The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-25
SENIOR ANTONIO GOWN.

at what is more valuable beneath. Cap
tain Sigsbee's statement that the divers
have been down aft seven days and for
ward four days gave the department the
first information OF the time that the
divers had been in the vicinity or zone
or explosion" This zone is confined 10
the forward part OF the ship.
The statement i'm a Sigsbee dispatch OF
yesterday that friends OF the dead
should understand we are in the tropics
is understood at the navy department
To refer TO the urgent pleas of relatives
of the dead tnai The latter DC brought
to the United States. These appeals
continue TO be received here but while
they excite the deepest sympathy or Of
hcials. 40 hope can he held out that the
dead can be brought back. There are
circumstances which, If they could be
made known. would end such appea's.
and would show that the department
has not been wanting m desire to save
friends and relatives from the pain
which would be caused by full dis
closure of the effect of the explosion.
The press reports have given In part
the terrible mutilation OF the bodies. but
IL is feared this has not been fully
is little hope that many Of the bodies
still missing will be found or, If found,
that they N~@l be in a condition to be
brought 10 the United States.
The navy department yesterday gave
out the figures showing the strength of
the naval militia up to date. This shows
a total Of 4445 officers and enlisted men.
which is a gratifying increase in the
-h bIyf ha Ia ba
Der OF officers and men in Connecticut is
l65; in Massac husetts AL; in Rhode ISL
and. 1870. New brigades are in process
of formation which promise to swell the
total to much larger figures at an early
day. The organization of this auxiliary
arm OF the naval service is under the
immediate dire ion OF Lieutenant Glib
pons, VINO has accomplished much in
securing state organization and in the
harmonizing of the bodies into n cem-
pact force. In his last report Mr.. Roose-
veIt SAID tna1 the state naval militia, in
the event of a sudden emergency, could
be utilized at once for manning the
smaller national cruisers. 1t could be
depended upon mainly as a second line
of defense, and also be used In placing
mines and the establishment of signal
stations for coast defense. The APP
preparation of $4,000 made by congress
TO aid the work OF the naval militia will
be apportioned among the states In a
few days.
The city OF Washington is now regard
ed as being well nigh secure from attack
from water. The Qualifications at Fort
Washington and Sheridan point. on the
opposite side OF the Potomac, are suf-
fciently advanced to be able TO repel an
ordinary feet OF invaders. and in case
of necessity they could be easily
strengthened in a comparatively short
time. These defenses are considered suf-
ficlent to keep all hostile vessels beyond
the range OF gunshot of the national
capital. Moreover, the river has been
blocked off and prepared for mines and
torpedoes at a point below the fortif-
cations mentioned, so that il is probable
some of the ships OF an enemy would be
blown out OF the water before IL would
be necessary to use the guns at the forts.
Last night the department received two
kilograms from Captain Sigsbee. One
relates to a routine matter OF expen-
ditures in connection with the work on
the Maine, and the other is: Divers re-
port more bodies In wreck Some in
| hammocks involved in debris Prob
ably not recognizable" This dispatch
indicates that the divers have secured
at least partial entrance TO the quart
ers in the forward part OF the vessel
where the crew were asleep when the ex-
plosion occurred and under which were
the magazines. The fact that the divers
were unable 10 extriCate the bodies shows
the fearful obstacles against which they
are lahoring. and bears out the belief
that the work Of submarine lnvestiga-
tion Will necessarily proceed slowly.