The record-union., 1898-03-20
Secretary LONG
OUTWITS Spain.
Will Likely Get BattleshIp
O'Higgins.
Also an ArnnOred Cruiser Be-
longing TO Argentine.
-Four Survivors Of the Maine Arrive
at Washington.
No Report Yet Received From the Naval
Court Of IDquiry-ActiVe War Prep
aratiORS Continue at War and
haFJ Departments.

WASHINGTON. March 19.-The ar
rival of several survivors of the Maine
and their extended conferences with
President Mckinley and Secretary Long
furnished the most interesting features
in to-day's developments on the Span
ish situation Three officers OF the
Maine. Lieutenant George W. Holman,
Lieutenant George B. Blow and Lieuten-
ant Callatin of the Maine corps, accom-
panied by Boatswain LarlIins, came on
unexpectedly from Key West. 1t is said
their visit was purely voluntary on thein
part. as they are now on waiting ord rs,
and are free to go where they please.
Their long conferences at the Navy
Department, and later at the White
House, led to much conjecture, it bc-
ing asserted that Lieutenant Bow
brought with him the report of the
Court Of Inquiry, or at least the gem
eral conclusions reached by that cour-.
1t can be stated positively, however,
from an authoritative source, that the
officers did not bring with them the ra-
port. either as q whole or its general
conclusions. 1t is said with equal posi-
tiveness and authoritatively that they
do not know what the action of the
Court Of Inquiry is, and therefore are
not in a position to convey any infoI-
nation to the President or the Secre-
tary cf the Navy on that point.
Their talks were confined entirely to
graphic narratives of their experiences
n the night of the explosion. In the
surse Of this narrative, however, indi-
vidual opinion as to the cause of the
explosion found expression. These oplil-
ions, as already stated, We're purely per-
sonal. and not founded on the pro-
ceedings of the Court of Inquiry. These
personal opinions, however it was
learned reliably, were strongly Favorable
to the theory of an external cause lead
inc to the destruction of the Maine.
The officers themselves maintain the
strictest reserve, not only as to inter-
views for publication. but also in talk
ing with their associates in the naval
service. This led naval officers to re-
frain from referring to the Maine DIS
aster while talking with them. One OF
the officers volunteered the suggestion
that he would be glad to talk if his lips
were not sealed by the strictest orders.
After the conference with the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of the Navy
the Maine officers did not return to the
Navy Department and great care was
exercised in having their Whereabouts
kept from public attention.
Another interesting arrival OF the day
was Constructor Hoover the technical
expert sent to Havana to identify the
twisted plates in the Maine wreckage.
wiEl view to learning whether the eX-
plosion was of internal or external ORR
gin. Mr.. Hoover also maintained 81
Ience concerning the wreck. He made
no report to the Secretary of the Navy,
as he was sent to Havana to learn facts
and then embody them in testimony
be fore the Naval Court of Inquiry.
PROSPECT OF GETTING TWO MORE
WARSHIPS.
Late in the day the prospects became
much brighter for the acquisition by
the United States of two fine warships
namely the armored cruiser San Mar
tino, belonging to the Argentine Re
public. and the battleship General
O'Higgins. belonging to Chile. The
hone of getting these ships had been
almost given up but eablegrams :e-
ceived to-day from Commander Brown
son. now in Europe, made the outlook
more encouraging. Up to the close ct
Office hours an actual purchase had not
been concluded. but a high official sum-
med up the situation by saying the
negotiations were getting very hot.
The San Martino was originally built
for the italian Government and was
then known as the Wares. but since her
purchase by Argentina she has been
renamed Her dimensions are: Length.
32S feet: beam. -; draught. 24 dis
placement. 6.s40 tons; horsepower 13.-
coo; speed. 1898 knots. Her armament
consists Of two eight-inch lapid-fre
suns, mounted ia barbettes, and pro-
tected by hoods; ten six-inch quick
fire guns, in central redoubt; six Is
inch quick-fring guns on the upper
deck. and twenty-five smaller quick
firing suns on the upper deck. All
the guns on the upper decks are pro-
tected by steel shields
The General o'Higgins is q battleship
Of $500 tons, built at Elswicl,. Her
dimensions are: Length 400 feet:
beam, g.; draught, -. Her contract