The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-18

Washington, Feb. 1S.-The govern
ment has settled back into a waiting
attitude in respect TO the terrible ma
rine disaster in Havana harbor. The
great shock caused by the news has
given way to a calmer and more iu+
dicial state of mind, and realizing from.
events of the daylthat the court Of in
quiry is the sole dependence in the
search for the cause of the Names
loss, the naval officials are now re-
signed to wait the results OF that in
quiry by a court named yesterday by
the navy department. There was lit
tie new to add to the sum of infG.ma-
ton as to the disaster. All that could
be CLEANED was a denia of some alb
surd story or other hat had crept into
print or become current gossiplfAIl
the news of the day came in the late
afternoon in the shape of Captain Sigs-
bees report of the authorization OF the
funeral of his dead sailors, and Gen
eral Lees graphic story of the terri
BILE struggle for life in the dark hull
of the Maine. "1I-
The officials at the navy department
devoted the day to the effort to correct
the lists of living and dead, to answer
ing frantic Geographic appeals from
relatives of men on the battleship, and
last, but not least, in meeting with UNI
wavering courtesy n patience the eN+
acting demands upon their time of the
press representatives. The disposition
of the survivors Captain Dickens, act
ing chief of the navigation bureau, has
arranged for as well as could be from
this distance. The wounded sailors In
the Havana hospitals, on the Spanish
flagship and elsewhere, when not in
condition to be brought back to Key
West, will be carefully looked after by
Miss Clara Barton, who has been given
carte blanche to buy any and every
thing necessary-food, clothing, deli
cacies and hire of nurses and physi-
clans. The wounded able to get across
to Key West viii be taken care of in
the Marine hospital there. The sound
survivors will be quartered In the spare
army barracks there.
As for the Maine herself, notwith-
standing discouraging reports as to her
condition, the navy department will
make the effort to raise her. While
his is required by every creditable
sentiment, they say that they are
bound to remove the hull from the
small harbor in any case, and it may
be as easy or easier to raise her as il
would be to destroy the hull and ma
chinery by the use of divers and dyna-
mite. 1t is believed hat this work
can best be done by private working
corporations, and negotiations are al
ready afoot for placing the contract
based on work by the day, at an esti.
mated cost of 5000, 900.
At the navy department specific de,
NAL was given of the report emanating
from Madrid that a torpedo flOtilla was
about to leave Key West for Cuba. 1
was stated hat only two torpedo boats
the Gushing and the Ericsson, are al
Key West, and these have not beer
ordered and will not be ordered, &C
cording to present plans, to Cuba. L
was strongly asserted that no presen
purpose existed of sending any war,
ship there,
Senior DuBosie, the Spanish charge
has received no instructions as to go
Ing to New York and stopping tn,
Spanish ship Vizcaya from entering
the port, and reports to this effect ar,
discredited.
1t is said at the department that tn
naval court of inquiry which Is to in
vestigate the disaster can scarcely as
semble for the work at Havana befor
next Monday.
The navy department received a dis
patch yesterday from Admiral Sicard
in command of the North Atlanti
squadron, giving the detail of the cour
of inquiry to investigate the ain dis
aster, as follows: Captain Sampson
president Of the court; Captain Chad
wick, Lieutenant Commander Schroede
and Lieutenant Commander Mark.
The navy department authorizes
t denial of the statement attributed I
Captain Sigsbee that he recommends
10 the department before he sailed 70
Havana that no other ship than tn
. Maine be sent to Havana, because tn
. harbor was too dangerous, owing to tn
! number of torpedoes planted in the bot
7 tom. As "A matter of fact Captain Slgs
D bee had not the slightest hint give
p him that his ship was to be selecte
for the visit - hours before his depart
ure. AS to the statement relatiye I
a.