The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-23
WRECK EXPEDITION
Plans Completed and the
Contracts Signed.
TO GET READY AT ONCE
LARGEST EVER EQUIPPED IN
THIS COUNTRY.
COURT or INQUIRY DEVELOP NOTHING
Divers Experiencing Great Difficulty Spanlards
Taking Dispositions Relative 10 Maine
Disaster Ready for the Com
merciaI Treaty.

Disaster Ready for the Com
mercia Treaty.
Washington, ID. c., Feb. 22.-All the
government departments were closed in
Washington to-day save the Navy De-
partment, where few of the officials
assembled to receive any dispatches that
might arrive and to close the contract
vita the wreckers for the recovery of
the effects on the Maine and the vessel
lhsrself if that DE practicable. The
signing Of the wrccking contract was
the most important event of the day,
and this concluded, the officials closed
UP shop and went home to enjoy res
pite from the rush from the past week.
Captain SigSbee was heard from in Il
dispatch which indicates that close at
tention will be given to the coal bunkers
by the Naval Court of Inquiry at Ha-
vaIfa. Officials unqueSti0nahly have been
for sCane time preparing fer amy emer-
gency THAT may ar1se, but appearances
at the department to-day would indi-
cate that all necessary orders have al
ready ben given and that the situation
was not one calling for immediate ac'
tivity at Washington. The Castine and
| Cincinnati. in accordance with orders
made known some time ago by the As
ssSiated Press, are to move further
North to West Indian waters, and ut
Norfolk The monitor Terror has been or
dered to Ec III readiness, and may be
sent to New York later.
ARTILLERYAIEN INCREASED.
The Scnatc liassed bill to add two
artillery regiments to the strength of
the army. This measure mas been urged
for many moHths by officials Of the War
Department who fOIes;rw that while
Congress Of late years had taken meas
ureS for the protection Of our coasts
by considerable appropriations for lie
fcnSivS works and great guns, it had
not provided men necessary To operate
these engines of war. Should the House
pass thc bill it viii enable the Depart
ment tn carry out plans it has long had
in view Criticisms latSiy passed upon
the State of the army, and our fOrtlt-
cations las caused Increased activity
in military matters and to some cX-
tent this is responsible for reports ar
irving from various quarters of move
mpnts at army posts. -Ac report was
circulated that General Miles, as Com
nwnder of the Army. had issued adj
ditional orders for troops at all forts
to be on the alert and ready for imne'
diate action. Imt this was promptly
denied by the Generals chief of staff.
Nothing whatever of Il sensational
character occurred in Washington and
on the whole tine day was free of rumors
by comparison with it's immediate pre-
decessors for the past week or more.
WORK TO BEGIN AT ONCE,
Washington. d. c., Feb. 22.-The
plans OF the wrecking expedition for the
relief of the Maine were completed to-
day after long conferences between
Secretary Long ana the Representatives
of the Merritt and Chapman Company
of New York, and the Boston Tow
Boat Company.
The companies had expected to begin
work in Havana harbOr in about a
week. but Mt the last moment Secretary
Long insisted that IL provision should be
made for sending forward at once at
least one large wrecking boat, with di-
vers and equipment. This was agreed
to. and a dispatch was sent to the cap
at Key West to suspend his private work
there and proceed at once to Havana.
If the Right Arm has started north, n
torpedo boat will be sent after her with
orders to proceed to Havana. At the
same time dispatch was sent to the
Nsw York Offices of the company 10 send
two Of the most experienced divers
by train to Key West, where they Will
go TO Havana and join the divers and
wreckers on the Right ARM
UNDER SIGiSBEE'S ORDERS.
Washington, ID. c., Feb. 22.-Thc
commander of the Right Arm is or
dered to place himself, with his divers
and machinery, under the orders of
CAPTAIN SigSbee, who thus will be free
TO avail himself of their services in
the recovery of bodies or any particular
" desirable piece of equipment of pro-
perty before the regular wrecking opera
tionls Begin These are emergency steps
which precede the main wrecking expe-
dition. which will be Outftted at Boston,
New York and Norfolk. with Il view to
beginning extensive operations within
week.
Tho terms of THE contract as cOnclud.
ed and signed to-day provide for the
roympnt to the wrecking companies of
1s ibe snm Of 1871 per day for their regu
Iar nlont. and an additional payment
of $500 per day for the use of the
Monarch while the latter is actually en-
Moved. An express provision is made
that the government may terminate the
contract at any moment. 1t is also pro-
yided that the compensation shall not
exceed the sum Of money CT2OO,OOOO) ap-