Evening journal., 1898-02-19
STATEMENT BY Mr.. LONG
Havana Dispatches Show iS5 Bodies
Have Been Recovered.
VIZCAYA ARRIVES AT NEW YORK
Divers Refused Permission to Garry on
Their work-Praise For Captain sigs-
bee-summary Showing Results OF
the Tragedy In Havana Harbor.


OF yesterday at the navy department
was the large number OF rumors Of a
warlike tendency that came to the no.
tice OF the officials as requiring atten-
tion and In every case contradicted. So
formidable has grown the disaster that
at the close OF Office hours Secretary
Long was induced to make the follow
ing statement as the easiest manner OF
dlsposing at once Of all these stories:
Really no information has been re-
ceived since Captain Slgsbee's first dts
patch adding to our knowledge OF the
disaster. All We know IS that the Maine
blew up. There Is abundant room for
speculation OF all sorts, but no conolu-
sion can be arrived at until an exam
ination has been made by the divers
and more facts obtained II IS a sim
pie fact to say that such a thing might
happen by design or IL might happen by
accident. As yet there IS no indication
Of design. Therefore my impression has
been all along and / rather think the
general opinion preponderates In the
same direction, that Il must have been
accidental.
"At the cabinet meeting today the
matter was not discussed, except as any
body Of men talk about an event OF that
kind, and most Of that talk related TO
the terrible loss Of life and 20 express
sions Of sympathy for the sufferers
1T certainly was a very kind thought
IN the president TO send flowers to the
families OF Captain Sigsbee. Of Execu-
tive officer wainwright and OF the lost
seamen whose residences are In Wash
ington.
you may say absolutely that there
has been no secret cabinet meeting;
that nothing has taken place in cabinet
that the public have not been informed
about; that the whole policy Of this de-
partnent has been TO give the public
all the dispatches; that the department
has no more knowledge on the subject
OF the cause Of the disaster or even OF
the circumstances attending II than
have the public. and that the report
which was to the effect that Captain
sigsbee had warned the department
that the Maine was In danger from sub
marine mines or torpedoes Is utterly
without foundation no such report ever
having been received from him or from
anyboaytelae.r
The aecretnfy also denied briefly and
Complementary wild rumors that he
had requested the chief OF police OF
that he had selected Constructor
Bowies to go TO Havana and raise the
Maine. The last .work Of the day for
him was TO consult the representatives
OF the wreoklng companies who proba-
bly, will have charge Of this work and
endeavor to arrange for both OF them
70 work together so as TO secure the
use of each peculiar plant and to save
time.
The secretary. when asked what was
the departments estimate OF the con-
duct Of Captain Sigsbee in the terrible
situation IN which he had been placed,
replied;
'1 think express the feeling OF the
president. as well as my own, when
say that Captain Sigsbee had conduct
ed himself as an officer OF our navy
should. He was the last TO leave his
ship when she went down. His dispatch
20 me that night was so complete that
since then I have thought OF no ques.
tion of fact TO ask him which Is es-
sential to the situation and which h,
could answer which is not covered bS
that dispatch. y Its tonet too is that O
q discreet and level headed man, swh,
realized the impression any word from
him at that time would have on tn,
public mind. Nothing is harder than fo
naval officer to lose his ship so tha
have great sympathy for him. avail
with confidence further reports"
The navy department has compile,
the following summary showing the to
tai results of the Maine disaster from
all available official information up L
the close Of the department last night
"rotal officers and men on boar
Maine 355; total officers 26: total mer
32s; total officers saved. "a; total me-
saved. 76; total officers lost, 2. tota
men lost, 2i6; total officers injured
none; total men injured, 81; doubtful
(men). T.
'The seven men appearing as doubt
ful probably represent that number G
less whose lives have been saved. bu
who cannot be Identified at present o
account Of errors in the transmissio
Of kilograms. The 81 appearing as IN
jured are included in the 76 appearin
as saved. Two men reported as havin
died in hospitals are included I'm tt
total Of 246 appearing above as havin
been lost"
Late In the day Captain sigsbee te
egraphed as follows: 80 far 125 ha,
been buried. Identification very diff
cult. VIII wire names OF identih,
later. In regard to telegram (of Il
quiry) yesterday cannot furnish fu
ther information. Names read: A. Ha
len. William Anderson, A. Johnsto
Henry williams, who was cabin COO
and James Morlniere. Senetars mar
wired by mistake" The answer as
names was due to the navy depar
ment's doubts as TO initials, etc.
During the day the department W
IN receipt of a number OF telegraI
from different parts Of the country as
ing. in behalf OF relatives OF the de
sailors, that their remains be broug
back TO the United States for int
ment. Among them were queries frs
friends Of the two officers. Merritt a
Jenkins. The department forward
these TO Captain sigsbee, whose rel