The record-union., 1898-02-24
OFFICIAL NEWS MEAGER.
Nothing From Havana Throwing
Light on the Disaster.

| WASHINGTON, Feb 23@There was
a total lack of official news respecting
the Maine disaster in both State and
/ Navy DEPARTMENTS I'D 10 noon to-day,
no kilograms having come in over night
and none having been dispatched. A
/ reminder of the disaster, however,
reached the Navy Department in the
shape Of a water stained and brine
/ favored package enclosing the medical
J journal of the Maine. This document
came through Consul General Lees mail
pouch to the State Department. 1t was
! turned over to the Chief Clerk of the
Navy Department and by him referred
/ to the Bureau of Marine and Surgery
where il Will be kept for future refer
ence in case of necessity.
The officials say the package was
under water four days. Besides having
an unpleasant odor, the blue lines ruled
on the paper by the Government Print
/ ing Office are nearly faded out, but the
! reading in the journal in the metallic
ink used by the navy is clear and dis
tinct. OF course there is nothing in the
book bearing upon the disaster. but it is
a tribute to the methodical habits of
Surgeon Heneberger, the Maine medical
officer, that the record was brought up
/ to the last moment before the wreck
of the ship. the last entry being Febru-
airy 10Th
w hile there remains an air of expec-
! fancy among the naval officials when
ever there is the least suggestion of news
/ from Havana. the department appears
! to have settled pretty well down into its
old routine. There is no longer much
: 4 Sa +n
I tho cause OF the disaster.
No orders have yet gone out to the big
double-turreted monitor Terror so the
situation as to her remains as it did
yesterday, when Secretary Long stated
i that she was being held for orders at
/ Norfolk.
In regard to the statement coming
/ from Key West that naval officers there
I had been warned by Admiral Sicard, at
the instance of the Navy Department,
not TO discuss the Maine disaster pub
I licly and with newspaper men. it is said
J by naval officers that this is only the
usual course, for the regulations especi-
+ ally prohibit such discussions as are cal
culated 70 affect improperly the conclu-
sion of the court of inquiry and also per-
haps TO cause interpoSition of obstacles
+ 10 the investigation. 1t Is pfobaoie tnAt
/ like instructions have been given to the
few naval officers who remain with Cap
/ tain Sigsbee at Havana, engaged IN
paying the last sad rites TO the bodies of
the victims.
! Consul General Lee in friendly talks
( in Havana with Americans. may have
! expressed the view that there are at
present other places more desirable as
resorts for persons who have no partic-
uiar business than Havana. but the
State Department authorizes the an
nouncement that il has not yet been ad-
| vised that he had either officially or
semi officially delivered himself of any
expression on the subject Mr. Dubosie,
the Spanish Charge d'Affaires. said to-
day that such complete quiet and har-
mony existed to-day at Havana that ii
was manifestiy out of the question that
any such warning had been given
| 1t is also said at the department that
no message had been conveyed to the
] owners OF American vessels at New