The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-20
Request for a Joint Investigation
Refused.
SHIP EXTRA-TERRITORIAL.
Spain TO Put No Straw in SigS-
bees Way.

washington, Feb. 19.-The request OF the
Spanish government for permission to ex-
anime the wreck OF the Maine, reached
the department last night through the fol-
lowing message from Consul General Lee:
Havana, Feb. 1S.-Assistant Secretary
Day, Washington: Capt. Sigsbee begins
tomorrow with divers sent him from the
United States to recover all bodies still left
i'm wreck of Maine. as well as personal
effects of officers and men, and whatever
also can be obtained that way. After that
is completed, the Spanish government
would like to unite with ours in having
bottom of ship and harbor in vicinity
Jointly examined.
(Slgned.) Lee"
The following Is the answer sent:
washington, Feb. 19.-Lee, Consul Cen
eral, Havana:-The government OF the
United States has already begun an inves-
tigatlon as to the causes of the disaster
of the Maine through officers of the navy.
specially appointed for that purpose, which
will proceed independently. This govern
ment will afford every facility it can to
the Spanish authorities in whatever inves-
tigation they see fit to make upon their
part. DAY, Assistant Secretary"
The apparent difficulty attending the
sending down of divers to the Maine was
relieved, II not entirely removed. by a
statement to-day by Senor Dubosc, charge
daffaires of the Spanish legation, that a
nd 1E,,o,
between Capt Sigsbee and the authorities
at Havana had been reached on the matt
ter of divers, and that the Spanish author
tiles viewed the Maine as extra territorial,
that is part of the sovereign territory of
the United States, the same as a United
States legation situated In foreign terrific
ry With the Maine holding its status as
extra territorial, all doubt as to the work
on the wreck is removed. The waters Of
Havana harbor are. of course Spanish ter
ritory and some confusion had been arous-
ed by the idea that this jurisdiction over
the waters attached also to the wreck in
its present helpless condition at the bot
tom Of the bay.
1t appears, however, that there is no
disposition to extend this jurisdiction to
the ship, and that the Spanish authorities
freely assent to the Names being regard
ed as extra territorial. and under the i'm
mediate direction of Capt. Slgsbee as the
representative of the United States. Ac-
cordng to the view taken by the Spanish
authorities there can be no trouble at
tending the work Of the divers. Capt.
Sigsbee will be recognized as the one to
direct operations and to send down the
government divers for such inspection as
he sees proper to make.
Mr.. Dubosc feels assured, however, that
Capt. sigsbee will extend equal facilities
to the Spanish divers, so that the inspec-
tions may proceed together.
| AS to what divers Capt sigsbee will
employ the feeling among Spanish officials
here is that this will be wholly a matter
| of discretion with Capt. Sgsbee, as the one
in charge Of piece of property having the
| attributes of American soil. But at the
same time the feeling is expressed that
| this discretion will lead to choice Of au-
thorized divers Of the navy department,
| rather than those representing newspa-
| pers.
Until the Investigation is made the wild
est speculation will be INDUCED in by SEN
| sationalists, and already the widest kind
! OF reports are In circulation, which are
! calculated to infame the public mind
Chief Naval Constructor Hichborn, who
| says that the Maine was destroyed by
| treachery rather than by an accident. suys
to-day that he is very much afraid the
| real cause OF the disaster may not be re-
vealed by the investigation. He says 1t Is
going to be very difficult to convince the
American people that 1t was an accident,
| and 1t will be equally difficult TO locate
the cause of the calamity, even after the
| vessel Is examined and raised. He says
| there may be some tell-tale marks left to
| give a clew, but 1t is probable that the
! world may never know positively what
| caused the explosion.
The view taken by the Spanish author
tiles, that the wreck OF the Maine Is ex-
ira territorial and part OF the sovereign
soil Of the United States promises to es-
tabIsh an important precedent in inter-
national laws. A case somewhat resem-
bling that Of the Maine is mentioned in
| Halls international law. In that case
the United States frigate Constitution
went ashore In 1879 at Swageo on the
welsh coast while bringing from the Paris
| Exposition some of the government ex.
hiblt Local wreckers got her off and then
| llbelIcd her for pay. The United States
| government insisted that the warship was
] axtra-territorial, and not under the local