Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-23
PROCEEDING IN SECRET.
The Maine Court of Inquiry VIII Divulge
Nothing TIL Through with Examination.

Washington, Feb. 22.-The most po-
tent sign that the first and exciting
stage of the Maine disaster has been
passed was the fact that not a single
cablegram was received over night or
this morning at the navy department
relating in any manner to that event.
In fact, the only cahlegram received
since yesterday was one that came
from Admiral Slcard mt Key West,
asking whether certain pieces of metal
intended to effect repairs of the tor.
pedo boat Porter had been shipped
As this was a legal holiday few
people were at the state or navy de-
partments. Acting Secretary Day spent
some time in his office, but he had
little news to communicate. He had re-
ceived only one dispatch from Gen.
Lee. The department has heard MOTH
ing of the reported revival of the Wey-
Ter edict prohibiting the expectation OF
tobacco from cuba.
Secretary Long himself spent an hour
In his office In the afternoon looking
over his private mail. He said he had
had nothing from Havana. and did
not expect anything. The naval regu-
lations under which the court of in
quiry was proceeding at Havana alb
solutely precluded the conveyance by
any member of the court, or the court
as body, to any person. even the
tNNAthhAg Va Niit w ldGiS
developed during the progress OF the
inquiry, unless the action of the de-
partment was necessary upon some de-
velopment to further investigation.
For this reason the secretary does
not expect to learn anything. officially
or unoiiicially, for several days from
any of the members of the court and
as Capt Sampson, the president of
that body, has given notice at Havana
that the proceedings would be kept
secret there. the officials here do not
see how any one can see what the
court is doing.
The following telegram was received
by the navy department this afternoon
from Capt. Sigsbee: Send to Forsyth
Tor Sigsbee transverse sectional draw
Ing of Maine through ten-inch maya
zine and shellroom, showing pocket
coal bunkers." This request was inn
medlately complied with. 1t is sup
posed that Capt; sigsbee wants those
drawings to assist In the work of
wrecking the ship, as they would be of
great aid TO the divers. They viii be
useful also as the basis for the testi-
mony now being taken by the court OF
inquiry at Havana. The fact that Il
is deemed essential that the drawings
shall show the pocket coal bunkers,
which abut ON the magazine, Is evil
dence that Capt. SIgsbee has in mind
the spontaneous combustion theory.
though it does not follow by any means
that he Is committed to It.
Some of the employees OF the navy
department have been making esti-
mates of the matter OF money that will
bc required to meet the demands Of
the Joint resolution which Mr. Boutelle
proposes to introduce in the House, al
lowing n years sea pay to the families
OF the dead sailors and money for lost
clothing and effects not 10 exceed
years pay TO the survivors The reso-
luton fixes the sum at not to exceed
100000.
The naval officers assert that the
report IN the effect that the move
ments of the South Atlantic squadron
now under way are with o view to
the early assembling OF the vessels
near Havana Is without foundation.
This movement. they say. is in d.
rect accord with the plan outlined In
December last by Capt, Chester of the
Cincinnati. in command of the squad