The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-19

Washington, Feb. 1s.-The feature of
the day at the navy department was
the large number of rumors of a war
like tendency that came to the atten-
lion CT the officials as requiring atten-
ton, and. in every case. contradiction.
So formidable had grown the list that.
at the close of Office hours, Secretary
Long was induced to make the follow
ing statement as the easier manner of
disDosing at one time of all these
stories:
NO ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
Really no information has been re-
ceived. since Captain Sigsbee's first dis
patch, adding anything to our knowl-
edge of the disaster. All we know is
that the Maine blew up. There is abun-
dant room for speculation of all sorts.
but no conclusion can be arrived at
until an examination has been made
by the divers, and more facts obtained.
1t is a simple fact to say that such
thing might happen by design, or it
might happen by accident. AS yet there
is no indication of such design There
lore, my impression has been all along,
and l rather think the general opinion
I:reponderates in the same direction,
that it must have been accidental.
At the cabinet meeting today the
matter was not discussed, except as
any body Of men talk about an event
of that kind. and most of the talk re-
lated 10 the terrible loss of life, and to
expressions of sympathy for the suf-
feIers.
1T certainly was a very kind thought
in the president to send flowers to the
families of Captain Sigsbee, of the ex-
ecUtive officer Wainwright, and of the
lost seamen whose residences are in
Washington.
NO SECRET MEETING.
You may say absolutely that there
has been no secret cabinet meeting;
that nothing has taken place in the
cabinet that the public have not been
informed about; that the whole policy
of this department has been TO give the
public ali the dispatches; that the de-
Iartment has no more knowledge on
the subject OF the cause of the disaster.
or even of the circumstances attending
il. than have the public; and that the
report which was to the effect that
Captain Sigsbee had warned the de-
p2rtment that the Maine was in danger
from submarine mines or tOrpedOes is
utterly NillEOQL lOulGQcsllOlls 4lO SUN It.
port ever having been received from
him, or from anybody else
THAT NEW YORK STORY.
The secretary also denied briefly and
compre hensively wild rumors that he
had requested the chief OF police OF
New York to guard the Nizcaya, and
that he mad selected Constructor
BOwles TO go to Havana and raise the
Maine The last work of the day for
him was to consult the representatives I
of the wreckinS companies. who prob /
ably Will have charge of this work, and
endeavOr to arrange for both of them ]
TO work together. so as to secure the .
use Of each peculiar plant. and to save I
time. The secretary. when asked what (
was the departments estimate of the /
conduct of Captain Sigsbee in the try +
ing situation in which he had been I
placed, replied:
I think 1 express the feelings of the
president, as well as my own, when
say that Captain Sigsbee has con-
Quoted himself as an officer of our navy
should. lie was the last TO leave his
snip when she went down. His dis
patch TO me that night was so complete
that since then ! have thought of no
question of fact to ask him which is
essential to the situation and which he
could answer which is not covered by
that dispatch. Its tone, too, is that of
q discreet and level-headed man who
realized the impression any word from
him at that time would have on the
public mind. Nothing is harder than
for naval officer TO lose his ship, so
that I have great sympathy for him.
I await with confidence further re-
ports"
RELATIVES OF THE DEAD.
During the day the department was
,f
from different parts Of the country.
asking. in behalf of relatives of the
dead sailors. that their remains be
brought back to the United States for
Among them were queries
from friends of the two officers, Mer-
rift and Jenkins. The department for
warded these to Captain Sigsbee, whose
answer WAS that the officers bodies
have not been found; that as to many
Others identification is not possible and
throwing great doubt upon the prac-
ticability of taking any of the remains
away from Havana.
While no decision had vet been
reached formally upon the application ,
Of the Spanish government for author
iZation TO examine the wreck of the
Maine. to ascertain the cause Of the !
explosion. the officials seem inclined to {
regard her request as one that could 7
not properly be refused and it is like
investigation Of this character concur {
rently. 7
MINIATURE MAINE. {
The miniature United States flag on
he model of the battleship Maine. in :
he main corridor of the navy depart ,
nent, was lowered to half mast during :
he day by direction Of the secretary .
# the navy. The handsome model has :
been a center of interest for the :
hrongs at the department within re- r
.ent days. and the several flags have !
continued to fly at the mastheads in ap- s
parent irony OF the actual condition of !
he Maine A movement was started i
oday to drape the model in mourning. /
after the manner that the model of the +
British ship Victoria was draped at h
he Worlds fair. Secretary Long did a
lot approve of this. however. as it l,
an ostentatiSn not fitting the Il
but he gave his assent
o lowering the miniature coiors. and Y
LCcOTf}iueylxr % CT, a. =.