The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-26
THE MAINE SLOWLY SETTLING
Testimony Of the Divers-The Vizcaya
Expected To-day or Tomorrow.


Havana, Feb 25.-The wreck of the
Maine is slowly but surely sinking into
tie mud. Before the hull could be raised
it would be necessary to remove the
guns and deck debris. For lack of pro-
per appliances practically nothing i'll this
line has been accomplished. Aside from
the officers and cabin effects the sal
wage thus far has been pitifully small.
The cloudy weather and rain made the
work of the divers unsatisfactory to-day
and very little was done. 1t is said
that hole has been made by the divers
in one of the forward matches, and it is
hoped that a number of bodies will be
recovered. The Court of Inquiry sat
longer than usual to-day, the six divers
being examined more in detail than here
tOfore. The time of the departure of
the Mangrove with the court for Key
West has not been determined. Captain
Sampson said to-day that it was doubtful
whether his vessel would sail to-mor-
row, that all depended on the develop
ments of the testimony.
The Spanish cruiser Alfonso MI has
been towed to a buoy further within
the harbOr to make room for the cruiser
Vizcaya. which is expected here to-m0r-
row or the next day from the north.
No word has been received at the
Consul Generals office from Mr. Walter
B. Barker, the United States Consul ut
Lagua La Grande and it is believed that
the report of Mr.. Barker's serious illness
is untrue.
At the afternoon session of the Court
of Inquiry the examination of divers was
continued. A civilian, whose testimony
is said to be of solne Importance, was
also examined.
The name of the witness and all the
particulars of his evidence are with
held.
PAYMASTER'S SAFE TAKEN OUT.
Late to-day the paymaster's safe,
with $4,000 and his papers, was taken
from the wreck. Beyond this no state
mcnt is made as to the value and ma
ture Of the contents. but a large guam
tity of water ran out when the safe
was raised above the surface.
The complaint is sill made THAT the
electric lamps are of little use TO the
divers. as the light is faint and uncer-
tain, and to hold them takes one of the
divers hands. So far as reports made
public go, the workmen on the tug Right
Arm, with the assistance of the naval
divers, are laboring lizard to recover the
bodies under the hatch which led to
fire room platforms. Snoring with
timbers was necessary and the divers
had to wait for the lumber to-day.
The Havana papers print long extracts
from the American dailies, but. of
course, only of delayed news. All the
Americans are anXiOusly awaiting the
arrival of to-moTow's mail.
Consul General Lee says he has re-
ceiyed I'D news of Importance from the
State Department to-day nor been no.
titled to expect the arrival of any one
of prominence. 1t is believed here that
if any American of national reputation
comes TO Havana now it will be to study
the ,,itua ton for himself and not as
an official commissioner.
At six o'clock this evening. when this
despatch is sent, Holzer is still sleeping
under the influence of an opiate. He is
no worse than he was this morning, but
is very low Including him, there are
six wounded left here, five of whom are
reasonably certain of recovery. Some
difficulty will arise in removing them to
the United States, for all have been ex-
posed to contagious feyers and the quar-
antine LEWIS forbid their being taken
direct to Key West. These regulations
were d:sregarded in the case of the first
lot taken there on the Oliyette the day
after the explosion, Int only because of
the extreme exigencies of the case.