New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-02
SPAIN HAD NO HAND IN 1T.
SECRETARY LONGS OPINION OF THE
MAINE DISASTER.
HE SAYS THE ELEMENT OF OFFICIAL SPANISH
PARTICIPATION IN THE EXPLOSION rs
PRACTICALLY ELIMINATED-No
wAhsutP GOING TO HA-
vANA At PRESENT.

wAhcurP GOING TO HA-
vANA At PRESENT.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rnIBuNE1
Washington March 1.-Secretary Long. when
he came out Of the White House after the Cab
iret Meeting to-day. said to The Tribune's repre-
sentative who asked him II ne had anything
about the Maine:
NO think the excitement is aba'inG. You
say the element Of official Spanish participa-
ton in the explosion has been practically elm
mated. Admiral Sicard has asked that the Man
grove he placed at his disposal 70 use in send
ing back and forth to Havana and have made
that arrangement. so It will not be necessary
for any warship 70 60 10 Havana for the pres
ent"
Secretary Longs statement was overheard ny
several persons one Of whom promptly dis
iorted il into a Cabinet decision absolvlng Spain
from all responsibility for the Maine disaster,
and in hat form sent II TO stock brokers ana
various free-sver newspapers which have re-
Gently been industrious In the manufacture OF
war scares
Subsequently Secretary Long found II adv.s
able to correct this erroneous report and dis
claim the Interpretation Of an official declaration
{ Of conclusions reached. when his remarks were
intended an expression of his individual judg-
ment
ACCEPTED AS THE ADMINISTRATION VIEW.
Nevertheless. coming from high a source
as the Secretary OF the Navy, who is considered
70 be above any else In the Presidents con-
fdcnce regarding the Maine matter. II cannot
fail to become accepted as the Administration
view Of the subject
The reference TO the lighthouse tender Man
grove the continued use ~ which Secretary
Ton ,raI prnv,, fO-da NUTS
a quietus the report tha; a man-ofwar or
several batte-ships would escort the Court OF
Inquiry when 1t returned TO Havana The Sec
retary says that vessel will 60 70 Ha-
vane al present. II is inferred from this that
none Will go until after the Court reaches a
decision. This dsposes 10 great extent OF the
criticism that has been passed upon the Admin
istration to the effect that II the Names pres
at Havana was considered essential three
weeks ago the presence Of some other man-of-
there OF increased importance.
The Maine went to Havana and the Montgom-
cry TO Matanzas and Santiago. as Secretary
Long explained at the time. because the situa-
ton had become such that the friendly visits
Of American National vessels to Cuban ports
ought TO be resumed. for the reason that yes
sells OF amicable nations freely frequented each
others harbors"
The President could nnd no JustlncduOn lor
keeping United States vessels away from Cuba
when they resorting to Turkish, Chinese
and all other ports Of the world This
equivocally stated In The Tribune over month
ago. as termination Of the strained conditions
which had grown up under the previous Admin
istration, and II is now authoritatively reit-
Grated.
The decision Of Admiral Sicard to utilize the
Mangrove for taking the Court of Inquiry to
Havana instead OF sending the members on a
warshp s due TO the greater availability Of that
vessel for the purpose. the gunboat Nashville
being the only naval vessel Al all adapted 70
the duty. though her accommodations for the
Court are distinctly inferior 70 those OF the
Mangrove The latter is also equipped with
derrick and has large storage capacity for arti-
ces which II may be thought desirable to bring
10 Key West.
The detail to-day OF Naval Constructor John
B. Hoover. who is familiar with the construction
Of the Maine. and Carpenter Helms who served
three years on the vessel. TO go 10 Havana ana
study the wreck for the purpose OF giving ex-
pert testimony 10 the Court. will. 1t is believed
throw considerable lighi the nature OF the eX-
plosion. They are also pected TO render enec-
raising the ship.
TO TAKE THE NAMES PLACE.
Formal orders were issued by Secretary Long
to-day 10 place the doube-turreted monitor
Mlantonomoh and the harbor defence ram Ka-
tahdin In commission March 10 at the League
Island Navy Yard. on the Delaware where
they have been held for some time in reserve
Together they are TO take the place OF the
Maine on the list OF active ships. in order that
the effective naval force Of the United States
may not appear diminished.
The commanding officer % the Miantonomoh
has not vet been dehltey selected. but the fol-
lowing complement OF officers were ordered 10
her to-day:
Lieuten ant Commander John C. wilson. ex-
ecutive. Lieutenant Edmund r. Underwood.
navigator: Lieutenants Warn s. Rogs, William
A Gill Albert l. Norton and Ensign Noah T.
Coleman. watch and division officers; Chief En-
gineer Wythe NJ Parks Passed Assistant En-
gineer Clarence II. Matthews and Surgeon
James r. Waggener
The officers Of the Katahdn Will be Com
,nandar G.orre r r Wilde. commanding; Lieu
tenant william F. Low. executive: Lieutenant
Abraham T. Culver. navigator; Ensign Joseph
r Campbell. Chief Engineer Frederick {. Belg
and Passed Assistant Surgeon Brownee Ward.
rho naymasters marine officers and several
o,hers have yet to be selected. The katahdin
ava the Miantonoroh will probably go TO Hamp-
ton Roads after inspection and then Visit New
York.