The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-17
CABINET IN SESSION.
President Orders All OmciaI Infor-
nation Made Public.

Washington, Feb. l6.-The President and
several of his cabinet associates held sn
extended conference at noon to-day. 1t
was not a cabinet meeting as no notices
had been sent out and only Secretary of
Navy Long. Secretary Gage. Attorney
General Griggs Postmaster Gary and
Former Attorney General McKenna as
present.
The disaster to the Maine was the only
topic considered. 1t was determined TO
abandon the reception at the white house
tonight, and also the reception to the
general public tomorrow night.
At II O'Clock the cabinet officers came
from the Presidents office. one of them
stated that the President had given di-
1ections that all official information relat-
ing to the disaster should be given 20 the
public He added that a private dispatch
to Secretary Long, signed Rea, stated that
the loss was over go, but this was not Off
cial, and Secretary Long considered the
estimate too high.
This was before Capt. sigsbees. dis
patch, placing the lost and missing at 25S
was at hand
The cabinet officer stated that there were
many evidences that the disaster was the
result of accident. Up to the present time
he said, no orders for sending another
American ship to Havana had been given
Consul General Lee had cabled that the
Spanish authorities had expressed to him
their profound regret at the occurrence.
Another cabinet official stated thai one
of the dispatches stated that Capt. Sigs-
bee was the last man to leave the ship.
At 1880, while Secretary Long was still
with the President, Mr.. Finney private
secretary of the Secretary of the Navy,
was admitted with an important dispatch
just received from Capt. Sigsbee, COM
mander of the Maine. This was read by
the President and the Secretary, and then
given out as follows:
Advise sending wrecking vessel at
once. The Maine is submerged. Except
debris mostly work for divers now. Jen-
klns and Merritt are still missing. There
is little hope for their safety Those saw
ed are: Officers, "a. uninjured crew, IS,
injured; now on board the Ward line
steamer, in the city hospital. and hotel,
So So far as known all others went down
on board or near the Maine. The total
lost or missing is 253
with several exceptions no officer nor
man has more than part of a suit of
clothing and that Is wet with harbor wa
ter.
THE Ward steamer leaves for Mexico
at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
1.-THE officers saved are uninjured.
THE damage was in the in-compart-
ments of crew. 1 am preparing to tele-
graph list of the wounded and saved.
THE Olivette leaves for Key West at
/ o'clock this afternoon and / viii send by
her to Key West the rest of the officers
saved, except myself and Wainwright,
Holman, Henneber, Ray and Holden.
II will turn over three uninjured boats
to the captain of the port, with the re-
quest for their safe keeping / will send
all the wounded men to the hospital at
Havana. Sigsbee."
The navy department tonight received
the following:
Havana, Feb. 16.-Everyone, except
nine officers, one private one gunner s
mate, and twenty-five seriously wounded,
removed to Key West by Olivette.
'Sigsbee."