The herald., 1898-02-19
ACTION NOT VET TAKEN
10 SAVE WHAT Is LEFT OF THE
BATTLEsHIP
JOINT RESOLUTION ARGUED
Appropriation Of Funds for Salvage
Operations Leads to Furious De-
bats in the Senate
Associated Press Special Wire

s><A'~ttStN-t
precipitated in the senate today over the
considerations of the resolution of Allen of
Nebraska directing the committee on ma
val affairs to investigate the disaster to
the Maine. An arrangement had been made
for It's adoption with a minority amends
ment without debate.
Mason OF Illinois, however, proposed a
substitute providing for an investigation
to be conducted by joint committee of
the two branches of congress.
Upon this the Illinois senator, Disregard
ing an appeal not to force discussion at
this time of SO melancholy an affair, de-
Nvered a speech In which he said that the
people demanded the truth concerning the
explosion, and declaring that they would
not be satisfied with the investigation to
be conducted by the officers of the. navy
who would virtually try their own case
and would cover up any blame that. the
officials might show attached to Them he
fercely denounced the policy of the gov
ernment in dealing with the Cuban ques-
tion. into which he went at length, and
declared that the United States had
adopted the policy of Spain in putting ey-
erything off until tomorrow. b
Sharp replies to Mason's charges were
made by Wolcott of Colorado and Lodge
Of Massachusetts,.
The speeches of both senators bristled
with cutting criticisms of the remarks
made by the senator from Illinois. and It
was clear that both senators regarded the
situation as grave in the extreme. Sena-
tor Woloott freely admitted that war
might come and he thought the day might
not be far distant. He. like Senator
Lodge. deprecated any utterances on the
floor OF the senate calculated to further aga
gravate the serious state of affairs.
The resolution which precipitated the dis
cussion finally went to the calendar.
Soon after the senate met Hale of Maine
introduced the following joint resolution:
Resolved, that the secretary of the navy
be and ne is hereby authorized to engage
the services of wrecking company, or
companies, having proper facilities for the
prompt and efficient performance of SUBJ
marine work. for the purpose of raising the
remains of the officers and men lost on the
United States steamer Maine, and of saw
ing the vessel. or such parts thereof and so
much OF her stores, guns. material. equip
ment fittings and appurtenances as may
be practicable; and for this purpose the
sum or S2O0.O00 or so much thereof as may
be necessary, Is hereby appropriated and
made Immediately available
The resolution was prepared at the navy
department and introduced at the request
or Secretary Long, who. in forwarding IT
TO Mr. Hale also sent letter explaining
1t Is deemed proper and important that
steps should be taken Immediately to raise
the remains of the officers and men lost
on the occasion of the most deplorable ac-
cident. and to raise the vessel or to save
such parts of her armament and equipment
as may be practicable"
To this the secretary adds: 1.-The meager
information received respecting the nature
and extent of the injury sustained by the
hull of the Maine renders it difficult to de-
termine at this time whether there is rea-
son to hope that the vessel herself may be
raised. but It seems probable, as she lies
within the protection of a harbor and is
not wholly submerged, that much valuable
property may be recovered IL the necessary
action Is taken without delay. The vessel.
with her stores, guns, material. equipment,
nttings and appurtenances cost approxi-
mately $4,000 000 AS an illustration of the
value OF single items which may have es-
capped serious injury, 1t may be said that
the 10-inch guns, of which the Maine car
ried four, are worth. with their mounts,
S43,5 each Aside from the melancholy
duty resting upon the government to re-
cover and to bring to this country for
burial, II this may be done, the bodies of
the officers and men who lost their lives
In this disaster. it is believed that much
valuable property may yet be saved from
the vessel In any event, 1t Is of the ut
most Importance that whatever is done
In this matter should be enetred upon with
out delay.
"The sinking of the Maine will be made
the subject of immediate and exhaustive
inquiry and congress will be fully advised
OF the result of such investigation"
Mr. Long states. in fixing the sum asked
for. that the department is at this time
unable to estimate the necessary expense
with any degree of accuracy. but he says
he has conferred with the bureau of con-
struction and repair, and IL the appropria-
lion required be made only so much of it
as may be found necessary will be ex-
pended in the work.
The secretary incloses a table showing
the cost of number of items of the ord
nance outfit of the vessel, aggregatine
$500, 1872
Allen thought 1t very desirable that
provision be inserted in the resolution for
the transportation and burial of those who
lost their lives in the disaster
Hale called attention to the fact that
reference was made to the transportation
of the bodies In the letter of the secretary
OF the navy. In many cases, he said II
would be impossible to bring to this coun-
try the remains of the men killed. as the
bodies were so badly mutiated and the
facilities for embalming so inferior in
Havana that already the remains of many
of the dead were decomposing, and ii
would be necessary probably to bury them
at once.
MASON AMENDS
Senator Mason hoped that provision
would be made for the transportation of
the bodies to the United States and for
their burial In this country. To that end
he proposed an amendment to the resolu-
ton, as follows:
After the word thereof" and before the
word and insert the following: "And
for the transportation and burial of The
remains of the officers and men, so far us
possible"
The amendment was agreed to and the
resolution MS amended was passed. !
The resolution offered yesterday by Allen
OF Nebraska, directing the committed on
naval AFFAIRS to make an investigation of
tne dlsastcr to the Maine, was then laid
pefore the senate. 1t precipitated the most
furious debate.
chandler OF New Hampshire thought
that II the word 'immediate'' be stricken
out and the matter left withfn>the discre-
tion OF the committee, there would be no
objection to the resolution.
Mason OF Illinois proposed an amendment
striking out all after the word "ResoIved !"
and inserting the following:
'Hy Inc senate, tho house concurr,n,e
that joint committee Of five, consis,s,ir
OF three members of the house of rsnra,
sentatives and two members Of the sen-
ate, be appointed to Investigate the dis
astcr to the battleshlp Maine.''
HALE MAKES OBJECTION
! Senator Halo expressed the hone tbot
mason would not press his substitute. The
oasaster, ne slid, was even now being thor