The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-22
800 NAVAL RECRUITS NEEDED
BUT MORE PATRIOTS EAGER TO EN-
LIST THAN CAN BE ACCEPTED.
Revised List of Survivors of the Dis
aster-Omcers of the Vixcaya visit
the BrOOklyn Navy Yard.

/
WASHINGTON, Feb 21.-To-day's devel-
opmeuts in the Maine disaster were Of a
negative character, greatly to the disap-
pointment of a considerable number of per-
sons who we're looking for some startling
discovery of diver working in the sunken
| hull. For very obvious reasons, Captain
Sigsbee, at Havana, is making the most
strenuous efforts to hasten the recovery Of
the bodies, probably nearly a hundred in
number, still imprisoned in the wreck OF
the Maine. 1t was a knowledge Of the cap
| tains desire that probably led Consul GEN
| eral Lee to notify the State Department Of
| the need for more divers. This had the de-
sired effect, for the Navy Department took
| action to send more help. Admiral Sicard
| telegraphed from Key West this afternoon
| that he had sent five divers to Captain
| Sigsbee, and asked if that was sufficient.
| The acting chief of the Navigation Bureau.
| Captain Dickens, at once took the sensible
! course of directing the admiral to put him-
self in communication with Captain Sigsbee
| and learn his needs at first hands.
| The business of the Navy Department is
| getting back to its normal condition, as is
evidenced by the fact that an order has
| been issued to discontinue the special tele-
| graph service, which was established with
Key West and hereafter the office at that
place will close at 10 o'clock at night as
formerly. Commander Forsythe, the COM
mandant at Key West, has also asked per-
mission of the department to stop his daily
bulletins. and this has been granted. with
an understanding that he will report any
deaths that may occur among the sufferers
in the hospital there. To-day he reported
that they are all getting along nicely.
BELATED CABLEGRAMS.
| Several reports came from Havana to the
State and Navy Departments this morning.
All of the naval cablegrams, however. bore
date of yesterday, while that from General
Lee to the State Department probably was
sent late last night, though marked as re-
ceived this morning None of these mes
sages threw any light on the cause Of the
Maine disaster, and, in fact, the officers of
the Navy Department have about resigned
themselves to the belief that nothing def
mite on this point can be known for several
days 10 come. Their reason for this belief
| is that the operations of the divers upon
the wreck of the Maine are being confined
at present to the recovery of the bodies OF
the dead, still entangled In the wreck, and
the recovery of vafuables, neither Of which
can be neglected, while the other branch
of work, namely, the investigation of the
cause of the disaster, may be more prop
erly left to the conouct of the court of in
cLlry. General Lees dispa tch to Assistant
Secretary of State Day was follows:
Great need of divers to get effects md
bodies from the wreck. Two are now en-
ployed, but twelve or fifteen could be used.
One hundred and forty-three bodies have
been buried. Very few were found to-day.
70 ha
confined in the ship. The sailors now In
the two Spanish hospitals number eleven.
Visited them yesterday. All will recover.
except two. They are comfortable and
well cared for"
Acting Secretary Day made the following
answer Immediately to be cabled: Have
/ called attention Navy Department to your
request for divers. Same will be complied
with"
A dispatch of last night from Captain
| Sigsbee to the Navy Department was as
follows: Nine more bodies buried yester-
.terday. only two Of which were identified
William Lund and NJ F. Harris
Another dispatch was as follows: Visit
ed hospital to-day. Men very much pleased
to see me. Koehler and Holtzer are very
low. / have hopes of Holtzer; Koehser has
a fighting chance. Only members of bodies
found and buried to-day. No investigation
yet of the zone OF the explosion Need reg
ular wrecking divers for that. Lee sent to
General Banco a telegram relating to ex-
pected coming of wrecking vessels"
THE MESSAGES EXPLAINED.
1t is understood here that by the zone
of the explosion in his dispatch Captain
Sigsbee that part of the wreck OF
the Maine forward of the main mast that
| 10
dispatch to Blanco touches the formal no.
tihcation to the Spanish authorities there
of the coming Of the American wrecking
vessels to Havana. Under ordinary circum-
stances there might be some question Of the
right of a foreign wrecking vessel to OPP
crate in the harbor of Havana presuming
that the Spanish law Is identical with our
own. But in the case of a national vessel
like the Maine the rule would not apply.
though the notice is conveyed TO Captain
General Blanco as matter of courtesy and
TO prevent possible delays through interfer-
ence of some uninstructed subordinates in
the customs service at Havana. =
Captain Sgsbee's last dispatch yesterday
was as follows: 'Will send two wounded
from the hospital by the Bache tomorrow
These are two recommended to go to Tor
tugas. Barnette Captain of the BacheJ
would report to admiral
The Navy Department has informed Adj
miral Sicard. at Key West, of the factsy
communicated by Captain Sigsbee ~
leaves entirely to the admirals discretion
the assignment OF the wounded arriving
from Havana to Tortugas instead Of Key
West.
Secretary Long to-day denied absolutely
a report that he had advised certain Fhil-
adelphians not to send further relief sun