The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-20
WAITING FOR THE REPORT.
Arrival of Maine Officers Created
Great Interest at Capital.

Washington, March 1s.-The arrival
of several survivors of the Maine, and
their extended conferences with Presi-
dent Mckinley and Secretary Long,
furnished the most interesting feature
in today's developments on the Spanish
situation. Three officers of the Maine,
Lieutenant G. F. Holman. Lieutenant
George b. Blow and Lieutenant A. w.
Catlin of the marine corps, accompan-
led by Boatswain Larkins came on un-
eXpectedly from Key West. 1t was said
their visit was purely voluntary on
their part, as they are now on waiting
orders, and are free to go where they
please. Their long conference at the
navy department and later at the White
House led to much conjecture, it being
asserted that Lieutenant Blow brought
with him the report of the court of in
quiry, or at least the general conclu-
sion 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 a whole or its general
conclusions. 1t is said with equal pos
itiveness and authoritatively, that they
do not know what the action of the
court of inquiry is, and therefore are
not in a position to. convey arY in
formation 10 the president or the sec
talks were confined entirely to graphic
narratives of their experiences on the
night of the explosion. In the course
of this narrative, however, individual
opinion as TO the cause of the explO
sion found expression. These opinions,
as already stated, We're purely personal,
and not founded on the proceedings Of
the court of inquiry. These personal
opinions, however. il was learned relia-
hi ctr oily 8 u he
theory of an external cause leading TO
the destruction of the Maine. The Off
GERS themselves maintain the strictest
reserve. not only as to interviews for
publication. but also in talking with
their associates in the naval service.
This led naval officers to refrain from
referring to the Maine disaster while
talking with them. One Of the officers
volunteered the suggestion that he
would be glad to talk if his lips were
not sealed by the strictest orders. Al
ter the conference with the president
and the secretary of the navy, the
Maine officers did not return to the
navy department, and considerable care
was exercised in having their where
abOuts 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 wreckage,
with = view to learning whether the
explosion was of internal or external
origin. Mr. Hoover also maintained
silence concerning the wreck. He made
no report to the secretary of the navy,
as h was sent to Havana to learn
facts and then embody them in testi-
mony before the naval court of in
Quiry.
An unusually large number of sena-
tors took advantage of the fact that
the senate was not in session today TO
call upon the cabinet officers with the
hope of securing definite information
of the Cuban situation. They succeed
ed in learning only that the report of
the court OF inquiry had not arrived,
but il was expected early next week.
and that it would be forwarded to con-
gress Immediately on its arrival unless
of very startling character.
Some of them found the high officials
of the state department celebrating
upon the line of policy to be pursued in
case the report OF the naval court
should have the effect of entirely elm
mating the Maine incident from the
situation. So strongly was this con-
tingency dwelt upon that the infer
ence was drawn by some of the senator
visitor that the department had been
led to believe, or had been Informed,
that the report would fail to connect
the Spanish authorities or the Span
iards with the tragedy. Still, state de-
partment officials did not make any
positive declaration that such informa-
ton was in their poss ession, rather adj
Vancing it as a tentative suggestion.
and when pressed for Information on
this point, replied that they only knew
that the report was to come next week,
and that they had no advance infor-
nation as TO its contents. They seemed
to seek Information, rather than to give
out opinion as to plans. indicating that
no definite course had been decided
upon pending the Maine report.