New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-30
CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S RETURN
HE SEES THE PRESIDENT AND REPORTS
TO THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
HIS VIEWS UPoN THE CUBAN s1TUATIoN-MUCH
ANIMosTTY SHOWN BY SPANISH
sYMPATHIzERS AT HAVANA

NY TELEGRAPH TO THE

fBY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE.l
Washington. March 29-Naval officers who
talked with Captain Sigsbee to-day are more
firmly convinced than ever that war will in
evitably come out of the Cuban situation, and
that the energy with which the Army and
Navy have made extraordinary preparations
in the last few weeks will not have been for
naught AS soon az the Commander Of the
Maine reported at the Navy Department to-
day he wasted no time in explaining TO Captain
Crowninshield. Chief Of Navigation. the intoler-
able attitude OF Spanish sympathizers in Ha-
vana Harbor and city toward Americans. and
particularly their animosity 10 American naval
officers now al work on the wreck Of the Maine
He said trouble could not be avoided much
longer and when n collision did occur, in his
opinion the local authorities would be pcwerless
10 protect either the small American colony
sfoat or the one ashore. All day long and well
into the night foul epithets insults to the dead
as well as TO the living and taurtnG threats
are shouted TO those upon the vessels around
the Names wreck from the numerous boats go
irg TO and fro in the harbor. and these demon
strations have been steadily increasing for the
last ten days. especially since the Montgomery
came away. until an overt act was liable to oc-
cur at any moment.
Captain Sigsbee thought effective protection
should be afforded the wreckers and officers
in charge or they ought to be withdrawn lie
recommended the immediate recall Of Iieuten-
ant Commander Richard Wainwright and the
officers and crew Of the Fern. for saLitary rea-
sons. saying that their close confinement 20
work night and day In the middle Of the foul
smelling harbor. with It's masmatic polsohs
continually stirred up by the operations going
on. was endangering their health TO no purpose.
He said the Maine could not be raised lie
was exceedingly reluctant to reach that concur
sion but he was convinced that complete do-
struction Of the vessel would be necessary
after the guns and other valuable articles were
removed Captain Sigsbee reiterated these opln-
ions TO the President. later in the day. Coming
from the calm. dispassionate officer he mas
shown himself to be In the greatest crisis a
naval officer has faced in recent years. this
recommendation caused considerable official un-
easiness and an effort to effect a remedy will be
promptly made
In conversation with Tribune representative.
Captain Sigsbee said: Il expect 10 be kept in the
Department here for little While on special
duty. for there is no ship just no" ayallaoie, :
want TO go back to especially II can De OF
more service there, hut am making no applca-
ton except for duty. | want no rest
In regard 10 the report Of the Court Of Inquiry.
which he first saw in a newspaper this morning.
the Captain said Il suspected. Of course. What
the findings would be, but could not tell posi-
lively, though I did not see how the opinion
could be anything else. | was particularly
gratiled to be fully eXonerated. and that no
reflection rests upon the gallant msn VINO los;
their lives. The Maine splendid snip ana
would have given good account Of herself
.gainst ordinary enemy in a fair hSlt IL Is the
sreatest pleasure 10 me 10 be at home again, and
Havana there different atmosphere from
this. The American colony cluns closer together
than ever after the disaster, and there could
not have been a finer display Of sympathy for
us Of the Maine