Evening journal., 1898-02-18

await the results Of that inquiry by a
court named by the navy department
The court Of inquiry appointed by Ad-
miral Sicard is as follows: Captain
Sampson. president Of the court; Cap
tain Chadwick, Lieutenant Commander
Schroeder and Lieutenant Commander
Mark. Captain Sampson, the president
Of the court, is commander Of the bat
tleship Iowa, now at Tortugas. Cap
tain Chadwick is commander of the
New York, at Key West. Lieutenant
Commander Schroeder is executive OFF,
Ger Of the battleship Massachusetts,
now at Tortugas. Lieutenant Com
mander Mark is executive officer of the
Vermont. He was formerly with the
Maine as executive officer before the
detail of Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright. who relieved him.
As TO the report that a hole has been
found in the hull of the Maine, caused
by a torpedo, there is as yet no con-
| hrmatory news. and in the meantime
the exact truth of the story remains
unknown. At the navy department spe-
cfic denial was given 10 report ema-
mating from Madrid that a torpedo flo
tilla was about to leave Key West for
Cuba. It was stated that only two tor
pedo boats. the Cushing and the Erics-
son. are at Key West, and these have
not been ordered and will not be or
dered, according to present plans. to
/ Cuba. 1t was strongly asserted that
no present purpose existed of sending
any warship there.
II is said at the department that the
naval court of inquiry which is to in
vestigate the disaster can scarcely as
semble for the work at Havana before
next Monday. Lieutenant Commander
Mark, who left Washington at II
o'clock yesterday morning. can hardly
reach Key West before the end of the
week, and as the board must prepare
| itself for the work before leaving Key
! West a day is little time enough for
that and the transportation to Ha-
vana. 1t is not yet known where the
board will hold it's sessions at Havana
| as this detail has been left for Admiral
Sicard to fix. It may be held at one OF
the hotels or perhaps on board the
| Ward line steamer. the tender Fern OF
the coast survey steamer Bache.
AS for the Maine herself notwith-
standing discouraging reports from
Lieutenant Hood as to her condition
the navy department win make an ef
fort to raise her. While this is requir
ed by every creditable sentiment, the!
say that they are bound to remove tn,
hull from the small harbor in any case
and it may be as easy or easier to raisi
her as It would be 10 destroy the hui
and machinery by the use of divers an,
dynemite. 70 is believed that this worl
can best be done by private wreckin.
corporations. and negotiations are al
ready afoot for placing the contract
based on work by the day, at an esti
mated cost Of $4,000
a number OF messages have been re
ceived at the state department from
foreign governments expressing regre
: in connection with the Maine disaster
Among them are messages from Queel
e Victoria, Emperor william. the diet o
s the Greater Republic of Central Amer
{ ica England's first lord of the admiral
ty, Prince and Princess Of Wales. tn
e sultan OF Turkey, President Faure. tn
. Duke Of Connaught and the ministe
i of Russia's marine service.
h The state department has receive
- the following dispatch from Consu
r. General Lee:
O sMerritt in junior officers messroou
s Jenkins in wardroom messroom at IN
e time of explosion. Latter left befor
c an officer who was saved Must hav
gone the wrong way Lights out i'm
e mediately and water rushing in. Mei
s ritt got to hatch with Naval Cade
n Boyd. Ladder gone. BOYD cllmbe
d through and tried TO pull Merritt III
y but the latter let so his hands. fell bac
- and was drowned. Bodies OF these of
3 GERS not yet found. Possibly i'm wrecl
Sailors funeral at 3. Was an immen.
Il procession"
'e The navy department yesterday af