The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-25

Captain Sigsbee's statement that the
divers have been down aft seven days
and forward four days, gave the Navy
department the first information OF the
time that the divers had been in the
vicinity of the zone Of the explosion, as
he had termed 1t.
The statement in the S:gsbec dispatch
mat friends of the dead should under
stand we are in the tropics, is under
stood at the Navy Department to refer
10 the urgent pleas of relatives of the
dead that they be brought TO the United
states. TheSe appeals continue to be
received here. and while they excite the
deepest sympathy OF officials, no hope
can 'be held out that the dead can be
Drought back. One of these appeals
makes pltiful plea against the bury
ing or the dead 'by alien hands In an
alien country" There are circumstan-
ces which. If they could be made known,
would end such appeals and would show
cnat the department has not been want
ing In q desire to bring the remains
10 this country. These circumstances
nave been withheld. simply through Il
ues!re TO save friends and relatives
from the pain which would be caused
py a full disclosure Of the effect of
the explosion. The press reports have
given in part the terrible mutilation
Oh Inc bodies, but 1t is feared this has
Hot Deen fully realized by friends and
i.ial!VeS. The men were sleepinr on
the berth deck. with rn,al floors and
celiings, which, by the force of thc
eNPIoslon' were ground together into n
confused mass. Knowing this. there is
iittle nope that many of the bodies still
MISSING Will be found, or, If found. thai
th"y will be in a condition to be brought
to the United States.
SrlaENGnIT OF NAVAL MILIT1,
The Navy Department to-day CAV,
out the figures showing tho s;ronntn
or the naval militia UP to date mis-
SHOWS total force of 4,4i5 officers and
enlisted men. which is a ra;ifyinp in
crease from the 3,703 shown by the last
report. The number of officers ana men
by States is Is follows:
california. 3S3; Connecticut, 1C5: Flor
IA. iS6; Georgia. 225; Illinois. 500:
louisiana. 2G2; Maryland 24O: NIassa-
chusetts, AL; Michigan, 1913; Now Jer-
sey, S64; New York, 47a; North CaroIi6a
2ao; ohio, PIG; Pennsylvania, o1G; Rhode
Island. 1870: South Carolina, 1872; Vir
s!nia, A. Total i,dI5.
assistant Secretary Roosevelt saws
IN this connection that Illinois len dt,
the list. with i3 commissioned officers
ana i23 petty officers and enlisted men.
Aside from the forces shown in the
"ooE Hsl ne" DrlEadaS are In process
or formation, which promises to swell
tne total 10 much larger figurtss at an
early day. The organizations Of this
auxiliary arm of the naval service Is
under the immediate direction of Lieu
tenant Gibbons, u. S. N, whose energy
has accomplished much in SECURING
state organization, and in the har-
monizing of the bodies into one COM
pact force, capable in emergency of CO.
operating with the regular navy. In
his last report Mr.. Roosevelt said that
the State naval militia, in the event of
sudden emergency, could be utilized at
once for manning the smaller national
cruisers. 1t could be depended upon
mainly, he said, as n second line of de-
Tense. and also be used in placing mines
and the establishment of signal sta
uons for coast defense.
The appropriation of SIC, 900 rnada by
Congress TO aid the work OF the naval
militia will be apportioncd among the
States In few days.
SIoCURE FROM ATTACK.
Thanks to the promptness and eni-
cheney of the Chief OF Engineers and
the Chief OF Ordnance OF the army, the
city of Washington is now regarded
as being we'll nigh safe and secure from
attack by water. The Notifications at
Fort Wash. h.ngton and Sheridan Point.
on the opposite side of the Potomac,
are sufficiently advanced 20 be able to
repel an ordinary fleet OF invaders. and
in case OF necessity they could De vast
iy strengthened In comparatively short
time. These dcfanses are considered
sufficient to keep all hostile vessels
beyond the range Of gun shot OF the ma
tional Capital.
Moreover, the river has been blocked
off and prepared for mines and torpe-
does, so that il Is probable some Of the
ships of an enemy would he blown out
or the water before II would be neces-
snry to use the guns at the forts.