The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-03-24
NOT READY TO. REPORT.
The Court OF Inquiry Will Continue its
Work During the Week.
Preparations for War Continues With Ina
Dated Vigor-Four Of the Maine surviv-
ors Had Long Consultation with
secretary OF Navy and President.

KEY WEST, March 2i.-Thc court OF
inquiry, according to Rr. Adm. Sicard.
VIII continue its work through the
coming week, as it is not vet ready TO
make report on the Maine disaster.
Inc statement that Capt. Albert $.
Barker carried the report to Washing
ton Is officially denied. The object of
his flying visit to Key West was not
asccrtained outside official circles un-
I'll Sunday. II can be authoritatively
stated that Capt. Barker had nothing
to do with the court OF inquiry.
lie came here on Friday from Tampa
on special missi on to investigate the
harbor defenses, following out some
lines suggested by General Wilson,
chief of engineers, in his recent in
spection of land Notifications. Capt.
Barker's plans, when he left here Sat.
urday night, was to confer with Com
mander McCalla, of the Marblehead.
who is now at Tampa, and he will
probably remain there a day or so.
Capt. Barker formerly commanded the
Oregon.
1t is impossible to say definitely
whether any synopsis Of the findings
of the court up to date has been sent
to Washington. The notion prevails
here that this has been done, but no
official confirmation is obtainable
That the final report has been sent to
| Washington can be definitely denied.
WASHINGTON, March 21.-The keen
est expectancy was apparent in all Of
fetal quarters Saturday in anticipa-
tion Of the early receipt OF the report
from the court of inquiry on the Maine
disaster Warlike operations con-
tinued with undated vigor at the war
and navy departments, but the main
interest of officials centered in the
forthcoming report. The interest was
SO intense that many reports gained
circulation to the effect that the official
| document would be in the hands of
the president within the next few
hours, but on inquiry in author
| itativc sources were found TO he in
accurate. Persons in position 10 knew
had little to add to the fact already
made public that the report is expect
ed within the next few days. cabi
net officer stated that it would be here
early next week. Beyond this he
could not go 1t was stated definitely
that no advance intimation as to the
character of the report had been made.
| The rumor had it that Lieut. Blow
had brought to Washington an abstract
of the conclusions, but this was dis
missed after Lieut. Blow had been in
conference with Secretary Long and
other naval officials.
The chief development OF the morn
ing was the arrival of four of the sur
vivors of the Maine disaster, who held
long conference with Secretary Long,
and later was taken by the secretary
to the white house for a talk with the
president. These survivors are Lieut..
G.. j. w. Holman, navigator of the
Maine; Lieut. George p. Blow, Lieut.
A. B. Catlin, in command of the ma
rines on the Maine, and Boatswain
Larkin, one of the non-comnissioned
officers of the wrecked battleship
These men had passed through
the fearful ordeal of the eX-
plosion and had been at Havana
since it occurred. There had been no
announcement of their being detached
from Capt Sigsbee's command at lIa-
vana, and their coming was a complete
surprise except to few officials With
them came Naval Constructor Hoover.
who was sent by Secretary Long from
Washington few weeks ago to make
technical inspection of the wreck of
the Maine. He was the naval con-
structor who for months was engaged
in actual work on the Maine while she
was on the stocks, so that he is in
position to know every plate and piece
of CONSTITUTIONAL steel remaining of
the ill-fated ship. The divers had
found great difficulty in identifying
some of the battered and twisted plates
from the bottom of the Maine, and il
was believed that Constructor Hoover's
technical knowlenge would be able TO
make this identification complete.
The conference between Lieuts.
Blow and Secretary Long lasted for
some time. Capt Crowninshield, of the
bureau Of navigation, and other Off
cials being called in. 1t was stated
authoritatively after the conference
that tn, main subject of nversation
was the explosion itself comprising a
detailed narrative of the officers, and a
narrowing description OF the calamity.
Whether the cause of the explosion
was under discussion could not be
learned. 1t was naturally inferred
that th-se officers, with their
complete personal information of the
explosion, and their subsequent
visits TO the wreck, would give Secre-
tary Long the benefit of their personal
views on the cause of the disaster. Al
the same time with the court of in
quiry, having complete jurisdiction OF
this subject, it was felt that the ques-
ton OF cause might be open To much
reserve even as between these naval
officers and the secretary or the navy.
Recruits for Artillery Regiments.
COLUMBUS, o., March 81 Eighty re-
eruits have been forwarded from the
Columbus post up to date for the new
artillery regiments, and as many more
are now at the post under instructions.
A high standard for enlistment Is fixed
and fully four-fifths of those applying
are rejected.
The Czar Increases the Naval Expenditure.
LONDON. March 21.-The czar, ac'