 10 was explained TO cXru'par-
ing sra'n from direct. Official connection
and participation In the affair In case
81 was shown That the act was duc ~
some fanatic or person unronnocted with
the government then the question OF
spains responsibility would be s,ill open.
Mr. Ions was much surprised that ="
much attention had been given 20 his
passing alusion
Aside from this incident tho cay
brought forth few deveionments OF i'm
por,ance relating 20 the Maine. No dis
patches OF any character from Key West.
where fhe Court OF inquiry IS sitting
were given out during the day aud us the
rule Of publicity Is still IA force presum-
ably nothing came from that quarter
The vessel movements announced to-
DAY were devoid OF Significance.
Orders went out from the Navy Depart
mcnt late this afternoon 10 put the IRON
claJs Miantonomah and Katahdn into
commission on The io,h instant They are
now al the League Island Navy Yard
where they have been laid up io- year
or two past
Us ctiN AT AHN Atl tf ttst'.iit AAAN VIC
purpose OF putting them in commission
is 20 make borfhs FOR the survivors Of
the Maine now al Key West. waiting ~
the Court Of Inquiry. which with)l;
doubt Viii have flashed with them by the
l0th
TIID TWO BOATS
The MIantOnomAh is formidable
double turretcd monitor carrying four
ten inch guns She Is OF 1880 tons Cis-
placement and scims 10 i-g Knots rer
hour IN addition 20 her main battery
she carries q good secondary battery -
rapid IRE guns and her turrsts are clad
with n l-2 inch armOr
Her commander has not yet been def
nifely selected but the remainder 81 her
officers win Doe os follows. Lieutenant.
Commander Wilson. executive officer
Lieutenant Underwood. navigator: Liell-
tenants Hoeg. GIN and ENSIGN Colman
watch officers. Possed Ass's'ant Surgeon
Weaver and chief Engineer Parks.
The Katahdln. otherwise known as the
"Ammen ram" Is o freak IN naval ar
chteoture ard although opinions ere d.
vided sa 10 her qualities. there - little
lsa. o.