The age-herald., 1898-03-02
LONG SAYS STAINS
 SKIRTS ARE CLEAR Does Not Believe There Was
 Official Connivance. INDIVIDUALS MAY BE GUILTY And Whether Spain Is Responsible
 Must Be Decided. STATEMENT WAS HERALDED ABROAD And the Secretary Made Many Apollo gies in His Explanation. TWO MORE IRON CLADs COMMISSIONED Miantonomah and the Katadin The Latter Is a Ram and Would Cause Some Un-
 easiness Were She to Appear
 in Any Harbor.
And the Secretary Made Many Apollo
 gies in His Explanation.
TWO MORE IRON cLAps COMMISSIONED

Washington, March 1.-The interest of the day in connection with the Maine inquiry centered in a statement by Secretary Long following the cabinet meeting, that in his personel opinion any official participation by the Spanish government in the blowing up of the Maine was now practically elim- mated from the question.
 This statement was not of a formal or official character, and was made by MT. Long as he walked away from the white house. As usual, the various cabinet off, cers were beseged with inquiries as to the questions before the meeting, and in re- sponse to these importunities the secretary rather casually summed up the situation in few words, stating that most of the time had been given to the outrages of colored postmasters in the south. Natur- ally the Cuban situation had been gone over, he said, but there were no actual developments, and he felt that public ex- citement had materially abated
 Then he added the statement, in the same passing way, that any participation by the Spanish government in the blowing up Of the Maine was practically eliminated, in his judgment. The last remark was speed fly given wide speculation apart from the queting reference which had accompanied it. It immediately started much comment and discussion, and when MT. Long re- turned to the navy department after lunch he found that what he had intended to con- vey was being given the force of an ofii- cial declaration, that Spain's responsibility for the disaster had been eliminated In order to make clear his meaning, as per- sonal expression of opinion, MT. Long dic- tated the following statement
 Long's Apology
 "The main thing we talked about in the cabinet meeting was the outrages on the postmasters, one a white man in Georgia and one colored man in South Carolina. In regard to the Cuban question, I said thought things were growing quieter every day, and as far as my judgment went, was inclined to think that any official par ticipation on the part of the Spanish gov ernment in the disaster was now practically eliminated"
 The foregoing conveyed all that MT. Long desired to sny on the subject and this much was given only to offset enlarged versions of what he had said. Persons occupying the closest relations with the secretary said that the opinion expressed was such as one might give with the facts now at hand. It was not in any sense, ib was ex- plained, a conclusion drawn from new evi- dence, not made public either from the court of inquiry or any officer concerned now In the inquiry. Neither facts or infor- nation have come from such sources, it is said at the department, which would serve as a basis for an opinion.
 DuBose's Assertion Credited
 The official declaration of Senor DuBosc, the Spanish charge diaffairs. that no mine Or sufb-marine defenses exist in the bar'bor of Havana had come to tne attention of Secretary Long, and this statement from the authorized representative of the Span- ish government wns felt to have been given its full weight In the opinion expressed by the secretary. The secretary's opinion. 4k e4ai6 1,oal y1hn hnar the question of Spadn,s responsibility. The s'ofiicial participation'' of Spain was one thing while the responsibility or Spaan, m case the disaster proved to be of external origin, was quite another thing. The sec retary's statement was restr1cted, 1t was explained to exculpatlng Spain from direct official knowledge and participation in the affair. In case it was shown that the act was due to some. fanatic or person uncon- nected with the government then the queS, tion of Spain's responsibility would be stall onen MT Long wt3t5 much surprised that SD much attention had been given to his passing alluSlon. . Aside from this incident the day brought forth few developments or importance re. 1atdng to the Maine. No dispatches of any cbaracter from Key West, where the court of inquiry is sitting.
 Two Monitors in Service
 Orders were issued at the navy depart- ment this evening to put the ironciads Miantonomah and Katahdln Into coHIiiis- sion on the 10th inst. They are now at the League Island navy yard, where they have been laid up for a year or two. It is said at the department that the purpose Of put ting them into commission is to make berths for the survivors of the Maine, now at Key West waiting on <he court of in- quiry, which, without doubt will have fin- ished with them by the 10th. The Mianto- nomah is a formidable double-turreted monitor, carrying four 10-nch guns. She is of 3,99O tons displacement and steams ten and half knots per hour. Tn addition to her main battery, she carries a good secondary battery of rapdd-fire guns and her turrets are clad with 11h-inch armor. Her commander has not yet been definitely selected, but the remainder of her officers will be as follows: Commander wilson, executive officer; Lieut.. Under wood, navigator: Aeuts. Hogg, Gill and Ensign Coleman, watch officers; Passed Assistant Surgeon Weaver and Chief En- gineer Parks.
 Freak in Naval Architecture
 The Katahdin, otherwise known as the Amman ram, Is freak in naval architect ure, and although opinions are divided as to her qualities, there Is little doubt that her presence in any harbor would make an