The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-19
Secretary Long AdheTeS 10 His Theory
C0nCenilgihe HIeckOt Ihe A0iDg.
NO FURTHER LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT
War RumOrs without Foundation
High Praise for Captain siEsbec-
vu,.uros uover,nx Lever tho
ck-sensntional Stories Con,
tradictnd.
Washington, Feb. IS, 1898.


The feature of the lay at the Navy
Department was the large number of
rumors of a warlike tendency that came
to the attention OF the officials So
formidable had grown the list that at
the close OF office hours Secretary Long
was induced to make the following
statement as the easiest manner of dis
posing at one time of all these stories:
Really no information has been re-
ceived since Captain Sigsbees first dis
patch adding anything TO our knowledge
or the disaster. All we know is that
the Maine blew up. There is abundant
room for speculation Of all sorts but no
conclusion can be arrived at until an
examination has been made by the
divers and more facts obtained 1t is
simple fact TO say that such a thing,
might happen by design or it might hap
pen by accident. AS yet there is no in
dication Of design. Therefore my i'm
preston has been all along and rather
thing the general opinion prep0nd crates
IN the same direction that 1T must have
been accidental
Az the Cabinet meeting to day the
matter was not discussed, except as
anybody of men talk about an event of
that kind and most of that talk yclated
10 The terrible loss of life and to ex-
pre:slons of sympathy for the suffer
erS."
J 1T certainly was q very kind thought
IN the President to send flowers to the
families or Captain SiEsbee, of EXccu-
i've Oiiicer Wainwright and OF the lost
seamen whose residences are in Wash
ington.
You may say absolutely that there
mas been no secret Cabinet meeting;
thst nothing has taken place in the
Cabinet that the public have not been
informed about; that he whole policy
or his department has been TO give the
public all the dispatches; that the de-
paitmeht has no more knowledge on
Tie subject of the cause of the d;Sas-
ter or even OF the circumstances at
tending 1t than have the public, and
that the report which was to the effect
mat captain Sissbee had warned the
department. that the Maine was in dam
ser from submarine mines or torpedocs
Is utterly without foundation, no such
report ever having been received from
MIN or from anybody else"
The Secretary also denied briefly
and comprchensively wild rumOrs that
he had requested the Chief of Police of
New York 10 guard the NiZcaya, and
that he had selected Constru ctor
BoWieS 10 go to Havana and raise the
Maine The last work of the day for
MIN was to consult the representatives
OF the wrecking companies, who pro-
bably will have charge Of this work
and cndeavor TO arrange for both of
them to work together so as to secure
the use of each peculiar plant and to
save time.
HIGH PRAISE FOR sIGSBEE.
The Secretary, when aske1- what was
the departments estimate of the con-
duct of Captain Sigsbcc in the terri
BILE situation in which he had been
placed, replied:
Il think express the feeling of the
PRESIDENT, as well as my own, whom [
say that Captain Sigsbee has conduct
ed himself as an officer OF our navy
should Fie was the last to leave his
snip when she went down. His dis
patch to ME was so complete that.
since then ! have thought of no aues-
tion of fact TO ask him which is essen
tsl TO The situation and which he
could answer, which Is not covered by
that dispatch.
us tone, too, i3 that OF n discreet and
leVel-headed man who realized the i'm
preston word from him at that time
would have on the public mind. Moth
ing Is harder than for 4 naval officer TO
lose his ship, so that have great sym
i'alhJ ipT Htn. L await with conf
dence further reports
During the day the department. was
IN receipt OF number Of telegra ms
from different parts OF the country ask
ing In behalf OF relatives OF the dead
saiios that their remains be brough;
back TO the United States for intc:ment.
among them were queries from friend
OF the two officers, Merritt and Jenkins
The department forwarded these To
Captain Sigsbce, whose reply was that
the officers bodies have not been found
that as to many others Identified ton is
not possible. and throwing great doubt
upon the practicability of taking any of
the remains away from Havana. While
no decision has yet been reached for.
mally uEon the application Of the Span-
ish government for authorization to ex-
anime the wreck of the Maine TO ascer-
tain the cause of the explosion, the
officials seem inclined to regard her
request a9 one that could not properly
be refused, and 1t Is likely that each
government Will make an investiga-
tion Of this character concurrently.
The miniature United States flag on
the model of the battleship Maine. in
the main corridor of the Navy Depart
ment, was lowered to half mast during
the day by direction OF the Secretary
Of the Navy. The handsome model ha
been centre of interest for the throngs
at the department within recent days
&Dd the small flags have continued tC