The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-25
L0NG'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT
HIS SUMMING UP OF SITUATION RE-
 GARDING TEE MAINE.
Declares the Navy Department Knows Nothing More About the Cause of the Disaster Than It Did Five Minutes After the Receipt of the First Despatch From Canfain Ginshaa

Washington, Feb. 4.-Rumors of startling discoveries on the Maine were less frequent, but there were enough of them still afloat to-day to warrant Secretary Long in making this state ment as he left his office: Summing up the situation, I should say that the navy department knows to-day noth- ing more about the cause of the disas- ter than it did five minutes after the receipt of the first dispatch from Cap tain Sigsbee.'
 The seeretary's attention was drawn to the published statement that Cap tain Crowninshield, chief of the bureau of navigation, had just arrived at Tam pa, Fla, on the Montgomery from a trip to Cuba, where he had been in- specting prospective coaling stations near Matanzas. The secretary's com- ment was simply this: Captain Crowninshield has not been to Cuba. He has been off with his boy on mat ters not in any wise connected with the business of the navy"
 Secretary Long further said that he rather expected to see Crowninshield tomorrow. Until the conclusion of the investigation of the court of inquiry at Havana, the principal business of the navy department will relate to the conduct of the wrecking operations. Captain Lamley, the judge advocate general, who has this branch of the work in charge, to-day received tele- grame from the Merritt and Chapman Wrecking company stating that the steamer Merritt and wrecking lighter Sharpe had sailed for Havana and that the tug Underwater would leave Sat urday. The assistant wrecking master was going to Havana on the Ward line steamer Saturday and it was sug gested to the department that its in- spector should take the same steamer. The only exact information received by the navy department from Havana during the day was conveyed in Cap tain Sigsbee's telegram, as follows:
 Havana, Feb. 24-Long, Secretary of the Navy: Wrecking tug Right Arm arrived yesterday. Begins work to-day. Much encumbering metal must be blasted away in detail. Navy divers down aft seven days, forward four days. Bodies of Jenkins and Merritt not found Two unidentified bodies of crew found yesterday. After compart- ment filled with detached, broken and buoyant furniture and fittings, mud and confusion. Spanish authorities continue offers of assistance and care for wounded and dead. Everything that goes from wreck to the United States should be disinfected. Wreck ing company should provide for this. Surgeon of the Maine, after consulting with others, recommends that all bed ding and clothing should be abandoned or might go to acclimated poor. Use less fittings and equipments might be lowed to sea and thrown overheard. Will take all immediate responsibility, but invite departments wishes. Shall old metal of superstructure and like be saved. Friends of dead should under stand that we are in the tropics. Chap lain Chidwick, charged with all mat
 ters relative to dead. His conduct is beyond praise. Don't know what re- ports are being printed, but the in tensely active representatives of the press here have been very considerate of me and my position. (Signed) Sigs- bee" ..t=-.''
 Secretary Long immediately wired Captain Sigshee, approving all his rec concentrations. He was directed to have Lieutenant Wainwright, the exec utive officer, of the Maine, make ar- engagements with the wreckers for the disinfection of everything sent to the United States. The recommendation that all bedding and clothing be band oned and given to the acclimated poor was approved without comment The same approval was given to the sug gestion that useless fittings and equip ment be lowed to sea and thrown over E bard, it being left to Captain Sigsbee's judgment to determine how far this de- ~struction should be carried on. To the correspondents inquiry as to the sav- k ing of old metal and parts of the su- < perstructure the answer was given that such material was of no use to the bu- < reau of equipment. It was left to Cap I tain Sigsbee to say what of this shat E tered material was worth preserving. ! His statement that much blasting would be required to clear away en- cumbering material indicates that 1t is essential further to destroy the upper portion of the wreck in order to get at what is more valuable beneath.
 Captain Sigsbee's statement that the divers have been down aft seven days and forward four days gave the navy E department the first information of the J time the divers have been in the vicin- 5 ity of the explosion. The statement in the Sigsbee dispatch that Friends of K the dead should understand we are in X the tropics is understood at the navy department to refer to the urgent pleas ss1 of relatives of the dead that the latter < be brought to the United States. These S appeals continue to be received here, but while they excite the deepest sym lIpathy of officials no hope can be held 4out that the dead can be brought back. sfThere are circumstances which if they Ss could be made known would end such appeals and show that the department lis not wanting in its desire to bring
 back the bodies. The press reports
 have given in part the terrible mutila- Estion of the bodies but it is feared this
 has not been fully realized by friends and relatives.
 N The navy department, to-day gave
 put the figures showing the strength of
 the militia up to date. This shows a
 total force of 4,445 officers and enlisted
 men, which is a gratifying increase fro mthe 3,70S shown by the last report. The number of officers and men in