Evening star., 1898-03-21
Report Of the Maine Court Not Ex-
pected Before Thursday.
TEE SPEAKER At TEE WHITE HOUSE
A Conference Regarded as Very
Important.
NEW CRUISERS NAMED


cial information is that it is not likely to
be had before Thursday.
Lieut.. Com. Pillsbury conferred with
Navy Department officials regarding the
future of the Vesuvius. 1t is thought she
will be attached to the squadron in Hamp-
ton Reads.
Gen. Gre.ly returned from New York and
announced that the work of connecting the
forts in New York harbor with telegraph
wires would soon begin.
Speaker Reed held -2O-minute confer
encs with the President, which it is thought
related to sending the report of the Maine
court to Congress.
The bill for the relief of the families OF
the Maine disaster victims was passed by
the House without division.
Representative Wheeler introduced a
resolution providing for a joint committee
to investigate conditions in Cuba. to con-
slider relations with Spain and to recon-
mend proper action.
The cruiser Amazonas, purchased from
Brazil. will be called the New Orleans,
and the Abreuall will be called Albany.
Il think the report of the board will be
here at the end of the week and that the
President will want few days in which
TO consider it,
Secretary Long made this statement to
q Star reporter today as he was leaving
the White House after long conference
with the President.
Whether Secretary Long spoke on infor-
nation direct from Key West or whether
what he said was dictated by the general
appearance of the situation in the vicinity
Of the court is not known. At any rate
his opinion stands as official ard precludes
the, probability that the verdict will reach
here earlier than the time SET
All morning around the White House
there were Indications that the verdict of
the court could not be expected as early
as tomorrow. Chairman Dingley of the
ways ard Means committee of the House
had conference with President Mckinley.
On leaving, he said he thought the report
would be here this week" From other
equally trustworthy sources the same in
formation was given, showing a change In
the situation.
Secretary. Long did not know how the
report would come or who would bring it.
He laughed at the story that the man who
brings the report will be guarded all the
way.
Secretary Long and Secretary Alger. who
also called upon the President for a confer
ence. declared positively that intima-
tion of the verdict of the court has reached
the President anybody else.
Speaker Reed Sees the President.
The days events at the White House
were evidently of the greatest importance.
Unusual reserve was manifested by the
hnu a
The most important conference of the
day was between President Mckinley and
Speaker Reed. 1t is not known whether
the Speaker was sent for. but when his
tig figure was seen it's way up The
White Houce grounds everybody realized
that something important was on foot 1t
Is said that the Speaker has been at the
White HouSe but twice since President
Mckinley came in.
The conference took place in the private
part of the White House, Secretary Long
and Representative Hit waiting in the
Presidents room TO see him when the big
man of the house had concluded his busi-
ness. The conference lasted about twenty
minutes. and is thought to have related to
the sending of the report OF the Maine
board 10 Congress. OF course Mr.. Reed
would not talk about the conference. Presi-
dent Mckinley does not now look for the
report before Thursday or Friday, and
there is considerable impatience among ad-
minlstration officials. Cabinet officers are
beginning to openly express impatience.
Other Conferences.
AT the conclusion of this conference the
President was with Representative Hit for
a short time. He next held a conference
with Secretary Long and later with Secre-
tary Alger.
Senator Hale was the first caller of
prominence in the morning. Representa-
tive Dingley and Senator Proctor were
next. Senator Proctor said that he had
ialled on a political mission solely, and had
not talked Of the Cuban situation with the
President.
Not Before Thursday
1t can be stated that the present Official
information Is that the report il not likely
to be hare before next Thursday or Friday.
This Is a material change from the expecfa-
tion up to this time. The cause of the de-
lay Is not known, but II Is assumed that
the conclusions of the court are not yet In
such exact form as to warrant their earlier
presentation here.
The rumor that the report Is coming by
Capt. Barker, as some press dispatches in
innate. is specifically denied by Secretary
Long The routine which the report will
follow IN transmission to the President will
not be made public, as 1t would merely
serve to jeopardize its safe transmission
and arouse groundless conjecture Cant.
Barker left Washington the middle Of last
week. He Is the naval aid to Secretary
Lorg, and it is naturally inferred that his
goirs from the Secretary to Key West at
this time had some direct relation to the
important pending question. Further than
this, however the naval officials will saw
nothing as to the purposes Of his trip.
Flood of Runs0rs.
There was tn, usual Hood Of speculative
report current today. including renewal
of the report that LIEUT. Blow. one Of the
faine's survivors. who reached here Sat
urday. brought a letter from Admiral
Sioard containing the infcnmation that the
, explosion was external. but could not be
directly attributed to the Spanish govern
mcnt- The odlciais high In authority are
ioath to make specific dsnials Of these re-