Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-03-03

81
painters working on the cruiser Min
neapolis in the dry dock at League
island that they must finish her sc
that she can be floated at high tide to
day. The force Of men has been en-
larged they worked until dusk last
light and resumed at daylight thii
morning.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 95--There were
few developments yesterday to change
the situation relative to the Maine dis.
aster. II anything, war sentiment
here is less ardent than for two days
past Practically no information Of
any Importance was received officially
from Havana yesterday, and there Is
no reason whatever " justify suspi-
cion that the administration is keep
ing anything OF vital Importance from
the public The president and the
leading men of both parties are await
ing the result Of the official inquiry in.
to the tragedy before expressing any
opinions. 1t can be stated upon good
inside authority that the dignity
Of the nation in this matter
will be carefully guarded, but the
country will not be rushed into
war upon the reports Of sensational
correspondents. Preparations for war
are going forward steadily and II the
result Of the investigation justifies &C.
ton, Spain will find the United States
prepared TO make war TO the handle.
Rumors OF startling discoveries in the
wreck Of the Maine we're less frequent,
but there were enough Of them still
ahoat yesterday to warrant Secretary
Long in making this statement to the
newspaper men as he left his office.
"Summing up the situation, should
Say that the navy department knows
to-day nothing more about the cause
Of the disaster than 1t did five minutes
after the receipt Of the first dispatch
from Capt Sigsbee."
The statement in the 6igsbee dis
patch Of yesterday that friends Of
the dead should understand we are in
the tropics" is understood at the navy
department to refer to the urgent
pleas OF relatives Of the deceased that
they be brought to the United States.
These appeals continue to be received
here, and while they excite the deep.
est sympathy Of the officials, no hope
ran be held out that the dead can be
brought back. One OF these appeals
makes pitiful plea against the bury
Ing Of the dead "by alien hands In an
alien country"
COURT TO LEAVE HAVANA.
HAVANA, Feb. 25.-The court Of in
luiry held Its usual sessions yesterday.
Capt Sampson reports that Chaplain
Chadwick was examined as to his per.
sonal experiences at the time Of the
disaster to the Maine, and that the
testimony was taken Of the captain Of
} British bark In the harbor, and the
Of the West Indian oil
works, across the bay at Regla, both
Of whom witnessed the explosion.
Mr.. Rolf, the British engineer Of the
boating dock In the hsrbor, wrote q
letter TO the court, but, 1t is said, did
not add anything material to what
was known. At the afternoon
session, the divers were examined
more fully than before. Their
testimony is taken from day to-day.
The court expects 10 finish here to-day
and to sail on the Mangrove for Key
West, where the other officers and men
will be examined. Neither the officers
Of the court Of inquiry nor the wit.
nesses will give the slightest indica-
ton Of the testimony or the conclu-
sons deducible from IL, and and all
shy that the men employed on the
wreck have been warned to observe an
equally strict reticence This course
Is regarded as emincntly wise by the
American and all intelligent Spanish
officials, as there is no telling what
passions might be aroused or what evil
results might be brought about by
talking freely on official matters in
the present state Of public feeling in
Havana.
STATEMENT by THE PRESIDENT.
CHICAGO, Feb. a5.-The Chicago Tri.
bune yesterday printed the follow
Ing statement MS coming from Presi.
dent Mckinley:
| do not propose to do ANYTHING at oil to pre-
ripitate war with Spain Up to the present
DO not think war is either necessary or inevita-
BILE l would be lax In my duty, however. II I
did not prepare for the future The situation
Is grave, and the policy Of the administration
will be determined almost entirely by the
course Of events from time to time, There Is
no necessity Of alarming the people, but con-
gress must be ready to assist the administra-
ton without making too many inquiries as to
the course Of current events.
The president and his cabinet unite
In the belief still, liz spite of all evil
dence to the contrary, that the explo-
sion of the Maine was the result Of an
accident, but they recog-
nize the fact that the contrary may