The Portland daily press., 1898-02-19


Committee of Congress-Resolutions
Appropriat1ng 100000 for Investiga-
tion by Department..
Washington, February 18.-Soon after
the Senate met today Mr.. Hale OF Malne'
btained the floor and introduced the fol-
lowing joint resolution:
Resolved: That the Secretary OF the
Navy, be, and he is hereby authorized TO
engage the services of wrecking COM
pany or companies having proper Iaclii-
ties for the prompt and efficient perform
ance of sub marine work, for the purpose
of recovering the remains of officers anu
men lost on the United States battlsshlp
Mains and of saving the vessel, or such
parts thereof and so much OF her stores,
guns. material, equipment, fittings ana
appurtenances as may be practicable; ana
for this purpose the sum of 500, GU or Sd
much thereof as may be necessary is here
by appropriated and made Immediately
| available.
The resolution was prepared at the
Navy Department and introduced at the
request of Secretary Long, who in for
warding it to Mr.. Hale also sent letter
explaining its purpose. He says in this
| letter that the Emeagre information re-
celved respecting the nature and extent
of tho injury sustained by the hull of the
Maine renders it difficult to determine at
this time whether there is reason to hope
| that the vessel herself may be raised but
! it seems probable that much valuable
property may be recovered if the necessary
action is taken without delay.
| The sinking Of the Maine will be made
| the subject of Immediate and exhaustive
INQUIRY and Congress will be fully ad-
yisef1 of the results of such investigation.
| Mr.. Long states that in fixing the sum
asked for, the department is, at this time,
unable to estimate the necessary expense
with any degree Of accuracy but says he
has conferred with the board of construc-
tion and repair, and that In case the ap-
propriation requested is made, only as
| much of it as will be found necessary will
be expended in the work. The Secretary
encloses o table showing the cost of a
number of items in the ordinary outfits of
the vessels. The total cost Of these S
| $500, 152.
| i Mr. Allen thought it very desirable that
q provision be inserted in the resolution
for the transportation and burial of the
remains of those who lost their livos In
the disaster.
Mr.. Hall called attention to the fact
that reference was made to tn transporta-
tion of the bodies in the letter from the
Secretary of tho Navy. In many cases, he
said it would be impossible to bring to
this country the remains of the mer
Il killed. as the bodies were SO badly mutt
lated and the facilities for en- banning &c
inferior in Havana that already the re
mains of the dead were decomposing ant
it would be necessary to bury them at
once.
Mr.. Mason hoped provision would b'
made for the TRANSPORTATION of the bodies
to the United States, and for the buria
} of the bodies in this country. He pro.
nosed an amendment to the resolution as
follows:
J LATTER the word thereof and before
the word and insert the following: 'an(
> for the transportation and the burial O.
} the remains of the officers an1 men, 81
far as possible
The amendment was agreed to and the
| resolution as amended was passed.
} The resolution offered yesterday by Mr.
| Allen directing the committee on nava
!. affairs to make an immediate investiga
J ton of the disaster to the Maine, was
then laid before the Senate. 1t precipi
tated most spirited debate on the CubaI
question.
Mr.. Chandler thought that If the wore
Immediate" should be stricken out, ant
the matter should be left within the dis
creuion of the committee there would b.
no objection.
Mr.. Mason of Illinois proposed ar
amendment striking out all after the
word s'resolvcd" and inserting the follow
ling: "By the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives concurring, that a joint corn
mittee of five consisting of three member
of tie House of Representatives and two