The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-22
Legation Says He Is No Longer
An AttaGhe.
NAVY DEPARTMENT NORMAL
Business Getting Back TO Its Usual
Condition.

Washington, Feb. 21.-To-day's develop
ments in the Maine disaster were of a
negative character, greatly to the disap-
pointment of a considerable number of
persons who We're looking for some start
ling discovery by a diver working in the
sunken hull.
The state department after learning that
Lieutenant Commander Sobral was no
longer recognized as an attache of the
Spanish nation, decided to ignore the in
terview attributed to him, which it at first
was disposed to resent 1t is now learned
that Secretary Long, late Saturday even
ing, called upon Acting Secretary Day of
the state department and laid before him
newspaper clippings containing the report
ed interview. Acting Secretary Day
agreed with Secretary Long that there was
warrant for looking into the matter, and
called the attention of the Spanish charge
to the publications. The charge however,
promptly declared that the naval offi2er
was no longer an attache Of the legation,
hisssuccessor having been appointed end
gazetted Dec. "a last. He further explain
ed that 1t was owing entirely to the more
important and pressing matters of busi-
Iess before it that the legation had over
looked the sending of the proper notifica-
tion of the change to the state department.
1t is said that, as a matter of fact, there
are frequent great delays In the receipt
Of such information among attaches at
the state department
For very obvious reasons, Capt Sigsbee
at Havana is making the most strenuous
efforts to hasten the recovery of the
bodies, probably nearly a hundred in num-
Der still imprisoned in the wreck of the
Maine. 1t was a knowledge of the cap
tain's desire that probably led Consul Gen
eral Lee to notify the state department of
the need for more divers. This had the
desired effect for the navy department
took action to send more lelp.
Admiral Sicard telgraphed from Key
West this afternoon that he had sent five
divers to Capt. Sigsbee, and asked if that
was sufficient.
The business of the navy department is
getting back TO its normal condition, as is
evidenced by the fact that an order has
been issued TO discontinue the special tel
egraph service which was established
with Key West, and hereafter the office
at that place will close at 10 o'clock at
night, as formerly. Commander Forsyth
the commandant at Key West, has also
asked permission of the department to
stop his daily bulletins, and this has been
granted with an understanding that he
will report any deaths that may occur
among the sufferers in the hospital there
To-day he reported that they are all get
ting along nicely.
The exchange of official condolences still
continues. To-day Secretary Long sent a
telegram es follows to Capt. Eulale:
Capt. Eulale, Commanding Officer of
the Spanish Cruiser Vizcaya, Tompkins-
Vile: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your telegram of confidence for
the loss of the Maine, and 10 thank you
for the expression of sympathy"
A similar response was also made to a
telegram from Vice Admiral Spann at vi
enna.
Steps have been made by the navy de-
partment TO fill the vacancies caused by
the loss Of the most of the crew of the
Maine. Numerous letters and telegrams
have been received at the department from
individuals desiring to join the navy, ask
ing to be enlisted Immediately A teie-
gram was received from an organization
in Detroit, offering the immediate services
of 10000 citizens of that city in case of
need. Patriotic offers have been received
at other places