The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-18
STILL N DEEP MYSTERY
Lille More Known Of iAe C9uSe Of
the Destruction OF The NQ,Re.
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION TO Be AADE
Sensational stories DiscreNitcd by
Official Dispnt tches-Me OF
Sympathy Received from Abroad
scenes in the EGospt,ais-Eu.
neral OftEc victims.
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION TO Be AADE
Washington, Feb. II, 1898.


The government has settled back into
waiting attitude in respect TO the ter
rible marine disaster in Havana har-
Dor. The great shock caused by the
news has given way to 4 calmer and
more judicial state of mind and realz-
Ing from the events of the day that the
court of inquiry is the sole dependence
IN the search for the cause of the
Maine's loss, the naval officials are now
resigned to await the results OF that
inquiry by court ordered to-day by the
Navy Department. There was littlo
new to add to the sum OF Information
as to the disaster during the forenoon.
No telegHams came and all that could
be cleaned WAS the denial OF some alb
surd story or othor that had crept into
print or become current gossip. The
news of thc day all came in the late
afternoon in the shape of Captain Sigs-
bees report OF the authorization Of the
funeral of his dead sailors, and General
Lees graphic story of the terrible strug
gle for life in the dark hull OF the Maine
The officials ofhe Navy Department
devoted the day 10 the effort to correct
the lists of the living and dead; 10 an
swering frantic tclcgrlphic appeals from
relatives of men on the battle ship, and
last. but not least, in meeting with un-
Wavering courtesy and patience the cX-
acting demands upon their time OF tho
press representatives. The disposition
OF the survivors, Captain Dickens. act
ing chief of the Navigatical Bureau, has
arranged for as well as could be f:Om
this distance. The wounded sailors in
the Havana hospitals, on the Spanish
flagship and elsewhere, when not in con-
dition to be brought back TO Key West,
will he carefully looked after by Miss
Clara Barton, who has been given carte
blanche 10 buy any ana everything ne
cesSlry, food. clothing, dclicacies ana
hte nurses and physicians. The wound
ed able to set acrCss TO Key West will
be taken care of in the marine hospital
there. The sound survivors will he
quartered in the spare amy barracks
there. Az for the Maine herself, not
withstanding dIscouraging reports from
Lieutenant Hood aS to her condition,
,hc Navy Department will make an cf-
fort to raise her While this is required
by every crcditablc sentiment they say
that they arc bound to remove the hull
from the small harbor in any case ana
it may be as easy or ca sier to raise he
as i: would be To destroy the hull ana
machinery by the use Of divers and
dynamite. 1t Is believed shat this wo X
can best he lone ny private 81 'ckin"
corporations and nnGs sj;i,tinna are al
ready afoo: for pacing tho coAiract
based on work by ;ha day II. an csti-
mated cost oC 5000, coo.
At the Navy Department specific de-
nal was given 10 the report cnanating
firim Madrid that torpedo llotilla was
about TO leave Key West for Cuba. 1t
was stated that only twl torpedo boats.
rhe Gushing and the Ericsson, are at
Key West. These have not bcSn order
ed and will not Dc ordered, according to
present plans, t. Cuba. II was strongly
asserted that no present purpose exist
ed OF sending any warships ihere.
iSenor dulSOsc tha Spanish charge.
had received no instructions up 20 6
p. m. as to going 10 New York ana
stopping the Spanish ship Nizcaya from
entering the port, and reports 10 this
effect We're discrcditcd
The air Of suppressed excitement
which characterized the movement OF
the employees and visitors at the White
House yesterday was not noticeable to-
day. Theirs were comparatively few
visitors during TN. morning hours, ana
for Z Considerable time In the middle
of tho day the White House bore an al
most deserted appearance. Only linn
ited number OF members OF Congrt, IS
called during h- morning and the inter
viows were brief. Postmaster General
Gary was the only member of the Cab
inet who called and his business rela ed
entirely TO departmental matters AS
siStant Secretary Day saw the prcsiden,
nJr few minutes. hut he had nothing
OF Importance to communicate uniiI
after o'clock when he carried TO the
Write House Oflf1ial infprnat ton Crr
the closing OF the duIIome incident
So far as could be learned the only i'm
formation as 10 Hhc situation in Hnva-
nh that reached the President direct
came through the Associated Press
On the streets there was noticcabIy l. sss
excitement than yesterday, whcn tho
people were 10th TO believe tha; under
the circumstances the loss Of the Maine
could De traced to other than SDanisj,
sources.
MI the flags throughout the CITY in
clud:ng those on the Capitol and the
department buildings. are flying nj half
mast to-day, ana among the others is
conspicuous that Of Cuba L.brc which
flies from the staff on the Hotel Raj
e:gh, the headquarters of the Cuban
junta
n bulletin from Key West was rccc!v
ed here this morning to the effect that
divers had found an eight inch pcrciS-
sion hole IN the bottom Of the Maine.
Also that all doubts Of the torpedo work