The Portland daily press., 1898-03-21
TWO NEW SHIPS.
We May Get the O'Higgins and the San
Martina.

MArUlDO.
Washington, March 49, The arrival of
several survivors of the Maine and their
extended conferences with President Mo-
Kinley and Secretary Long furnished the
most interesting feature in today's deyel-
opments on the Spanish situation. Three
officers of the Maine, Lieut.. 6. T. w.
Holman, Lieut.. George p Blow und
Lieut.. A. W. Catlin, of the Maine corps
accompanied by Boatswain Larkins, camo
on unexpectedly from Key West. 1t was
said their visit was purely voluntary on
their part, as they are now en- waiting
orders and are free to go where they
please. Their long conferences at the
Navy Department and later at the White
House led to much conjecture, it being
asserted that Lieut. Blow brought with
him the report Of the court OF inquiry,
or at least the general conclusions reached
by that court. 1t can be stated positively,
however, from an authoritative source'
that the officers did not bring with them
the report, either as whole or it's general
conclusions. 1t is stated with equal posi-
tiveness and authoritatively, that they do
not know what the action Of the court of
inquiry is. Their talks were confined
entirely to graphic narratives of their ex-
periences on the night of the explosion.
individual opinion as to the cause of the
explosion found expression. Their opin-
ions were purely personal and not founded
on the proceedings of the court of in
quiry.
These personal opinions, however, it
was learned were strongly favorable to
the theory of an external cause leading
to the destruction of the Maine. The Off
GERS thems elves maintain the strictest re-
serve, not only as to interviews for pub
LEGATION but also In speaking with their
associates in the naval service.
This leads naval officers to refrain from
referring to the Maine disaster while talk
ing with them. One of the officers volun-
teered the suggestion that he would be
glad to talk If his lips were not sealed
by the strictest order. After the confer
ence with the President and the Secretary
of the Navy the Maine officers did not re-
turn to the Navy Department. and consid-
cradle care was exercised in having their
whereabouts kept from public attention.
Another interesting arrival of the day
was Constructor Hoover, the technical
expert sent to Havana to identify the
twisted plates in the Maine wreck with
view to learning whether the explosion
was of internal or external origin. Mr..
Hoover also maintained silence concern
ing the wreck. He made no report to the
Secretary of the Navy, as he was sent to
Havana to learn facts and then embody
them in testimony before the naval court
of inquiry.
THE SANs.MARTINO AND O'HIGGINS
Later in the day the prospects became
much brighter for the acquisition by the
United States of two exceptionally fine
foreign warships, namely the armored
cruiser San MARITIME belonging to the
Argentine Republic and the bsttleship
General O'Higgins belonging to Chilli.
The hope of getting these ships had been
almost given up, but cablegrams recsived
today from Commander Brownson now
in Europe made the outlook more enoour-
actual purchase had not been consoluded,
but high official summed up the stu
alton by saying the negotiations were get
ting Every hot"
The San MARITIME was originally built
for the Italian government and was then
known as the Varsse, but since her pur-
chase by Argentina she has been re-
II Il,
1928; beam, SO; draught, "a; displacement,
6, $40 tons; horse power, $4,000; speed,
49, 93 knots. Her armament is two s-inch
quiok-fire guns mounted in barpettes and
protected by hoods; ten 6-inch quick lire
guns in central redoubt six 6-lnch
auiok-fire guns in central redoubt;
six 4.7-inch quick-fre guns On the upper
deck and twenty two smaller qulok'fre
guns on the upper deck. All the guns
on the upper deck are protected by shell
shields.
The General O'Higgins is battleship
of s, $50 tons, built at Elswick. Her d.
mansions are: Length, 400 feet; beam,
60 feet: draught, % feet. Her contract
sneed is q. 25 knots. Her armament is
four S-inch; ten 6-inoh; four A. Arm
strong guns; eight 10 FOUNDERS; ten 6
nounders and four submerged torpedo
tubes. Fer protective deck is belt of
baryeyized steel seven inches thick. Her
gun houses for the s-inch guns and the
easement of the 6-inch guns are protected
by six inches of nickel steel.
ARGENTINE WILL SELL.
Rome, March Arrangement have
been made between the Argentine Re-
public and the Orlando shipbuilding oonl-
pany for the sale of the armed cruiser
Varese. The name of the purchaser is
not stated.