Evening Star Newspaper, February 16, 1898, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. —_—__+—_—_ PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 310) Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th 8t., by The Seng a Corey Now York Ofice, 49 Potter Building, ‘The Evening Star is served to subscribers in the city by cirriers, on thelr own account, at 10 cents per week. or 44 cents per mouth. Copies at the counter 2 certs each. By mail—anywhere in the United States «r Canada—postage prepaid—50 cents per month. Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign postage added. $3.00. (Entered at the Po.t Office at Washington, D. C.. as second-class mal matter.) £7 All mail subscriptions must be paid in adva: Rates of advertising made known on application. Che ca ¢ Foening Star. No. 14,029. WASHINGTON, D..C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1898-FOURTEEN PAGES. TWO CENTS. OFFICERS PUZZLED Naval Experts Cannot Agree on the Cause. PRECAUTIGNS TAKEN ON SHIPBOARD Some Ascribe the Disaster to Spon- taneous Combustion. > CONFERENCES OF CHIEFS At this moment the raval officers cannot e@gree upon any theory to account for the Gestruction of the Maine. Perhaps a m:- dcrity are inclined to the belief that the explosion was purely accidental; another considerable number feel that a torpedo ‘Was exploded under the vessel, and a third that some infernal machine was smuggled abcard the ship and set off. In the present lack of knowledge ar to the condition of the wreck it is not thought to be possible to say on which theory the balance of probability Mes. An examination by a Giver of the hull of the Maine would demon- strate instantly whether or not a torpedo had been used, for in case it had the Plates of the hull would surely be driven im. On the other hand protruding plates would be an evidence that the explosion ‘was purely internal. Capt. Sigsbee’s brief report, as well as Gen. Lee’s dispatch, indicates that they tow incline strongly to the belief that the explosion was of internal origin. Both agree that the force of it was in the forward part of the ship, and this is horne out by the escape of the majority of the officers and the heavy casualties among the crews sleeping forward. Probably in the latter case the death list would have been even iarger, but for the fact that the Maine having a superstructure for- ward on the main deck, a portion of the crew were quartered there and so escaped the greater violence of explosion as “elt on the berth deck below them. Maine Had Three Magazines. ‘The Maine had three magazines. The one forward was used for the storage of ammunition for the big ten-inch wurret gens. There were eighty rounds of this ammunition, weighing 15,000 pounds. So large was this quantity of explosive that the naval officers here can scarcely believe it was possible for any human being or board the Maine to have escaped alive hac this magazine exploded entirely. ‘There was no smokeless powder on board the ship, and the ten-inch ammunition was made up of brown prismatic pow4 Not only is this powder most carefully packed in hermetically sealed copper cas but its heat-resisting qualities are so great that it cannot be ignited by the flame of « Batch, 600 degrees Fahrenheit being the amount of heat that must be applied tor fome time to set off the powder. On the other hand it is readily ‘ as in the ‘tase of the charge in a gun, by the explo sion of a good quantity of fulminite. Precautions on Shipboard. Every precaution is adopted aboard ship to safeguard the magazine. In its vi- cinity a sentry stands on duty contin- ually. The doors are closed hermetically except when the ship is cleared for action. At § o'clock every night the temperature is taken and the keys of the lock door are placed in the captain's hands for the night. The records of the Navy Depart- ment show that eighty-seven degrees was the maximum temperature in the Maine's magazine during the past month, a very low and safe temperature. These facts make it extremely difficult to account for the explosion, particularly as no visitors are admitted under any circumstances to the magazine. Of course, it is possible that there was spontaneous combustion of some fulminite or gun cotton intended for use in torpedoes. There were no steam pipes or furnaces near enough to the mag- azine to cause the belief that they might have exploded the powder. The coal bunk- ers were in the neighborhood, and it is just possible that in them might be found the origin of the accident. It depends on whether they were empty or contained coal to some degree. It is said to be the prac- tice of commanders to empty the fore bunkers of the ship first, in which case the Maine’s bunkers in that quarter were probably emptied, owing to the length of her stay in Havana harbor. Belief of the Construction Bureau. At the bureau of construction it is be- Heved that {t will be found that the plates of the Maine are bent inward. This would indicate the explosion of a torpedo be- neath the vessel. That there was an ex- plosion of the Maine’s forward magazine no one at the department will admit. Com- modore Hichborn said that there was only brown powder on board, and that would not explode from ordinary concussion or combustion. Proof of this was had on the Cincinnati, where fire was found in con- tact with brown powder in one of her magazines and red-hot coals were there extinguished without the slightest indica- uon of ignition or explosion of the pow- der. The magazine was carefully tnspect- ed at 8 o'clock last night—a little over an hour and a half before the destruction of the vessel, and everything reported all Tight. Any sufficient cause of the explo- sion could not have been present at that time. The theory of spontaneous combus- tion is thought of as a possible cause, but how that could have exploded the brown Powder is quite as inexplicable as any other feature of the affair. chief of the naviga- tion bureau, expressed the opinion today that the explosion took place in the maga- zine of the Maine. He said that this was evident for the reason that the ship was afloat for an hour after the explosion. Had ® torpedo been fired under the battle ship she would have sunk almost immediately, and the fact that she had not done so was conclusive evidence the firing of a tor- pedo was not the cause of the disaster. Conference ef Chiefs. Both Secretary Long and Assistant Secre- tary Roosevelt called a consultation in the forenoon of all of the chiefs of the Navy Department and several of the officers of high rank not directly attached, such as Commodore Schley, president of the light house board, who has a brilliant reputation as a gallant officer, while possessed of great discretion. The purpose of these tonsulta- tfons was to secure the best expert testi- mony as to thé probable cause of the dis- aster, while at the same time ascertaining to what extent the naval situation has been affected by the loss of the Maine. A good deal of disquiet was exhibited when it was shown that the loss of this fine battle ship had done a good deal to destroy the balance of power theoretically between the navies of Spain and that of the United States, for we have now left only six serviceable iron- clads, as against seven in the Spanish fleet. Every confidence is felt at the depart- ment in the commander ef the Maine, Capt. Sigsbee, and until it is really estab- lished otherwise there is every disposition to charge the accident. if accident it was that destroyed the Maine, to some cause beyond the usual range of human discre- tion. Many Similar Disasters. It fs said at the Navy Department that there are meny precedents for such acci- dents as that s ed by the Maine, all of which can be traced to accidental cau In 1885 the United States man-of- Missouri, then lying at Gibraltar, was totally wrecked by tke explosion of her zine. Another ¢: mous in naval history is that of her majesty’s ship Doteral. In 1887 she was lying at anchor Puenta Areneas in the Straits of Magellan. An explosion. wiped the ship from the face of the waters and left al- most none of her crew alive. This was another case of magazine explosion, though it may have originated in the coal bunkers or boilers. Commander Pendleton’s View. Commander Pendleton, superintendent of the ordnance d>partment at the navy yard, when spoken to in regard to the explosion of the magazine on the battle ship Maine, eaid: “From the meager details that 1 have at hand I should judge that it was caused by spentan2ous combustion. While I am not positive that the coal bunkers and magazine are adjoining, I am of the opinion that they are. The matter of prop- erly storing coal away has always been a very serious question. A coal pile may be perfectly cool on top and yet at the bvt- tom be red hot and heat the metal bulk- head, and as there {s a magazine on the other side of the bulkhead there is no way of stopping an explosion.” Danger in the Coal Bunker: According to the naval theory, if the bunkers were not entirely empty they un- doubtedly contained within themselves ele-* ments of danger that might account for the explosion. The department has within recent years been greatly troubled by com- plaints from spontaneous combustion of coal in the ships’ bunkers, which have endangered the lives of the crew and the safety of the ships. The Cincinnati has twice at least been obliged to flood her magazines to prevent their blowing up during fires of this kind, and the Boston has had a similar experience. Although the bunkers are inspected under the regu- lations at frequent intervals, so numerous have been these cases of spontaneous com- bastion that the department only recently investigated the general subject with a view to applying a remedy. Boiler Explosion Theory. The theory advanced by the Spanish au- thorities that the disaster might have been caused by the explosion of the boiler is ac- cepted at the department as within the bounds of credibility. The Maine’s boiler was separated from the powder magazines at the nearest point by a space for about four feet usually filled with coal. At least one boiler was undoubtedly kept under almost full steam in order to run the dy- namos and move ship in case of need. The explosion of such a boiler might easily drive through in the bulkhead and fire the magazine. A Submarine Torpedo. Inasmuch as suspicion exists in some avarters that a torpedo was used against the Maine, it may be sald that the majority of naval officers believe that the character of the explosion was hardly such as could be attributed to a torpedo. The latter charged with about 100 pounds of gunpow- der of guncotton, it is believed would have tern a large hole in the bottom or side of the Maine, but was scarcely likely to fire the magazine, which is not near the bottom. —__—_—_-e—___._ THE GOLD SUPPLY. ‘Treasurer Roberts Says It as Wanted. Treasurer Roberts of the United States has had to again impress upon subtreasur- ers throughout the country that the gov- ernment is not seeking gold, and that its supply Is as heavy as wanted, with a con- tirual and steady growth. The gold reserve yesterday was increased $240,000, despite the fact that almost as much was eold frcm its bullion stock for use in the fine arts and paid for in cur- rency. The gold reserve yesterday after- neon stood at $166,162,065. Treasurer Roberts said to a Star reporter teday that efforts are being made in New Yerk to turn in gold in exchange for cur- rency at western points, notably Cincinna‘i and St. Louis. This saves exchange and transportation charges. ‘‘Gold is in excess in New York,” said Mr. Roberts, “and ¢ur- i-necy is in demand elsewhere. The demand foe currency runs geographically. ‘The de- mand is now principally from Cincinnati and St. Louis and other cities in that re- gicn. A snort time ago the demand was from the northwest, to move the grain crep. It changes with the seasons.” A year and a half ago the subtreasury in New York would have been glad to get gold in exchange for currency at other points, but then gold was being kept away. As the matter now stands, the currency supply will grow short and gold will have to be paid out. Treasurer Roberts said he saw no pros- pect that the inflow of gold to the treasury will discontinue. ‘‘We are receiving at the rate of $1,000,000 a month from customs duties alone. Besides, we are receiving gold from Australia, and much of the gold brought out from the Klondike country last year gets to the treasury.” —-o-—____—_ CAPITAL TRACTION BILL. as Heavy Senator Allen Moved a Reconside tiom of It Today. In the Senate today Mr. Allen moved a reconsideration of the vote on the Capital Traction bill, which was passed by the Senate at a late hour yesterday afternoon. Mr. Allen stated that he supposed the Sen- ate was about to adjourn yesterday after- noon and went home, having no idea that any legislation would be considered. The motion for reconsideration went over until tomorrow, when it will come up. To a Star reporter this afternoon Senator Allen said that he wished to hold the Capi- tal Traction bill until he should have time to examine the amendments which were made to it when it was passed yesterday afternoon. He said he did not know what, if any, objection he would have to it and wanted this time in order to examine the matter. He said it was unusual to pass a bill of that character at so late an hour, when he supposed the Senate was through with its day’s business. ee PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS. r Saas On!y Four Names Were Sent to the Senate Today. The President today sent to the Senate the following nominations: ‘Treasury—Eugene L. Dorsey of Indiana to be surpervising inspector of stesim Wéssels for the sixth district. wer Interior—James M. Gleayes to be surveyor general of California. eee Justice—To be justices of the peace, Dis- trict of Columbia—Francis Carroll Matting- ly and Conrad H. Weiss. RECEIVING THE NEWS Messages About the Disaster Sent to the Navy Department. ACTION TAKEN BY THE PRESIDENT White House Receptions Tonight and Tomorrow Postponed. SYMPATHY FOR AFFLICTED The first impulse of the officials of the Navy Department upon recovering from the shock caused by the news of the de- struction of the battle ship Maine this morning was to act with energy in extend- ing succor. One of Capt. Sigsbee’s late dis- patches from Hevana was to Commander Fersythe at the Key West naval station, as follows: “Tell admiral the Maine blown up and destroyed. Send light house tenders. Many killed and wounded.” Capt. Sigsbee undoubtedly adopted this course because he had no direct means of reporting to his superior officer, Admiral Sicard, who is at Dry Tortugas, about sixty or seventy miles distant from the cable station. Commander Forsythe telegraphed in reply to Capt. Sigsbee this morning as follows from Key West: “I have sent Ericsson to Sicard with Sigs- bee's dispatch about disaster. Mangrove getting up steam to go over.” A little later Secretary Long sent a for- mal telegram to Commander Forsythe, who, in turn, will transmit it to Admiral Sicard fer his information. Tender Mangrove sailed at 3 o'clock. Sec- ond Assistant Surgeon Spear and Dr. Klen- denig of the army went over in her. f Unsigned Messages. Secretary Long received the following message from Havana at 11 o'clock today, and gave it to the press immediately from the President's room, where he was in con- ference with the President, Secretary Gage and Attorney General Griggs. “Only two officers unaccounted for. The 2xplosion was forward. ‘To all indications it was forward, but cannot tell till investi- gation is made. Sentry on poop reports that there were no boats in vicinity when explosion occurred.” An inexplicable thing about the message was that it was unsigned. Secretary Long has no idea who the message was from, but supposes it came from Capt. Sigsbee. Still another unsigned message was re- ceived saying that Capt. Sigsbee is on board th2 steamer City of Washington. A Correspondent’s Message. Secretary Long received a message say- ing: “No excitement. All quiet. Nothing but de2p feeling of horror and sympathy for accident.” It was signed by a news- paper correspondent. One of the unsigned messages sent to Secretary Long contained the statemen: that 275 of tha crew of the Maine were killed. Message Sent by the President. From the informal cabinet session this morning the following message was sent to Capt. Sigsbee, at Havana: “The President directs me to express for himself and the p2ople of the United States his profound sympathy with the officers and crew of the Maine and desires that no expense be spared in providing for the survivors and caring for the dead.” Festivities Postponed. The President decided, and the decision was heartily approved by the cabinet offi- cials, that the receptions tonight and to- morrow night shall be indefinitely post- poned out of sympathy for the terrible af- fiction at Havana. ‘The President did not think that the people should assemble to- gether in this manner in the face of the calamity. He quickly issued orders to have the receptions postponed. Consul General Lee's Reports. Following telegram received at State De- partment at 11:40 o'clock: “All quiet. Great sorrow expressed by authorities. Sigsbee has telegraphed de- tailed to Navy Department. Not prepared yet to report cause of explosion. LEE.” Consul General Lee had previously sent the following telegram, giving brief ac- count of explosion: “Maine blown up and destroyed tonight at 940 p.m. Exploston occurred well for- ward under quarters of crew; consequently Many were lost. It 1s beiieved ail ofticers saved but Jenkins and Merritt, not yet ac- counted for. Cause of explosion yet to be investigated. Captain General and arnty and navy officers have rendered every as- sistance. Sigsbee and most of his officers on Ward steamer City of Washington. Others on Spanish man-of-war and in city. Am with Sigsbee now, who has telegraphed Navy Department. LEE.” At 12:15 o'clock Secretary Long received the following from Capt. Sigsbee, and gave it out from President's room: Reported Lost or Missing 253. “Advise sending wrecking vessel at once. Maine submerged except debris. Mostly work for divers now. Jenkins and Merritt still missing. Little hope for their safety. Those known to be saved are: Officers, 24; uninjured, crew, 18; wounded, now on Ward line steamer, in city hospitals and hotels, 59, so far as known. All others went down on board or near the Maine. Total lost or missing, 253. With several exceptions, no officer or man has more than part of a suit of clothing, and that is wet with water. Ward steamer leaves for Mexico at 2 this afternoon. The officers saved are unin- jured. Damage was in compartments of crew. Am preparing to telegraph list of saved and wounded. Olivette leaves for Key West at 1 p.m. Will send by her to Key West officers saved except myself and Wainwright, Holman, Henneberger, Ray and Holden. Will turn over three uninjured boats“to captain of port, with request for safe keeping. Will send all wounded men to hosp) }lin Havena, “SIGSBEE.” Seere.ary Long Thinks It Accidental. Secretary Long left the President at 12:30 o'clock, saying that everything had been given out and that there was nothing new. This was not the first visit of the Secretary to the White House. He had been awake nearly all night and was at the Executive Mansion in conference with the President as early as 8:30 o’clock. On leaving the White House about 9 o'clock he said that his opinion, from the dispatches received from Consul General Lee and Captain Sigs- bee, was that the explosion was an acci- dent. “I do not see cause for alarm,” he said. “Of course the catastrophe is a terrible one and excites suspicions, but there is no in- dication of anything but an actident. Judg- ment should be suspended: until a full in- vestigation is made.” The Secretary said that he did not think any war vessels would be sent to Havana to replace the Maine at tliis time, as none are needed. ‘ Secretary Gage’s View. Secretary Gage left the cabinet session much earlier than the others. He said that there was no reason for excitement. “All the information racetyed,” he said, “bears out the theory that the explosion was an accident.” The Secretary thought that a thorough examination would be made as to the cause of the accident. Excitement at the Nayy Department. Not since the wreck of the American tiect at Samoa has so much excitement be2n ex- Fibited at the Navy Department as was shown today. At the opening of the doors the corridors began to fill with newspaper men, naval and army officers, and many curious outsiders. ‘The b2autiful model of the battle ship Maine standing before the door of Secretary Long was surrounded by crowds commenting on every feature of the vessel. At intervals telegraph messen- gers appeared bearing messages from the main telegraph offices, for the single oper- ator stationed at the department was taxed beyond the ability of one person. Upon the delivery of each message there would be a rush to the Secretary's room to l2arn the latest news. Up to the time Secretary Long went over to the White House the news was free ard promptly given out as it cama. After that the messages were sent direct to him at the White House, and the crowd was obliged to wait for knowledge of their con- tents until they had be2n returned to the department. The navigation bureau was besieged with inquiries f#om the friends of the ship's company, begging for infor- tration as to the mortalit All that the officlals were able to do was to cause to be prepared copies of the mus- ter rolls of the men, and as soon as these cculd be prepared, a work of some ditti- culty, owing to the frequent changes in the ship's company frem time to time, the lists were given to the press. Spanish Officers Are Anxious. Secretary Long received the following tel- egram this morning: E ‘Capt. Sigsbee remains “aboard City of Washington. Ai least 275-of créw blown to atoms. Only two officers unaccounted for. Explosion forward; to all indications the magazine, but cannot tell untfi investiga- tion. Sentry on poop repofts that there were no boats in the vicinity when explo- sion occurred. Capt. Sigsbee one of the last to leave his vessel. The blow has been great, but all hands are cool as can be ex- pected. Marine officer and three all that seem to be saved from Ris command of forty. All Spanish officers are very anxious about the feeling they confidently expect to be generated in United States‘as a result of sensational journalism, ang would like to have popular opinion held unifer control until Sigsbee makes official report. There is no excitement in, strécts;,pothing but a feeling of deep sympathy and horror at what has occurred. Return pow (@ a.m.) to Sigsbee and will try and send you more details. GEO. BROWNSON. REA.” Mr. Rea is a well-known newspaper cor- respondent. 2. THE PRESIDENT’S OPINION. Destruction of the Maine Regarded as an Accident, With ell the lights before it this after- nocn, the deliberate opinion given out by the administration, as represented at the White House, is that the explosion was an accident. That it is inexplicable and un- precedented does not alter the view. This view will remain uatil ¢entrary news changes it. The administration contends that the dis- patches of both Captain Sigsbee and Gen- eral Lee correspond as to thé facts, and do not even hint at treachery in any way. If there was a variance in the dispatches of the two men there would be occasion for suspicion. —e D DISASTER BEFORE. EXPERIE! the Two Main Officers « Narrow Escapes. ‘Two of the officers on the Maine have had previous hair-breadth escapes. Lieutenant John J. Blandon was on the flagship Tren- ton when that vessel was wrecked in the harbor of Apia, Samoa. Lieutenant John Hood was attached to the Kearsarge when she was destroyed on the reefs of Ron- cador. Had ———_+-e—______ THE BACHE TO GO TO CUBA. Will Proceed to Havana With Wreck- ing Machinery. The coast survey steamer Bache is now lying at Key West. The superintendent of the survey lost no time this morning in in- viting Secretary Long to make any use of the vessel in this emergency that he might desire. The invitation was gratefully ac- cepted and the Bache has been ordered to proceed at once to Havana with wrecking pharaphernalia. While every, United States warship is provided with dixing outfits, it is probable that the apparatug eh the Maine was exploded In the explosign and sinking of that ship, so it will be necessary to for- ward another outtit te Havana @s early as possible if an investigation fs to be made of the condition of the hull of ‘the ship be- low water to determine finally Whether the explosion was external or Intergal. Divers will also be useful in recovgerimg the valu- ables aboard the Maine, tHere is little doubt that her magnificent battery of ten- inch and smaller caliber riffes cam be raised. ange INDIAN TERR#STORY. White and Colored “Chiffiren De- prived of Eduéntich. The Secretary of the @nterfor has ad- dresseq a letter to the Preffident of the Sen- ate in relation to the education @f the white and colored children in thé adién territory, saying that in the 250,000 or 300,000 white residents there are at least 30,000 children of school age and 25,009 colored children, all of whom are without facilities for obtain- ing an education. He urges action by Con- gress to remedy this deficiency and trans- mits letters from the commissioner of edu- cation and the co: lon ofthe Five Civ- ilized Tribes, THE Will Go for a Secretary Fae The President expects’ to léave Washing- ton on February 24, ag the-guestiof Secre- tary Bliss, and go to Jeckyt the coast of Florida, for @ tew days’ rest. The President has been very busy the opening of Congress, and if ess does not prevent, will take this teat, which he so greatly > . THE CABINET CONFER Members Discuss the News With the President. ADVICES FREELY GIVEN TO THE PRESS Anxious Session of the President’s Advisers. GENERAL BLANCO’S REGRET Not until 11 o’clock this morning was there anything like a ripple of excitement around the White House. Then it was more observable among a score of news- paper men who had assembled on the out- side of the room where the President was in conference with Secretaries Gage and Long, Postmaster General Gary and Attor- ney General Griggs, than among the offi- cials. Secretary Porter arrived at 11 o'clock, having learned of the appalling catastrophe from the morning papers. Con- gressmen who came in and went out of the White House tried hard to suppress that excitement which is popularly supposed to be foreign to the deliberative statesman. All the same, they eagerly inquired for every particle of fresh news, and could not hide from discerning eyes that it was diffi- cult to smother the same feeling which was working within ai breasts. Republicans of prominence evidently con- sidered the situation grave enough to visit the White House and consult with the President. Before t cabinet session fin- ished Vice President Hobart was ushered into the room. So was Justice McKenna of the Supreme Court, one cf the closest friends of the President. Civing Gut Advices Freely. Another notable fact was the givi of telegrams received from Havana and eleewhere Probably realizin; the outside, the President termined to give cut all teleg and al Isent. This not hard to do, as ali the telegrams terded to have a quieting effect when made public. They ail sustain- ed the theory of an accident. A member of the cabinet who was asked if news of a contrary nature would be given out as promptly, said he thought so, but that nothing of that kind had been re- ceived. ived An Anxious Session. The cabinet session was an anxious one at least. The members felt the deepast in- terest at the coming of the messengers bearing cable m2ssages. As soon as these messages were read inside the cabinet room they were immediately announced to the n2wspaper men outside. Of course the speedy transmission of these messages to the public was considered the best thing that could be done. ‘The same freedom as to news character- ized the members cf the cabinet them- selves. They freely gave opinions as to the explosien beirg an accident, and dis- claimed -against anything exciting being Probable. The discussion in the cabinet room was informal. The President had called the meeting mainly as a safeguard to consider what news was received from Havana, to compare notes and go over the situation. There was no plan of action to be talked over. Senor Du Bose, Spanish charge d'affaires, received a telegram of regret from the Spanish gevernment, and it was presented at the cabinet session. Prior to the cabinet session Senator Bur- rows was among the callers who talked with the President. He said that there was no proof that the explosion had been caused by Spaniards, and still further nothing to show that the Spanish government was in any way involved. If investigation revealed this then he had no doubt that speedy ac- tion would follow. No Warship to Be Sent Now. At 1 o'clock, half an hour after he had departed, Secretary Long returned to the White House for a conference with the President. It is said that after leaving the White House naval officers besieged Sec- retary Long to send warships to Havana. The pressure was so powerful from this di- rection the Secretary returned to the White House to talk over the matter. Secretary Long went to lunch with the President and remained at the White House a greater part of the afternoon. The President decided against sending another warship to Havana for the present. THE TWO MISSING OFFICERS. Records of Lieut. Jenkins and Assist- ant Engineer Merritt. The two officers unaccounted for and whom, it is feared, are dead, are Lieut. Gu- mor grade) F. W. Jenkins and Assistant Engineer Darwin R. Merritt. Mr. Jenkins was born in Alleghany City June 26, 1865, and was apointed a naval cadet September 28, 1882, by Representative Thomas M. Bayne of the twenty-third congressional district of Pennsylvania. After a short cruise on the Atlanta he was graduated June, 1888, after which he served succes- sively on the Galena, Kearsarge and Swa- tara. He was next attached to the coast survey, where he served until he was again ordered to sea on the gunboat Bennington. From June, 1893, to September, 1895, h> was on ordnance duty at the naval proving grounds, Indian Head, Md., and in Septem- ber 18, 1895, he was ordered to the battle ship Maine, and has since been attach>d to that vessel with the exception of a short interval in the spring of 1897. He reached his present, grade of junior lieutenant in January. 1897. He has many friends in this city, and was regarded as a mest capable and efficient officer. Assistafit Engireer Merritt was born at Red Oak, Montgomery county, Iowa, April 12, 1872. He was appointed to the Naval Academy September 10, 1891, graduating at the head of his class four years tater. He went to sea on the Amphitrite and was subsequently transferred to the indiana, receiving his final graduation July 1, 1897. After a short service at the New York navy yard he was ordered to the battle ship Maine, September 10, 1897, and has. sirce been attached to that ill-fated vessel. Although his naval service has been short, it Is said at the department to have been extremely creditable. —-o-—___ De Lome Sails fer Liverpool. NEW YORK, February 16.—Senor de Lome, former Spanish minister to Washington, sailed on the steamship Bri- tannic for Liverpool today. Complimen- tary resolutions were presented to him on board by a delegation of Spaniards. ‘There ‘was no hostile demonstration of any kind. THE MAINE The regular permanent family, circulation of The Evening Star in Washington is more than double that of any other paper, whether published in the morne ing or in the afternoon. \ As a medium for unobjec- tionable advertisements it there- fore stands unequaled and un- approachable. BLOWN Awftl Disaster to United States Battle Ship in Harbor of Havana, NUMBER OF KILLED OR MISSING, 253 Lieutenant Jenkins and Engineer Merritt Among the Number. eH CAUSE OF THE D ISASTER UNKNOWN Question Whether It Was Accident Aboard or Blow Without. COMMENT OF VARIOUS OFFICIALS The Secretary of the Navy received the following telegram from Capt. Sigsbee carly this morning: “Maine blown up in Havana harbor, 9:40, and destroyed. Many wounded, and doubt- jess more killed and drowned. Wounded and cthers on board Spanish man-of-war and Ward line steamer. Send light house’ tenders fram Key West for crew and few pieces of equipment still above water. No one had other clothes than those upon him. Public opinion should be suspended until further report. All officers believed to be saved. Jenkins and Merritt uot yet ac- counted for. Many Spanish officers, in- cl.ding representatives of Gen. Blanco, now with me, and express sympathy. (Signed) “SIGSBEE.” Later advices today place the number of killed and missing at 25%, including Lieut. Friend W. Jenkins and Assistant Engineer Darwin R. Merritt. The officers referred to in the above dis- patch are Lieut. Friend W. Jenkins and Assistant Engineer Darwin R. Merritt. The Secretary immediately sent the fol- lowing telegram in repl “Capt. Sigsbee, Havana: “Deepest sympathy and anxiety. “We await particulars and cause. “Advise fully. “Spare no effort to relieve sufferers and learn facts. LONG.” Secretary Long received the news with apparent calm, and his first act was to comply with Capt. Sigsbee’s request that assistance be sent from Key West. He immediately wired Capt. Forsythe at Key West to proceed with the naval tender Fern to Havana harbor. Secretary Long then sent for Capt. Dick- ins, acting chief of the bureau of naviga- tion, and the two discussed Capt. Sigsbee’s 1 brief telegram giving news of the greatest disaster which has befallen the American navy since the disaster at Apia, many years ago. The Secretary is inclined to be- lieve that most of the officers of the Maine were on shore at the time of the accident, as it was still early in the night. While neither the Secretary nor Captain Dickins are incliged to discuss the probable cause of the accident, several suggestions were ventured upon. They believe that it may have been caused by a fire in the bunkers, heating of bulkhead near a magazine, or that an accident may have occurred while inspecting high explosives for torpedoes. Of course, this is mere speculation, and the Secretary is anxiously awaiting a more de- tailed report from Captain Sigsbee. Later the Secretary sent another telegram | to Key West, directing that the tender | Mangrove also be sent to Havana. The orders for the lighthouse tenders were at once sent to Key West in plain | language, thus avoiding the delay that would have arisen from the use of cipher. ‘The President Informed. Commander Dickins, after carrying out the instructions of Secretary Long with re- gard to relief measures for the survivors of the Maine, went it once to the White House, where the Presi mt Was aroused and informed of the disaster. President McKinley received the news calmly and expr ed his deep s row, but said nothing further, except that he was thoroughly sate isfied with the me Navy Department. CENTRAL MAGAZINE EXPLODED, Statement Credited to the Officers of the Fated Vessel NEW YORK, F A special copyright cable to the Evening World from Havans says the sures adopted by the oilicers of the ¢ the explosion was in the central mage azine and that the Maine was raised out of the water and then went partially te pieces. Maine stat The dispatch continues: “AH but the surgeon were talking in the ward room at the moinent of the explosion, Then came the st dous shock. A} the officers below rushed on deck, but could get no further forward than the middle supere structure on deck. Only a very pitiable few of the 350 blue-jackets ever got from below. The water rushed over them and many were stunned and drowned, but not mangled. It is not likely thay ailors were that more ved. “The officers on deck narrowly In the junior officers esc ped, mess all had to clame ber out through water and wreckage waist deep. One ladder from the after torpedg compartment was gling up for life. jammed with men struge All agree that a double -d from the natural result of an underwater explosion of the magas zines.”” The dis the passengers on the City of explosion occur patch says that the account of Ward line steamer -ashington, which was lying 300 yards from the Maine, bears out the fores going statement. Continuing, the cable says: “Brass pipe, angle iron, ete., fell in @& shower on the decks of the City of Washe ington, so injuring two boats thet when lowered they were useless, Out of the dense smoke came anguished cries for help, Simult with the cessation of falle ing fragments, searchlights were thrown om the wreck and i boats from the sh Washington alongside ular ferry boats, pas eously load of agony, Spanish joined those of the once, but the regs ing soon after the exe, ion, did not stup to offer aid.” Loss OF LIFE PLACED AT 100, plo: Views of Naval oc Regardiv KEY WEST, ¢ dispatch from Hz by February puts the ship Maine at 100 « nd wour ing is known rning t the explosion." Naval jals think the fore ward magazine ir d and that possibly, one or more torpedoes exploded. The tore pedo boat Cushing, Lieut. Gleaves, come mande , with steam up, is here, ready fog The norther in the gulf is increasing in violence and there promises to be a heavy) sea. There is a dearth of ships which es | Roe r terns 0 a 2