The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 4, 1898, Page 2

THE SAN FRA VCISCO' CALL, FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1898 because of his position here, told me last night_that every one who knew of the discoveries so far regarded the Herald's outline of Powelson’s testimony as most admirable. He added that he thought it possible a mine may have been placed after the ship anchored, and pointed out that she swung from a buoy and might circle it through varying conditions of wind and tide. It was -ossible that when she lay due south of the buoy on 4 dark night a rowboat could have reached a position north of the buoy, where the ship might be a few hours later. He said this pending a definite settlement of the question whether the harbor is mined and it was known at the palace that the Maine was placed over explosives. Senator Proctor vesterday saw a lively engagement between a band of 250 i"'i surgents and an equal number of Span- jsh infantry. This took place almost within Matanzas on the street. where the Senator was later an~roached by a messenger from General Gomez, who openly proclaimed his identity and mis- He brought greeting from Gomez American, and sion for the distinguished promised to deliver to the General any reply that might be sent. Senator Proc- tor, however, thought best not to risk entangling himself. The details of Proc- tor's trip to Matanzas could not be sent over the direct cable last night, and the | Havana papers were not allowed to refer | to the matter. The fact seems to be that | the insurgents learned of the Senator’s | 1s and arranged a demonstration for | s benefit. His train had hardly left | ¢ suburbs of Havana before fires were | een springing up in the canefields on all | sides. This was kept up all along the| route where there was cane to burn. As a result of his experiences Proctor last night, in conversation, expressed his be- lief that it was impossible for Spain to | regain sovereignty over the island, no matter what course was pursued by the | United States. This opinion was based upon the confession of the Spanish au- thorities that the condition of affairs grows more serious the farther eastward | one penetrates. The Senator, for this reason, has giverr up the idea of a more extensive trip through the island, and| unless his present plans are changed will | take a boat for home on Saturday. His trip yesterday was made at the sugges- tion of Clara Barton, and he was ac- companied by the British Vice-Consul and several Red Cross agents. About | wenty miles this side of Matanzas the 1 slowed down, running not much faster than a man could walk. It was learned that the wires had been cut and | the trainmen feared to run into a dyna- | mite bomb. Brisk firing was heard | about a mile back from the road and a tively skirmish could be seen between a force of 250 insurgents and an equal number of regulars. The fight was still going on when the train drew out of sight, but on the return trip the train was stopped near the scene of the con- flict and the wounded soldiers were taken aboard. From one of the wounded soldiers it was learned that after the in passed the insurgents withdrew, taking their wounded. The Spanish were content to hold the field and did not O e il ed, were brought into the city lnstl night, and will be retained here as a re- | serve force. Great activity is observed in all the| military store houses in the ecity. In| the magazines supplying Morro Castle | a double force of men is working night | and day loading shells and getting pro- | jectiles into shape for rapid handling. Work Is also being hurried on the new fortifications along shore to the east of Morro Castle. General Lee is asked daily by Ameri- cans if it is advisable for them to re- main in Havana. He replies that he| sees no indication that Amerlcan lives | are threatened by the populace, but | that, knowing the facts of the case and | the weight of their own interests here, | Americans should judge for themselves | whether the situation is grave enough | to necessitate their departure. He adds ; that he comes and goes alone from the | consulate to his hotel without hearing | even an Insulting word. His intimate friends know that he is always pre- pared for any emergency. One of his | pistols was stolen a week ago, but was | replaced by a Virginian friend. The fact that the thief left valuable jewelry behind made it appear like an attempt to disarm Lee. While Lee has not been insulted in streets and has been treated with cour- | tesy, efforts to intimidate him have not | been wanting. I know the following is true in detail, and it is regarded as an exchange of threats or jokes, accord- ing to one's view of the situation of an | American. On the day before the Maine came to Havana word was sent to Lee that when the ship arrived five Spaniards had decided to go to his| room in the Ingleterra Hotel and tell | him they had come to escort him to the Maine. The Consul replied: had better send more. five.” He laughed as he sald it. He was one of the best shots at West Point in his day. Stories of this kind showing the feel- ings of some of Havana's population toward Americans are heard frequent- ly. On the Stock Exchange yesterday | a broker asked a group if they had heard the latest concerning the Viz- caya. They asked what it was and he | replied that the cruiser’s officers and men were to have no shore leave for fishing, as there was nothing in the bay to catch but dead Yankees. It is but fair to say that such re- marks are exceptional and that open | and hostile remarks are confined to the | volunteers and the lower classes. These form admiring groups on the plers nearest the Vizcaya, and compare her with the Maine, using no choice lan- guage concerning the ill-fated battle- ship. A prominent American, whose knowl- edge of military affairs is great and | who enjoys the confidence of the United States Government, discussed the out- lok with me last night. He said the Spanish officers seemed utterly incap- able of understanding the position in which Havana would be placed in case of hostilities. In his own opinion the city was utterly at the mercy of a for- | elgn fleet from a lack of a strongsquad- ron of defense, and sufficiently strong shore batteries, and certainly the cut- ting off of the food supply from the United States would mean famine in case of blockade. He said Spain must lose Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip- pines, and have the coast cities of the peninsula itself laid waste in case of “Tell them they | T'll kill the first pursue, In Matanzas Senator Proctor was the guest of Consul Brice, who fireely ex-| pressed his mind on the condition of affairs in the province. A visit was paid to Convent Monserrat, where same re- concentrados are being cared for. The convent overlooks the Yumuri Valley. which, the Senator says, presents an ap- | pearance of desolation and destruction. such as was not seen even in the South | | during the civil war. The Senator expressed to me much surprise at the open manner in which he was approached by a messenger from | Gomez and also by other agents of the | Cubans, who apparently had no fear of | the Spanish authorities, talking of the insurrection as if it could by no pos- sibility be of interest to the government. The return from Matanzas was made without incident other than bringing in some wounded insurgents. All sorts of wild rumors are current about the demonstration which may be | made by the volunteers when the | Almirante Oquendo arrives. She is expected daily. A meeting of volunteer officers was held last night in the Mil- itary Club, and a messenger was sernt to General Parado with the announce- ment that unless assurances were given that the volunteers would not be disbanded or disarmed, as contemplat- ed by the autonomist platform, they could not be held responsible for the action of the men, who were declared to be in the mood for desperate meas- ures to secure their rights. It was in- timated that the arrival of the Oquendo would be seized upon as the proper occasion for a Weyler demon- stration. An attempt was made also to obtain audience with Captain-Gen- eral Blanco, but the latter pleaded ill- ness and referred the matter to”Gen- eral Parado. General Parado clearly demonstrated the fear the palace au- thorities have of the volunteers as an organization by giving them prompt assurance that the report was untrue and the volunteers would be continued as they are organized at present. Gen- eral Parado admitted that in giving this assurance he was making it im- possible to treat with the insurgents, to whom the disarming of the volun- teers is a great bait, but he declared that the pacification of Cuba by force of arms would soon be completed. The colonels of volunteers demanded that the pledge be made in writing, and this was done, General Parado addressing a personal note to the senior officer of the organization, Colonel Conde Diana. This was read at the meeting in the Military Club and created great en- thusiasm. I am unable to judge the effect of this concession to the volunteers. For the time being it has apparently quieted them, but it may give them courage to make future demands which cannot be acceded to. As an illustra- tion of the power of the volunteers in Havana it is only necessary .to point to the seizure by General Blanco at their demand of the newspaper Cuba, whose only offense was the reproduc- tion of dispatches which . the censor had permitted to be sent from here to New York papers. It is mow believed that no demon- stration against Blanco will be at- tempted upon the arrival of the Oquen- do. However, to make certain of be- ing able to suppress disorder, 600 of the best cavalry of the island, whose loy- | the insurgents active near Havana. war, yvet there was but-.one available warship at hand, a crippled army and The Spanish officers express confi- dence in their ability to defeat the United States. Spaniards prominent in | civil life and volunteers are not so con- fident. A colonel of volunteers said re- cently it was sad to think that Blanco, with his past high record as a soldier, was foredoomed to have the word “failure” written on his closing career. The work Is beginning to tell on the American divers. Several are affected with nose bleeding and ear trouble from remaining too continuously under water. Olsen of the Iowa some days has been down four hours in the morn- ing and four in the afternoon. He s | regarded as a wonderful submarine workman. He toils among the wreck- age for hours, carrying immense weights which would soon exhaust the ordinary man above water. He is a glant in strength. A naval officer here to-day, in reply | to a suggestion that it was a pity such an important decision as the verdict of the court of inquiry into the Maine | explosion should rest solely upon the testimony of the divers, who seemed | men of only average intelligence, re- | plied: | “The court of inquiry has not had to | depend upon divers' testimony alone,” then, realizing that he had said more than he intended, the officer resumed | his habitual reserve. It is believed | that the testimony of Lieutenant-Com- | mander Wainwright was highly im- | portant, as bearing on the question of | the existence of submarine mines. The | Government has employed an expert | photographer, now In Havana, who will | send to the Navy Department in Wash- | ington photographs of armor plates and different portions of the wreck imme- diately upon recovery from the water. Eai S THE SPANISH DIVERS TO MAKE REPORT. | Copyrighted, 1308, by James Gordon Bennett. | HAVANA, March 3—Father Chid- wick to-day established the identity of | | the two bodies taken from the wreck of | the Maine last Friday. They were those of Quartermaster Burkhardt and C. A. Scott, carpenter’'s mate. Burkhardt's body was identified by means of scraps of paper'found in his clothes. Scott's body was identified by means of Odd Fellows' “links” tattooed upon his arm. Captain Sigsbee and Father Chid- wick are about convinced that the search for bodies must soon be discon- tinned. The Spanish divers did not | work to-day. They are awaiting the arrival from Spain of experts on naval construction. The American divers and the Merritt Wrecking Company’s men continued work on the wreck as usual. General Hyde, president of the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Me., is here on his way to Mexico. He called to-day upon Captain Sigsbee and later upon General Blanco. Mr. Hyde and Captain Sigs- bee discussed the torpedo-boat destroy- ers now being built at Bath. Consul-General Lee says he under- stands the report of the Spanish divers, soon to be made, will be brief and to the effect that the bolts on the sheeting on the sides of the Maine were sheared in all cases so evenly as to prove con- clusively that the initial explosion must sity to the Captain General is undoubt- | have come from within, | Jackets from his ship to act asa guard | | them hundreds of Panama hats, naval | honored dead, or were quick to follow | tege was followed respectfully and si- | Robertson (colored) of Charleston. HONORED THE UNKNOWN DEAD Naval Representatives at the Funeral of One Vietim. All Due Glory Accorded an Un- identified Seaman From the Lost Maine. People in All Walks of Life at Key ‘West Pay Tribute During the Solemn Ceremony. Copyrighted, 1838, by James Gordon Bennett. KEY WEST, Fla., March 3.—The United States navy this morning hon- ored one of its unknown dead. He lies in an unnamed grave, but Key West flew all her flags at half-mast in his memory, and the chaplain of the flag- ship of the North Atlantic squadron read the impressive words of the ritual that consigned his body to the soil of the country {n whose service he died. When the little coast survey steamer Bache ran her prow into the harbor to-day in the teeth of a tropical squall that made all the Key West windows rattle and her streets run like millraces she brought from the Maine wreck only one body. Who he was will never be known, but he was an American seaman. That was enough. Captain McCalla of the cruiser Marblehead, who had been detailed by the admiral to take charge of the funeral arrange- ments, had disembarked forty blue- of honor. The massive copper casket | in which the body was sealed weighed, together with its contents and pine box inclosing it, nearly a thousand pounds. i No hearse in Key West was large | enough to receive it. So it was plsced{ on an undertaker's wagon and then | the wagon and casket were covered | completely by the beautiful folds of | old Glory. | Above the flag were laid a brlght; mass of simple but beautiful floral em- | blems, wreaths, anchors and crosses. Among the donors of these tributes to the unnamed dead were: The wife of Commander J. K. Wynn, U. 8. N,, re- tired, now resident at Key West; Miss Dolly Watts, also of Key West; Mrs. Helling, Mrs. George H. Curry and Mrs. P. L. Cosgrove, wife of one of the officers of the lighthouse tender Man- grove. From the Government wharf the funeral procession started, headed by Lieutenant Anderson in com- mand of the guard of honor, eight sea- men of which acting as pall-bearers walked on either side of the impro- vised hearse. They marched to the tap of single muffled drums. The color- bearer bore all of the stars and stripes heavily draped at the peak of the staff with black crape. Behind the guard of bluejackets, who numbered forty men, rode in carriages | Mayor Maloney of Key West, represent- ing the civie government, and Captain | McCalla, representing the navy, the lat- ter carefully gloved and with deep bands of crape circling his left arm. Then came a straggling procession, car- | riages and cabs. Perhups the most | touching scene of the whole pathetic ceremony was witnessed just as the| head of the line wheeled into White- | head street. Here the Key West popu- | lace, black and white, native and Cu- | ban, had assembled in thousands. As the flag-draped casket slowly passed | caps and many a piece of less aristo- cratic headgear came off instinctively. Even the negro bootblacks either felt the moving impulse of respect for the the graceful example of others, for I saw not less than a score of coal-black | urchins who with bare feet stood ankle | deep in mud, pluck tattered old hats and caps from crinkled woolly heads and stand solemn visaged in the bright sunlight, which as if a-good omen had followed the morning's storm. It was 10:30 o’clock before the procession start- ed from Whitehead street. It passed to Fleming street, thence to Elizabeth street, and from there to Key West City Cemetery through Windsorlane. Along the entire line of march the little cor- lently by hundreds of Americans, Cu- bans and negroes. On they plodded through streets deep with muddy wa- ter. There was no jostling, no levity and no light talk. It was a spontane- ous tribute of simple-minded people to | the memory of an unknown hero who had died for the flag while cn duty and had gone down with his ship. At the | cemetery all but the funeral party gnd newspaper reporters found further progress barred. The services there were impressive in their simplicity. Lieutenant Anderson lined up his com- mand in double platoon a few paces from the first row of six open graves. The eight sturdy pallbearers, assisted by four of the undertaker's men, lifted their heavy burden and consigned it to its resting place. The guard of honor stood at parade rest while Rev. Alfred Lee Royce, D.D., chaplain of the flag- ship New York, read the regular burial service of the Protestant \Episcopal church, beginning with the solemn words: “I am the resurrection and the life. During the prayer that followed Chaplain Royce prayed that we might still be permitted to enjoy the bless- ings of peace. Then while stalwart negroes began to fill the open grave, a bugler of the Marblehead sounded taps, and the funeral over the un- known dead was done. It was just 11:40. The funeral services and pro- cession had passed within an hour, but the scene was one long to be remem- bered. On all public buildings and many private ones flags flew at half mast, and the Spanish flag over the Spanish consulate was at half mast also, while at many points, as an in- teresting contrast, fluttered the single star and bars of Cuba libre. ‘When the last of the Maine's dead has been recovered, it is expected a more impressive ceremony will be held with large detachments from the army and navy acting as escort, providing, of course, that the army and navy have not found more serfous service elsewhere. Until then the bodies as they arrive on the Bache will be buried with all due honors, as was done this morning, but with only a company de- tailed as escort. Uncle Sam Sounded Brazil. Copyrighted, 159, by James Gordon Bennett. BUENOS AYRES, March 3.—Press comment on the last conference of the American Charge d'Affaires with the Minister of Foreign Affairs says the Unit, States endeavored to know Brazil's attitude in case of a conflict with Spain. LIRSt T, South Carolina Militia Volunteers. COLUMBIA, S. C., March 3.—One thousand milittamen of South Caro- Hna tendered their services to Gover- nor Ellerbee to-day in case of war. The offer was made through Colonel | %e. The enuine has L. B. S00N T0 JOI THE MONITORS Hurried Preparation on the Miantonomah for Sea Service. Will Be Placed on Duty With the Amphitrite, Monadnock and Terror. Among Officers Summoned for Duty Is Captain Reed, Now on the Reserve List. Speclal Dispatch to The Call. PHILADELPHIA, March 3.—Lieu- tenant William A. Gill, U. 8. N, in charge of the hydrographic office in the Bourse the past two years, recelved orders from the Navy Department to. day to report for active duty on the monitor Miantonomah March 10. The Miantonomah is in course of hurried preparation for sea service, and is ex- pected to join the Amphitrite, Monad- nock, Terror and others of her class at that time. Lieutenant Gill was to have reported on the battle-ship Maine before the day of her sailing from Key West to Ha. vana harbor to Blandin, who was the officer of watch on the night of the disaster. Two officers of the big monitor, th chief engineer and his assistant, ar- rived to-day and were formally re- ceived by the commandant. These are Chief Engineer M. W. Parks, who has lately been inspector of the Columbian Iron Works at Baltimore, and Past As- sistant Engineer Matthews, late of the Brooklyn Navy-yard. After submitting their orders to Captain Casey theymade an examination of the Miantonomah. Both were well pleased with her con- dition. Three drafts of seamen were re- ceived at the navy-yard to-day, aggre- gating thirty men. Nine of these came from the Brooklyn Navy-yard andwere assigned to service on the Columbia. Twelve from Boston and nine from Nor- folk were quartered on the Richmond to await service on board the Mianto- nomah. The commanding officers of the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis have not yet been announced, but it is said unofficially at the navy-yard that Captain Bands, formerly of the Co lumbia, will be in command of the Min. neapolis, and Captain J. I. Reed of Mount Holly, N. J., now on the reserve list, will have charge of the Columbia. The announcement from Washington that Captain Mortimer Johnson has been assigned to the Miantonomah as commanding officer was received with much favor on board that vessel. The choice is a popular one among the men who will make up her crew. The work of scraping the cruiser Co. lumbia will be started to-morrow. An examination of her keel was made to- day, and it was found that in some parts where the paint had been rubbed off she was slightly rusted. The two big turrets on the Miantonomah were turned to-day for the first time in a vear and worked satisfactorily. = The deck of the Hatahdim, within the steel casing, is now being caulked. Her ma- chinery is reported to be in first-class condition. INSURGENTS TERY BOLI Challenge the Spanish Soldiers to Leave Forts and Fight. the Cubans Bottling Up Their Foes in the Town of Sagua La Grande. Speclal Dispatch to The Call. NEW YORK, March 3.—A Jackson- ville (Fla.) special to the Herald says: Captain George . W. Hudson of the schooner John 8. Penrose of Philadel- phia, who arrived here to-day from Sagua la Grande, Cuba, says that the insurgents there are veéry active and are really “bottling” up soldiers in the town, as they hardly dare to venture outside the safeguards of their block port. “I did not go. on shore very often,” said the captain, with a significant smile. “I did not fancy it, and did not like their expressions regarding my country. The news of the Maine dis- aster reached us there in port, and while the Spaniards swore it was an accident the Cubans as energetically swore that it was only a Spanish trick. Several street disturbances occurred on shore about this between them, as Cubans were bold enough there to take a stand, knowing that the insurgents were so close. The Spanish soldiers were all right, but their officers are very insulting in their manners, and did not take any pains to show their hatred of ‘Yankees.’ “The insurgents were within three miles of the place often, and seldom did a night or day pass but what we saw smoke from burning cane fields or houses near by, showing their presence. But I noticed that the Spanish troops seldom went out after them. I asked an officer once, and he shrugged his shoulders and said that he liked Spain | better than tramping around cane flelds, where they might shoot him from ambush. Their little blockhouse fotts would stand about ten minutes before one of our ships, and from what 1 saw any of our militia companies could hold their own with the soldiers quartered there. Several times the in- surgents came within _rifle shot and taunted the Spaniards with being afrald to come out and meet them, but the only reply the Spaniards made was to fire at them and keep within their forts.” The captain thinks if war is declared that no American would be safe in Cuba, especially in the small towns, as | in their blind rage and fanaticism the Spanjards would most_ likely kill all with whom they would come in con- tact. The Penrose ran aground in Sagua harbor, and the Biscayne had to go there and tow her to this port. The vessel is damaged some and will go on the ways here for repairs. The cap- tain seemed to think that the insur- gent cause was gaining ground in that section and that the Spanish soldfers were becoming discouraged. —_——— To Cure a Cold In One Day Take Laxative Bromo ine Tablets. @ruggists refund the m,qnqgu'yml.ql' -3 l‘fll to mfil on each tablet. relieve Lieutenant the Spanish | FOREIGNERS WHO PERISHED Governments That May Look After Interests of Subjects. Nothing to Prevent Them in Joining Uncle Sam in De- manding Indemnity. In the Event of Treachery Being Proved Spain May Have Sev- | eral Powers to Deal With. Spectal Dispatch to The Call NEW YORK, March 3.—The Herald's Washington correspondent sends the | following: Other countries besides the | United States may have something to | | say regarding the settiement of the | | Maine affair. When that ship was | blown up in Havana harbor there were | | nineteen young men among those lost | | Wwho were not citizens of the United | | States, and had not declared their in- | | tention to become citizens. There were | | in all 117 men in the crew born outside | of the United States. Of this number | | forty-six were born under the flag of Great Britain, two in France, fourteen n Germany, thirteen in Norway, eight- | een in Sweden, eight in Denmark, seven n Japan, three in Russia, one in Bel- ium, one in Roumania and two in Greece. Final naturalization papers had been taken out by fifty-five of the foreign- | born members of the crew, and forty- | threc others had declared their inten- | tion of becoming naturalized. Of the | nineteen aliens who had not taken any 3 steps whatever to become citizens seven were Japanese. Embassadors and Min- | isters representing the various coun- | | | | tries, natives of wheh were lost on the 11\la1ne, have applied to the State De- | partment for information concerning | them, and have been furnished lists | | of all the naturalized of their respective | countries. It has been suggested that Japan, and probably others of these | countries, might unite with the United States in demanding indemnity from | Spain in the event it could be demon- | strated that the Maine was destroyed | by an explosion from outside the ship. | | Thus far, however, none of them has taken any steps indicating such inten- | | tion. The Japanese Minister and rep- | | resentatives of some .of the other pow- | ers have declared there was no diplo- | | matic significance whatever in their | action, but that their Governments | were prompted in making their in-| quiries simply by the interest which | they felt in their subjects wherever | | they may be and their desire to have | any indemnity that might be collected | | reach the families of the dead men. | Whether they may yet take some a tion will depend on what is done by the United States. The question presented {is rather | novel, but it is held that the Govern- | ment has a right to look after its citi- | zens or subjects even though they may | be in military or naval service of an |alien power, and if they lose their lives through negligence of that power | their Government can claim damages. It is further held that if such aliens | lose their lives through the act or negligence of a third power indemnity can be collected from such power. 1t is already recognized by the au- thorities here that should it become necessary to make a demand for in- | demnity upon Spain the participation of other nations would make it impos- | | sible for that country to resist the pressure that would be brought to | bear upon her. At the same time it is| | will be any | ‘sur-h combination or that any country | | will unite with the United States in | | demanding indemnity should this | country conclude that Spain is in any | way responsible for the destruction of the Maine. It is not believed that the | fact that some of the men for whom | indemnity may be asked are citizens | of foreign Governments will influence | the nations further than to incline | | them to give their moral support to | | the United States in a controversy with Spain if it should ensue. not expected that there MUCH DYNAMITE AND POWDER SHIPPED SOUTH. Various Firms in Florida Acting as Purchasing Agents for the Government. NEW YORK, March 3.—The King Powder Company of Cincinnati is do- ing an immense business as a result | of the threatened war with Spain. The volume of their business has in-| creased wonderfully, and while there| is nothing ®n their books to show | | that the material has been purchased | | by the Government every one knows | that within the last few days the pow- der company has shipped two tons of dynamite to points on the coast of Florida and expects to ship more at | once. In order that no suspicion may | be excited dynamite is ordered through | dealers in the towns in Florida to | Which it is shipped, but it is really for the Government. The dynamite is sent in sticks and could readily be made into shape for dynamite guns, and it is supposed that this is what it | is for. From every dealer along the | Florida coast the King i1owder Com- pany has been recefving orders of late for large amounts of dynamite and ipowder. and there can be no doubt | that they are merely acting as pur- | chasing agents for the Government. s KILLED THE DIVER TO CONCEAL THE CRIME. NEW YORK, March 3.—A dispatch | from Key West says that advices from | Havana to El Yara, one of the most | conservative Cuban papers printed in the United States, are to the effect that responsible Spanish officials employed a diver to blow up the Maine with a magazine, and then took his life to con- ceal the crime, after having paid him $20,000. His widow, the story says, was immediately placed in an insane asy- lum, so that whatever charges or reve- lation she may make would be regard- ed as the ravings of a disorderly mind. ey el Speedy New Torpedo Boats BRISTOL, R. I, March 3.—The two new Government torpedo boats, the Gwynn and the Talbot, just completed by the Herreshoffs, were given their officlal speed trials to-day in Narra- gansett Bay, under favorable condi- tions, and both exceeded their contract speed, the fermer making an average of 20.9 knots per hour, and the latter 2L1. The company figured that as the Gwynn had been in the water about ten days and the Talbot only two, the slight roughness on the former would | come strained. a riot could | every courtesy possible. GREAT HURRY [N THE WORK Rushing Repairs on War Vessels at the Navy Yards. Dispatch Boat Dolphin and Cruisers Chicago and At- lanta Overhauled. As Fast as They Are Ready for Ser- vice the Boats Are Equipped and Manned. Special Dispatch to The Call. NEW YORK, March 3.—Great hurry characterizes work in the mnavy yard of getting the dispatch boat Dol- phin into normal condition. She has been thoroughly overhauled and will be as spick and span as a brand new boat by March 15. One hundred and fifty men are at work on her, and on March 24 Commander Lyons will hoist his flag and the Dolphin will be once more in commission. She has been re- fitted with new engines, boilers, deck and spars. Admiral Bunce said to-day that old guns will be placed in the Dolphin. Sledge-hammer blows deafen the ears of those who stand near the cruiser Chicago, which is being fitted in the navy yard. Her guns and upper deck works have all been removed, a new nickel steel deck built in her two feet below the water line, and she has been fitted with new engines, boilers and machinery. She will have new decks, with an armament of rapid-fire guns, but will not go into commission until August. Similar work is goin on where the cruiser Atlanta is docked. She will have new boilers and engines and be fitted with new decks and rigging, and the resisting power of the turrets will be increased by the addition of new plates. rapid-fire guns in addition to her usual armament when she goes into commission next September. Sail- maker P. F.. Ward, with nine seamen, | left the yard to-day for League Island, \;ihere they wil join the cruiser Colum- a. Orders were received to-day for forty men to report on board the ram Katahdin, which is also at League Island. They will leave in a day or two. When the Government tug Nar- keeta put out from under the nose of the Dolphin to-day she carried a queer-looking cargo of cylinders, | piled like sections of water pipe on her deck, while five great crates were stored amidships. The cylinders were 61-inch powder tanks and in the crates were 13-inch tanks. No information could be chtained about the Narkeeta's cargo, but it is supposed the cylinders were taken to Fort Lafayette, to be charged, and that their ultimate des- tination is Key West BLANCO SAYS AMERICANS ARE SAFE IN HAVANA. Declares There Is Yet Friendship Be- tween the Governments of Spain and America. Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett. HAVANA, March 3.—According to in- structions, I prepared a statement set- ting forth the fact that newspapers in New York are alarming the public by declaring the lives of Americans in Havana are even now in danger, and in case relations between the Spanish Government and the United States be- not be avoided, resulting in great danger to Americans. With this I called at the palace and presented my card to Cap- tain General Blanco, was received most cordially, Dr. Congosto, secretary of the General Government, acting as inter- preter. General Blanco quickly said it was impossibie for him to receive any correspondent, but as an American cit- izen he was glad to see me and offer In answer to a request for a statement concerning the existing condition of affairs here, he said that the American newspapers are anxiwous to plunge the two coun- tries into war. Nevertheless, he could not answer my questions, as they were founded upon newspaper reports offen- sive alike to Spain and to the Captain General. He said that in spite of the press, the governments of the United States and Spain were in full accord, and the friendly relations could not be disturbed. He was happy to observe that the Herald had maintained an attitude of dignity, and not lent itself to sensation- alism. Any American who has lived in Havana any length of time, said Gen- eral Blanco, knows his life here is per- fectly secure. pressure of public affairs, and the in- terview ended. She will carry fourteen 5-inch | General Blanco pleaded | SENOR CONGOSTO [N WAR PAINT Believes Spain and the United States Should Fight Anyway. Nobodyat Havana Doubts That a Torpedo Wrecked the Maine. No Vessel Moored at the Buoy Where She Lay for Three Months Past. Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennet KEY WEST, Fla., March 3.—Privat advices received from Havana 1 | steamer last night say there was pra tically no change in the situation there except it was very noticeable that the accident theory in the Maine disaster was passing away. A prominent Amer- jcan official, whose connections are such that his name cannot be used, but who has been intimately associated with the investigation, is quoted as saying that there was absolutely no doubt the Maine was blown up by a submarine mine, and that the Board of Inquiry hed from the first been in pos- session of positive evidence to this ef- fect. “You cannot make it too emphatic,” he is reported as saying. “My infor- mation is direct and positive. The same official said also the find- ings of the court might be held back, though the report will be made to Washington as soon as the session which is to be resumed in Havana within the next few days is concluded. One witness who ‘was before the board while it was sitting in Havana said: “No vessel for the past three years has been moored at the buoy Where the Maine was blown up. I thought it very strange and commented on the fact when the Maine was placed there by order of the Havana harbor master.” The Spanish Government has a score or more of Pinkerton detectives em- ployed, who are keeping a close watch upon the investigations being made by the United Staces officials in Havane Secret agents of the United States C ernment have made a full investigation of the defenses of Havana, including plans of the fortifications, the number of guns, ete. This report is now on its way to the authorities at Washington. The naval officers at Havana, who, up to a few days ago, held that the blow- ing up of the Maine was due to an ac- cident, have changed their views and now assert the ship was wrecked by an outside explosion. The private letter above referred to concludes by saying: ““Secretary Congosto said to several Americans who went to call on Gen- eral Blanco yesterday morning, ‘Why do you beard the lion in his den? Is the United States Government prepared for war?" : “+Spain is ready at any time. Your country has repeatedly insulted and humiliated mine by interfering with our Cuban policy, and Spain’s patience is almost exhausted. I hope war will come soon. We hate America. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose by war with the United States. and I am a cold-blooded Spaniard should prefer to die in Cuba than elsewhere to save Spanish sover- eignty.’ “Secretary Congosto spoke .with great vehemence. He intimated that Cuba was practically lost to Spain, therefore she had nothing left to fight for but national honor. OLD MONITORS MAY 717 AGAIN BE USED. Many Engines of War That Would Be Useful in Guarding Shoal Water in Channels. WASHINGTON, March 3.—In the course of the inquiry into the naval resources of the United States an or- der has been issued to make a test of the machinery of the monitors at' the League Island Navy Yard. These are single turreted craft that’ arée armed with big smooth-bore guns, but ‘they would be still of service in an- emer- gency. There are eight of these mon- ftors at League Island, and the Gov- ernment owns several others that are now loaned to the naval militia organ- izations of some of the States. "Thase at League Island are the following: Canonicus, Mahopac, Manhattan, . Cat- <kill, Jason, Lehigh, Montauk and Na- hant. They are all between 1800 -.and 2100 tons displacement and draw little water, so that they can take up.ad- vantageous positions on -shoals com- manding channel approaches.. The in- tention is to turn over.the old engines and work the machinery that is made | to turn the turrets; if it can be made to work at all. answers almost every purpose, except account for the difference between-the two boats, and that they are practical- 1y egual 25-27 MA Taste even better than regular Hen's Eggs, says the Farmer and as he sat eating them at the demonstration counter yesterday. seem to know that C. Fred Lamont of St. Louis was. the largest buyer of fresh eggs in the world, which he prepares and puts on the market as “Im- proved Crystallized Egg.” Each large can contains 4% dozen fresh laid egss. CRYSTALLIZED EGG Is a grand thing for miners, prospectors, familles and seagoing vessels. Is cheaper than eggs in the short season, and CASH STORE, The Livestand Liveliest Storein theCity We guarantee all the goods we sell—they are money Back. LIBERALITY our motto. : 2 RKET STREET, S. F. ADVERTISEMENTS. THESE EGGS A Hotel man, He did not campers, hunters, hotels, bakers, for “soft boiled in the shell.” San Francisco Office—18 California Street. Sample any of the following preparations after seeing them cooked in our front window: Scrambled egss, egg custard, omelet, ruffled eggs, cakes, ples and other dishes prepared by this process. Every Alaska Prospector Should Be Provided With This Food. 4 -