The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-22
No IntimatiOn of the Findings
as Yet Known,
Official Opinion Tends Toward Ex-
ieTnal Explosion Theory.
The Report to be Sent to Congress and
Given TO the Public as Soon as Can be
Consistently Done After a Copy
Has Been Sent to Spain.


WASHINGTON. March 21.-The pro-
cedure in connection with the submits
sion Of the report of the Maine court Oh
INQUIRY by the President to Congress IS
now clearly outlined and a Cabinet Of
fcer to-day explained the general line
of action at present intended TO be pur-
sued upon receipt of the report-whlen
Is expected to reach Washington next
Thursday. a copy of it Will be laid be
fore the Spanish Government very early
and as soon as can be consistently done
the report viii be sent to Congress, and
be made public at the same time. The
report to Congress will be accompanied
by a message from the President stating
that after receiving the report the con-
cusions We're laid before the Spanish
Government, and appropriate action
flom that quarter asked.
1t is stated positively that no part
Of the report and no intimation of the
findings has reached the executive au-
thorities in Washington as yet At the
same time, it is a noticeable fact that
the current of official opinion is begin
ming to follow that of the unofficial opin-
ion expressed SO positively and persist
entity at Havana and Key West that
the cause of the explosion was external
lie hi in ~
administrator stated to-day tf1at White
they were wholly without exact infor-
nation as TO the findings of the court Of
inquiry. they found themselves sharing
in the apparently intangible conviction
that the cause of the explosion was not
accidental Opinion expressed by the
Maine survivors who reached here last
Saturday has contributed largely to this
view in official circles.
In this connection it is understood
that one of the officers who arrived ON
Saturday stated, not as his opinion, but
is his personal observation on the night
If the disaster. that there were two dis
tinct explosions. The tendency Of this
is to support the theory of external
cause. as it is based on the idea that
the first external explosion was followed
10y a second internal explosion.
Interest in the report was manifested
to-day at the White House and at the
State. War and Navy Departments The
President received a number of Con-
gressional leaders, among them being
Speaker Reed and Chairman Hit of the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
The visit of Mr. Reed naturally attract
ed much attention, as he seldom leaves
the Congressional sphere to make calls
on the executive branch, and it was nat
urally inferred that the purpose OF ms
visit was to confer upon the Cuban sit
uation and its future before Congress
though neither he nor Mr.. Hit Were
communicative. Secretary Long also
had a conference with the President
but so far as could be learned it de-
veloped nothing additional relating to
the Spanish question.
No further purchases of warships were
concluded to-day, and the negotiations
are not assuming a promising aspect
except in showing that the United States
can command the market as against
Spain.
The Ordnance Office of the War De
partment presented a very busy scene
to-day, when bids We're opened for fur
nishing the department about 1,3G
castiron projectiles for sea coast cannon
with which to man the Qualifications
The advertisement called for 1914 ten
inch solid shot and go twelve-incf
mortar shells weighing 1000 pound:
each There was an unusually large
number of firms who bid for the con
tracts. and the prices at which they
proposed to furnish the projeetiles
showed a wide range. The contract:
were not awarded to-day.
The battleship Texas started north
ward from Key West to-day. thus set
Ting the question as to the formation D
q second squadron at or near Hampton
Roads. It is expected that the Massa
chusetts will follow in a few days. bu
the final orders for that move have no
been made.
The Navy Department received a pre-
Hminary report to-day from one of 1t:
agents who is at Havana watching thu
progress of the wrecking. 1t is under
stood that this refers mainly to the tech
meal work of salvage. and not TO hs
questions of cause. The Judge AdTo
cate Generals office, where the repor
was received. viii not disclose the de
tails of the report
The short session of the Senate to-day