The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 28, 1898, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1898. 3 WHILE THE WAR SPIRIT GROWS COURT OF INQUIRY AT Arrival From Havana the Investigators of : the Disaster. They Confer With Admiral Sic- ard, Whose Fleet Is Under Steam and R eady to Pro ceed at a Moment’s Notice. KEY WEST, Fla.,, Feb. 2 The court of inquiry which has been investigating the Maine disaster arrived here this morn- ing 6n board the lighthouse ten- der - Mangrove, the vessel in which the sessions .were held in Havana harbor. Captain W. T. Sampson, president of the court, and Lieutenant-Comman- der ‘Mar! Judge-Advocate, came ashc this morning and had & c e with 8 rd in the Key West Hotel, Other. members of the court, Captain Chadw! and Lieuten- ant-Commander Potter, went @ | aboard ‘their p, the flagship ©| 0 York. The work of the ®! O > resumed to-mor- © | O convene: in the ® O States ' District court- © O 1 in the Federal building. nant John J. Blandin, who flicer ‘'of the deck of the at the time of the disa be the first witness nd after his examination T s of the Maine who 2~ will be called before to testify. 1s of the North At- re now at this port. flagship New Iowa, cruisers . Marblehead and Mont- s, and the gunboat Nash- At Dry Tortugas are the bat- s Indlana, Massachusetts Xas. tle: and T Martin. Redding, a diver, returned here to-day. He was taken to Havana to work on the wreck, and his arrival to-day caused much comment, it being said that he had talked too much at| Havana; and had been removed in con- sequence. On his arrival he held forth at ¢ derable gth before a street c idience,. and but little cre- could be given to his numerous | statements. Rear Admiral Sicard has held fre- nt conferences with Captain Samp- | n and: other mémbers of the court of | t the hotel. He said-to-night: | k they ought to get away on | Wednesday. ' As yet.there ‘is.nothing | that can be said about their work.” ply to a -question as to the r d removal. of the warships to C . Admiral Sicard said: “The fleet is not moving and I know nothing about its going to ‘Cuba. Still, you | know I have steam up, and could go anywhere if ordered.” He was asked if anything had hap- | pened to justify the statement that the situation was more serious to-day than it had been, and he replied: *“They know at Washington.about that. Just how strained our.relations are with Spain, T am unable to. say The excitement yesterday after the | arrival of the Cuban- filibusters, headed | by General Nunez and. Captain John | O’Brien, compietely .eclipsed all the do- | fngs and sayings of the court of inquiry | officers, Their quick departure pre- | vented very miuch being learned as to | the expedition, -but the Cubans here are elated. An expedition has been | preparing to go away from Key West | for some time, biit it wilt probably suf- fer another delay, as the plot has leaked out through two Spanish spies. | BLOCK THE WAY FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE. Democrats in the House Stop Con- sideration of the Artillery Increase Bill. NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—A Washing- ton special to the Herald says: Con- gress is moving “:slowly In matter of granting legislation desired by the President for the national defense. Representative Sulzer's - objection to the consideration of the -artillery increase bill on Friday allowed the g ry civil bill to get right of way to the House, and made it probable that it will be late in the week before the fc €T m ure: can get through. Chairman ‘Hull of the Committee on Military Affairs told me to-night that. he' intended - to press the ar- tillery crease bill: He S sure there 14 be objection from the “Democratic . side, and that he would have to' have a special order fromi the Committee on Rules, but he belleves:he will have no trouble in gelting: such -an order at the proper Many:of the ding Democrats art taking the same :;rnfim] as Mr. Sulf zer on the bill. They consider it a threat at the liberties of the people, and will try to make the measure a party issue. There are fio nijore earn- est advocates of the hill in the House, however, than Representatives McClel- lan and Cummings of Georgla. When the emergency legislation asked for by the administration will be enacted wiil depend largely upon developments in regard to the Maline disaster. It is pro-able the matter will be allowed to rest until the naval appropriation bill s taken up, when the provision | in that measure for an incr | day of $00 men in the enlisted strength of the navy will b mended so as to make the number 1500. | Senator Hale, chairman of the Sen- ate Committee on Naval Affairs, said to me to-day: “There is no doubt that Co will grant authority to the Sec v of the Navy to enlist 1500 or 2000 additional men in a provision | which will be incorporated in the naval | appropriation bill. Mr. Roosevelt's letter requesting the increase was simply in acecordance with the custom which has been followed by the Navy Department. It simply pointed out | the navy’'s needs, and we propose to | provide for them as suggested.” - — | OUR MILITIA SYSTEM 1 A MATTER OF CONCERN | It Is Regarded at Washington as | One of the Chief Weaknesses of | the Nation. NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—A Washing- ton special to the Herald says: One of | the chief national weaknesses of the | militia system is the fact that the Na- | tional Guards are purely State organi- zations. Any officer may resign h commission or any private may secure a discharge should the militia be re- Guested to serve the Federal Govern- ment. To become United States sol- diers they must volunteer to serve. War Department officials are doubtful | of the number of militiamen who would volunteer to serve.the nation. Many National Guards regard themselves as schools for officers,” and many of their members would enter the service only with the encouragement of an officer’s commission. The impression preva at the War Department that the tional Guards of New York would £ within this category. 1 am told by the War Department | authorities that In the event of the outbreak of hostilities the Secretary of War would advise the President to is- sue a call for not less than 350,000 men. If war is to come it is argued that the | country must be prepared at the out- set with ample men to strike at the enemy a decisive blow, as well as to protect the coast and the capital. It | is believed enough militlamen would enlist to form an important element | in the emergency army. | An abstract of the number of men in the United States liable to military duty and who may be drafted, accord- | ing to the late State returns of the | adjutant-general of the army, shows a | total of 10,301,339. Enlistments into the | regular army directly would un- | doubtedly be very large in case of the outbreak of war, and the quality of | men who would thus voluntarily put | themselves forward would be excellent. | SWEDES OF ST. LOUIS s EAGER_F_OR THE FRAY. } of | Would Avenge the Slaughter Many of Their Countrymen on the Maine. 1 NEW YORK, Feb. 2 St. Louis | special to the Herald ¥ The war feeling s growing in St. Louis. To- | a company - of 500 Swedes was | formed. There was a meeting of Swedes held here Saturday night, when over 200 men enlisted, and at a meeting to- | day the number was increased to 500. | They are excited over the prospect of war and many speeches were made denouncing the Spanish. There were | forty Swedes killed in the blowing up | of the Maine, and the speakers that thelr deaths Another compan said should be avenged. to be known as Company B, with 200 members, was organized this afternoon. The Busch | Zouaves were also organized to-day, making fifteen companies thus far or- 1 ganized in St. Louis. Captain Roemer, | who has seen service in the Cuba Libre army, was elected commander of the zouaves. He at once wired Governor | Stephens that the company would be | ‘Everyfl‘ing Ready for the Final | would put 5000 as course that should be taken concerning the destruction of the Maine and sald “If it should be proved that the Maine was blown up by Spain or by Spanish intrigue, the United States should declare war on Spain and de- mand Cuba or its independence and a large money consideration as indem- nity. In case of war between the United States and Spain, Arizona good soldiers as ever shouldered a& musket into Galves- ton as soon as the Government could provide transport for them.” | not know for what vessel the men now being enlisted are wanted. The roster was simply being filled up, and he did | not know how many men were wanted | or where the recruits will be assigned. ‘TO PHOTOGRAPH SHIPS BEYOND THE HORIZON. NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—Willlam A. Eddy of scientific kite fame offers to furnish tandem kites for the use of the jTHE MILITARY HOSPI:['AL, Havana, where many of the wounded frcm the Maine were carried, and where some have since dizd. ready to move within twenty-four hours. Commanders of different com- panies have ordered their men to re- main in town and be prepared to move | any day. Companies are being organized in nearly every town in Missouri. The | First Regiment of Missouri Volunte composed of seven different companie: was formed this afternoon, with many | Federal and Confederate veterans in line. S PLATES PREPARED FOR AN ISSUE OF BONDS. Secretary Gage Making All Arrange- ments to Negotiate a Large Loan. WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.—Secretary Jage not only contemplates a bond sue, but plates are being prepared in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. | It was published two days ago that he | was conidef an issue in case our re- lations with Spain are broken, but the growing s of the situation has caused hir ke a great step in | advance. Engravers have been put at | work, and now they are examining and preparing plates. 5 Senator Hanna went to New York to advise with financiers and he returned to-night. He went immediately to the White House and held a long confer- ence with the President. To-morrow | he will confer with Secretary Gage, and then it will be determined how soon | bonds will be placed and when the call | shall be put forth for bids. The amount of the bonds probably | will be $230,000,000, 4 per cent and gold | bearing. As the Senate is unalterably | opposed to such an issue, it is under- stood that Secretary Gage will keep the | matter secret until the moment it be- comes necessary to issue the call. GREAT EXPECTATIONS FROM THE HOLLAND. Trials of the Famous Subma- rine Torpedo-Boat. NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—Everything Is in readiness for the final trials of the submarine torpedo-boat Holland, and its actual value to the naval world will be thoroughly demonstrated in a few days. The Holland is now moored to a wharf at the Raritan drydock, at Perth Amboy, N. All day to-day | there was a steady stream of visitors | to the Holland. Mr. Holland's men sat around and refused to discuss the boat, and no one, excepting the | Herald and Call representative, was al- lowed on board the b s Only a few changes are contemplated in the mechanis e boat. A new | rudder be placed on the | Holland to-mbrrow, and then the trials will be resumed in Princes Bay. Mr. | Holland thinks it possible that he will change the electric engine of the boat in order to get more speed out of her. This week her gun will be thoroughly tested. A cartridge used in the gun will, it is estimated, cost $2200, and for is re n several dummies will be used. When the gun is found to be in working order Mr. Holland will sub- merge his boat and blow up a sunken wreck. ARIZONA WILL FURNISH FIVE THOUSAND TROOPS. Governor McCord Says There Is No Alternative But War as Mat- ters Now Appear. PHOE , Ariz., Feb. 27.—Governor McCord was interviewed to-day on the FOUR WARSHIPS COMMISSIONED League Island Adds to America’s Fighting Force. Repairs on the Miantonomah Will Be Completed by Tuesday. the First Time in Years the Yard's Force Worked on For the Sabbath. Special Dispatch to The Call. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 27.—League Island Navy Yard was literally swarmed with visitors to-day in con- | sequence of the report from Washing- ton that the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis, the double turreted moni- tor Miantonomah and the ram Katah din had been ordered to go into com- mission with dispatch. Both crui have skeleton crews aboard. while the monitor has been lying at her dock for several years, and the Katahdin since last winter. None of the naval officials at vard would say anything relating to the future movements of the vessels, but from workmen it was learned the commission orders had ben issued. This was borne out by the fact that all day a lage force of men in the con- struction * and repair departments were actively at work on the Mianto- nomah and the Katahdin. Visitors were kept off these boats, and only those having friends among the offi- cers and crew of the cruisers were al- lowed on board. The repairs to the monitor were all | of a minor nature, and will be com- pleted by Tuesday. Over twenty men have already detailed for her, been and her full complement of 150 will be | made up as rapidly as possible, A large force of men was busy on the Katahdin improving her ventilat- ing apparatus and fitting her with steam pipes. This work will take only a few days. Sun v work at League Island is very unusual, and to-day's action is taken to indicate that the Navy Department intends getting the vessels ready to sall at a moment’'s notice. This afternoon steam was gotten up on board the monitor for the purpose of testing her boilers and machinery. In one of the lofts nearly one hundred men were at work on small dand boat fittings. Everything shipshape on the Minneapolls and Co- lumbia, and beyond filling up their complement of office and men and taking coal and provisions nothing re- mains to be done. This will consume about five days at the most, and then both vessels will be ready for active service. The work of enlisting men will be continued until orders to stop have been received from Washington. Cap- tain Casey, the commander, said he did the | spars | United States Navy at sea. Eddy has sent an application to Secretary Long for vermission to test his apparatus for the purpose of photographing ships beyond the horizon line at sea. | | He said to-day that while in Washing- | ton several weeks ago he had a talk with A nt Secretary Roosevelt, in which Mr. Roosevelt ggested that he make application for a test of his ap- paratus. Eddy said that his experi- ments have shown that a kite is much steadier at sea than on land, and that the mast of a battleship is an ideal place from which to fly kites. He sald that in his letter to the Navy Depart- ment he had pointed out that by the use of kites carrying cameras photo- graphs of smoke of vessels at a dis- tance of fc y-three miles can be taken and the pre of an enemy can be detected. He alluded to his apparatus day searchiight,” and said that = used from a rapid launch to photograph fortifications on land, ‘a being employed on the ence y referred to experiments on ernors Island last year, in which Lieutenant Wise was lifted forty-twe feet in the air, and said ‘that he could operate his camera by electricity, and had no need to send a man aloft to work them. DOES NOT MEAN TO BE CAUGHT UNPREPARED. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt Ex- | plains the Activity of the Government. WASHINGTON. Feb. 27.—At the suggestion of Secretary Long, Assis- tant Secretary Roosevelt of the Navy Department gave out the following statement in regard to the published map, with. the Maine in Havana Har- bor purpoting to be marked on it: “As soon as the map was brought to myattentionTsent to Mr. John Russell Young of the Congressional Library and got the original. Tt is simply one of the innumerable maps of Havana Harbor. There is not the slightest sign of a mine marked anywhere on it. As a matter of fact, I am informed | that this map is one which has been | used in giving lectures at the Colum- bian University.” In answer to the question as to what was the meanihg of the movements of guns and munitions, Mr. Roosevelt | said: “It merely serves to show that the department does not believe there will be any trouble, but neither does it in- tend to be caught unprepared if there should be trouble.” — FORMING AN INDEPENDENT CAVALRY REGIMENT. Active Recruiting of Cowboys and Frontiersmen in Arizona’s Prin- cipal Towns. PHOENTIX, Ariz.,Feb. 27.—A move- ment is under way for the formation in Arizona of an independent cavalry regiment, composed mainly -of fron- tiersmen well skilled in the manage- ment of horses and arms. and embrac- ing a large number of cowboys. Companies are belng organized at Prescott, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Globe, Solomonville, Tombstone and Tucson. The intention is to be in nowise a part of the Territorial militia, but an in- dependent command ready to go to the front at once. The enrollment is ex- pected to reach one thousand. | | EVIDENCE IS MORBG POSITIVE Divers Continue to Dis-= cover Proofs of Foul Play at Havana. More Intense Becomes the War Spirit in the States South of Mason and Dixon’s Line. Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett. HAVANA, Feb. 27.—1 completed to- day a hurried journey from New York to within a few feet of the battered de- bris of the Maine, over which floats at half-mast the stars and stripes, and from Jersey City to the pler where I took a rowboat in Havana harbor I heard one topic alone discussed, the Maine, and discussed by men in many walks of life. On the way to join the staff of Herald reporters here I noticed that in the Southern States, especially, there is a tendency to become impa- tient of what, rightly or wrongly, is considered the delay of the United States Government in taking definite action. 1 found that despite the ad- vice of many of the foremost Ameri- cans to suspend judgment and the ob- vious impossibility of action by the Government before the board of in- quiry completes its work, many South- erners were inclined to believe the pro- longed inquiry is evidence of hesitancy rather than determination to be right before going ahead. This attitude 1 found surprisingly general among railroad men and others with whom I talked on the way from New York to the wreck itself, and I could but recall their earnestness in the matter when I saw the wreck and Chaplain- Chadwick among the coffins awalting the spoil of busy divers. I re- port” a condition and make no deduc- tions, There seems no doubt to-night that while to-day's evidence before the board was. theimost positive and im- portant, yet.in. lne ith the relations concerning the position of the bottom plates made in Friday’'s Herald, the re- sult of investigation will not reach the American people officially for a consid- erable time. This fact, taken in con- nection with the growing impatience I noticed during the journey and among Americans here, leads to the belief that interest in the cause of the Maine dis- aster will increase rather than subside because of the prolonged session of the board and the delay in an official ex- planation of the means by which the American crew were killed: The fact is that enough of the evidence heard by the board has been printed in es- sence to convince many beyond doubt that the ship was anchored over a sub- marine mine and that she swung safely from her buoy till the very night when conditions of wind and tide placed her fairly over the explosives. Of course, there is absolutely no di- rect evidence yet to prove who, if any, were in the plot to destroy the ship and crew and as to who assumed the un- speakable respounsibility of causing the explosion. Few expect that any such evidence, at least of a trustworthy character, will be adduced by the in- quiry at this time. 1 heard to-day a group of Americans talk as they looked at the wreck in the harbor, and one, in explaining the necessity for caution on McKinley's part and the possibility of war with Spain precipitating a general conflict involving Europe, said, pointing to the Maine: “Eyes of thinking men all over the world are now directed toward that twisted iron and that flag at half- mast.” The evidence regarding the upheaval of the keel, reported by the Herald, is regarded here as overshadowing all previous Information in significance, and the daily proceedings of the board tend to give it greater importance. Demonstrations are likely to follow the arrival of the Vizcaya from New York. She is expected on Monday, and will be hafled joyously by the Spanish as the first of the powerful fleet soon due in Havana harbor, which is to in- clude, besides the Alfonso XIII, now here, the Vizcaya's sister ship, Almi- rante Oquendo and the Christobal Co- MEMBERS OF THE NAVAL COURT OF INQUIRY WHO RETUTNED FROM HAVANA YESTERDAY AND WILL NOW HOLD SESSIONS AT KEY ‘WEST, lon and four torpedo-boats. The known, presence of the American fleet at Key West, which is regarded here as men- acing, will lend additional zest to the greeting accorded the Vizcaya, and at this writing it is hard to predict what turn the demonstration on the arrival of the cruiser will take. I heard one of the most conspicuous American repre- sentatives here to-day say that if the Vizcaya and other Spanish ships en- tered this harbor as expected they would be bottled up here and therefora trapped in case a foreign fleet appeared off Moro Castle. The Spanish fleet may cruise off the Cuban coast mnear port. Captain Eulate will be all the more heartily welcomed because of the fact just made known to Americans hy the Herald that he was one of the judges who passed the death sentence on the Competitor’s prisonérs.” The extremists of the anti-American party. here will endeavor to honor .him conspicuously on that account. To make room for the Vizcaya near the wreck of -the. Maine the Alfonso XIII has been moved -still further from the ill-fated - American battle-ship, and the new arrival will be thus awarded a place of honor near- est the Maine and the most frequented plers. There is much speculation. here among both Americans and Spanish as to wheéther the Terror will keep.: the Vizeaya company on the voyage south and join th juadron at Key West. SAGASTA SAYS SPAIN WILL NOT ARBITRATE. Bitterly Resents ‘the Suggestion Reported to Have Been Made by Bismarck. MADRID, Feb. - 27.—Senor Sagasta, commenting upon an alleged interview with Prince Bismarck, in which the lat- ter is represented as suggesting that the Cuban troublé should be submitted to the powers for arbitration, expressed his astonishment that such an idea could emanate from Prince Bismarck, and declared emphatically that “noth- ing but ignorance of the question could inspire the notion that Spain would suffer foreign intrusion or submit to arbitration in her indisputablé rights of sovereignty.” “Nobody,” said the Spanish Premier, “would dare propose such an absurdity, and no Spanish Government would list- en-or dfeam of such a proposal.” The Imparcial in an editorial to-day blames Spanish weakness in the Alli- anca, Venidito, Competitor and_other affairs as “encouraging the United States in their present bellicose atti~ tude.” Tt counsels the Government to awake to the reality of a situation which the good sense of Spanish peo-~ ple understands and is ready to meet. - WYOMING MILITIA IN READINESS FOR ACTION. DENVER, Feb. 27.—A special to the Rocky Mountain News from Laramie, Wyo., says: J. Fred Hesse Jr, captain of Company A, Wyoming National Guards, has received or- ders from Colonel Frank M. Foote of Evanston, Wyo., to get his company and equipment in readiness for service on short notice. In the event of a call being issued the services of the militia, of the State of Wyoming will be ten- dered to the President at once. ADVERTISEMENTS. T Let WHISKY get the BEST" of you. GET the BEST of WHISKY, which is the; GENUINE DISTILLERY BOTTLING OF L PEPPER DON Bottled and Distilled anly by 2= | JAS, &, PEPPER %00, Lexington, Ky, YEARS; is_guaranteed ABSOLUTELY the PUREST and:BEST in the world. SAMPLE CASE $15 Sent on trial, which, It not satisfactory, can be returned and money will be refunded. CARROLL & CARROLL, 306 Market Street, Sole Agents for the Pacific Coest. . “WILL CASH PEPPER COUPONS.