The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-10
BATTLESHIP WRECKERS SAFE.
NAVAL OFFICERS GIVE Up HOPE
or DETECTING THEN.
Not = Clue OF Any Kind Has Been Found TO
Throw Any Light on the Case-MsnH
Omcers Doubt That Any Attempt
Was Made TO Wreck the Connecticut.

Was Made to wreck the COnhec'ic"t'
WASHINGTON. Oct o--The officers of
the Navy Department have practically
Given ilp All hope Tint the nIiscreants who,
according to official reports received at
the Depa rtment, fried three separate times
to wreck the battleship Connecticut recently
launched at the New York Navy Yard, will
ever be discovered and brought to Justice,
A large force of special detective. and men
from the United States Secret Service,
under the direction Of Chief Wilkie. have
been working on the Gaze since six months
ago, when the first attempt on the battle
shin was discovered, and their worl; has
not resulted in finding single clue OF
Importance.
From time to time it has been reported
that the Secret Service operatives were
on the point OF making arrest in connec-
ton with the case, but according to Navy
Department officers these reports were
not founded on facts. One high onicer
said that during the six months period
mentioned the men employed on the case
had not found single clue. important or
otherwise, which threw any light on the
case. and that it was simply hunting Tor
needle in a haystack.
Even after the Official report OF the three
ATTEMPTS TO wreck the Connecticut was
received at the Navy Department and
the public stat EN- cnt made to the working
force of the New York Navy Yard with
regard to the case, there are many high
officers OF the naval service who are IN
clined to believe that no attempts were
ever made to wreck the battleship, or
thnt only one feeble effort at the most
was ever made with that purpose in view.
One prominent officer Of the Department
said to-day that after a careful study OF
least two Of the reported attempts were due
10 csrelessness Of the men who wcrked
on the battlesfip, II" thinks the spike
discovered in the ways may have been
driven there under water for specific and
innocent purpose when the ship was in the
tir.t stages of construction and afterwsrd
forgotten, and he thinks the hole bored
through the rivet Of the bait leship can Q lso
be traced to an innocent source. Inc
technical explanation he makes OF the two
of his brother officers, and 40 much interest
Ia taken in hia view Of the case that he may
he reo,,este cd to make trip to the New York
ward to look over the ground and render an
official opinion to Secretary OF the Navy
Morton.
the case a; some length, said that the
United States Navy had little to fear from
wreckers OF the sort that are supposed
TO have made the attempts on the battle
ship Connecticut,
ANY one" he satl. who really wished
to DESTROY the vessel could have done so
with great deal more safety to himself
and in a vastly shorter space OF time. by
placing a few sticks OF dynamite under
her keel or in her compartments and dis
charging them electrically from aim ost
any point he pleased. attn inclined to
think that the " hole affair has been very
much OF n tempest in teapot. and while
there may be some basis for the statement
that an attempt was made to niure the
vessel, the whole matter has been made
the subject Of the greatest eraggeration."
Officer. OF the Navy Department realize
that the Construction Corps OF the Navy.
while gener ally recognized as remarkably
efficient, has not had great experience In the
building Of ships Of war Of the Connecticut
class, and Il IL suggested that the Response
hility involved may have helped to stir
things up bit when the discoveries We're
made which indicated that attempts We're
being made to wreck the vessel.
Absolutely no stock Is taken here in the
reports that labor interests-either union or
moi union, organized or individuality
shipbuilders, diseruntled or otherwise, had
anything at all 10 do with the alleged at
tempts on the vessel,