The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 6, 1898, Page 1

Call 4 VOLUME LXX SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 1898—THIRTY-TWO PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. EAR THAT SPAIN MAY DECLARE WAR RUSHING WORK ON THE TRAINING-S NO GREAT HURRY WITH ITS WORK AT M ARE ISLAND The Government Wasting Time! Which May Be Bitterly Regretted in the Event of War. + + + i + i VALLEJO, March 5.— Uncle Sam may be preparing for war, but there is no indication of it at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Press dispatches tell of a rush of work at all Eastern yards : of warships being placed in condition for active service with all possible dis- patch ; of increased gangs of workmen being employed, and of vast quantities of stores and munitions of war be- ing hurried to the various naval sta- tions, but at Mare Island all is se- renity. + + K3 + + S + + 4444444444444 A few months ago the greatest activity prevailed at the yard, although only vague and indefinite rumors of impending hostilities were in circulation. Then men were fairly tumbling over each other day and night in response to imperative orders from the de- partment to get the Baltimore in condition to relieve the Philadelphia, which was in urgent need of extensive repairs. The Baltimore was made ready and the Philadeiphia came to Mare Island, and everybody supposed she | would be overhauled as rapidly as possible. She was placed in the drydock, cleaned and painted, dismantled and stripped of her ar- mament to the last gun, and then towed out into the stream, where she now lies as sorry a looking hulk as could be imagined and ap- parently forgotten by the powers at Wash- ington. And yet the Philadelphia is one, of the best armored ships in the navy. No blame can be gttached to Admiral Kirkland, the commandant, and his subordi- dinates for the state of affairs that exists at Mare Island, for work on every vessel is planned at Washington and a certain amount is allowed to be expended each month, and the limit cannot be overstepped without or- ders from the bureau chief. Last November nearly 1200 men were em- | ployed at the yard, and all were worked overtime ; yesterday 974 men were at work on regular time. Cards have been sent out for about fifty men more, however, and Mon- day the force will be increased to 1025. But itis not the number of the men so much as it is the manner in which they are employed that invites criticism of the de- | partment’s management of the Mare Island | yard. Besides the Philadelphia ‘the cruiser | Charleston and the gunboat Yorktown are the | only vessels of the new navy at the yard, | ton, which “has been out of commission ever | since her return from the Asiatic station rnear/y a year ago, is tied up the quay wall a | tangle ~ of beams, | paraphernatia, but will be ready for sea in months. She ought to have been ready for service half a year ago, but for months barely a handful of men were employed on her. Within a few weeks, however, the rigging and other it force has been increased to respectable pro- | portions, and if the department should see | fit to push work as it was on the Baltimore | | the Charleston might be placed in commis- | sion in less time than is now anticipated. |~ But while work is at a complete standstill, or at best is dragged along on the effective fighting ships, a far different scene is pre- | sented in and about the Adams. This little wooden craft, with her obsolete battery of smooth bores, is now in the drydock with a big force of men at work inside and out get- | | ting her in readiness for service as a train- | ing-ship. Probably the department has a | good reason for believing this coast is in | greater need of another training-ship to re- enforce the Mohican, which is already in service, and the Pensacola, which is ready to | go into commission at any time, than it is | of vessels capable of making a stand | against those of a hostile na- tion, but the reason is not apparent to the average landsman. Certainly it is not | to the Call artist and reporter who were in- | terested visitors at the yard to-day. The ;» Adams is being recalked and recop- | pered, a spar deck for the greater con- | venience and comfort of those who are to | go to sea in her and other extensive alter- ations and repairs are being made, all of ,! which require many skilled workmen. Close to the drydock alongside the quay wall is the old iron ship Ranger. She, too, | is receiving a new spar deck and other re- | pairs, but only a few men are at work on | her. She will not be ready for sea for months, and maybe years, and when she is | she will be of little or no real value, unless it be to cruise in peaceful southern seas, a tender for the missionaries or some similar bloodless work. Near the Ranger lies the wooden ship Pensacolu, which is receiving the finishing touches preparatory to going into service as The Yorktown is anchored in the stream in readiness for instant service, but the Charles- a training-ship. ~She has been fitted up HIP ADAMS. l to | seemingly hopeless | is expected she | about two | with every possible convenience for the work | 0000000000 REASON TO EXPECT | MADRID GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE THE MOVE MAINE WRECKED AS THE RESULT OF A CONSPIRACY Startling Story Divers Borne by General Lee’s Investigation. BOSTON, March 5.—The Maine was blown up by a tor- pedo from the Spanish ship Alphonso XIIT. This is the statement of a well-known Boston diver who is now at Havana employed upon the investigation of the wreck of the ' Maine. The 0600000000 startling announcement is | best of grounds for saying that Con- sul General Lee, authorized by the | State Department, has been quietly of One of the Out in Part Call Office, Riggs House, ‘Washington, March 5. The Call correspondent has the conducting an investigation of his own, independently of the Naval Court; that he has employed detec- tives who have obtained fromi Ha- | THE DISMANTLED CRUISER PHILADELPHIA. BTttt Rt -2 WILL NOT SELL TO THE SPANISH | { 1888, by Gordon Bennett. VALPARAISO, March 5.—I am informed by the authori- ties here that the idea of Chile selling the warship 0’Higgins has never been entertained for a moment by the Government. It is believed here that if the Government, in the face of the present international situation, sold even a less important ship than the 0’Higgins revolution would result. she is to be used for, and when she is taken | to San Francisco, where she will be sta- | tioned, she will be the best-appointed train- | ing-ship afloat. In a few days the men em- | ployed on the Pensacola will be available for | other work. Even the historic old frigate Hartford, | which has undoubtedly made her last voyage | and now lies astern the Pensacola a dis- | mantled, unsightly hulk, has a half-dozen | men tinkering about her decks, their work at | best a labor of sentiment and of not the | least practical value at such a time as the present, while swinging at. anchor in the stream the splendid specimen of modern naval architecture, that is capable of coping with almost any ship in the Spanish navy, is without even a watchman. last vestige of her power, even to her fight- ing top, the Philadelphia presents a pitiful spectacle. Her great barbettes, through which her powerful six and eight inch rifles | once protruded menacingly, now resemble Copyright, James 308 108 30 308 08 508 108 X0 308 10K 300 108 06 108 06 308 30800 106 300 306 K 0 L T than anything that can be imagined. Captain Henry Glass, the captain of the yard, who is ‘acting as commandant owing to the indisposition of Admiral Kirkland, said to-day that the Philadelphia, while in urgent need of a general overhauling, could Stripped of the | the eyeless sockets of some monster more based upon the evidences which he has seen with his own eyes, and which he says is corroborated by the fellow- workmen who have gone down with him and viewed the hull of the ill-fated battleship and examined it carefully. «“It is the private opinion of the majority of the divers, in fact, that this was the sole cause of the destruction of the Maine,” says the Boston diver, “but of course they have to keep their opinions to themselves and obey instruc- tions.” 0000000000000 000C0 Friends of the Boston diver who are connected with the company which sent him to Havana have just received from him this startling an- nouncement. The news came in a private letter and its recipient has sufficient confidence in the writer and in the manner in which the state- ments are made to believe that the diver conscientiously believes this to be the true solution of the mystery, and has most excellent and conclu- sive evidence to give him this con- viction. It is, of course, impossible for the most obvious reasons to publish the name of either the diver or the re- cipient of the letter, as the Govern- ment would promptly discipline him severely. In the letter the diver says that he and his fellow-workers have ac- cient evidence to convince them that the explosion which destroyed the | Maine could have been no other than of torpedo. The divers also found unmistakable evidence of the par- | ticular character of the torpedo which | did the work. As a result of this they | are confident that it was a White- head. But the most startling statement of the whole letter Is that which de- | clares that the divers have been able to trace the course of the projectile. The writer asserts that they are quite | sure it was sent from the Alphonso | XIIT. Up tothis time no one has yet Continued on Second Page. Continued on Second Page. 000000002000000000 tually seen with their own eyes suffi- | vana sailors evidence strongly point- ing to a plot to destroy the Maine, and that he filed a report with the State Department expressing the opinion that although the Spanish | Government was not in any way re- sponsible for the Maine’s destruction, it appears the work was done by Spaniards who were sympathizers of the Weyler regime. In this case a de- | mana for indemnity from Spain must follow, and inasmuch as it is almost certain to be resisted by Spain, this Government is making active prepa- ravions for possible trouble. It was reported to-night that at the Cabinet meeting on next Tuesday Secretary Long would take occasion to explain to the President and his fellow Cabinet members why he had published his statement on last Tues- day tending to absolve Spain from responsibility. This is only another false rumor. Secretary Long’s state- | ment was made after consultation | with his fellow Cabinet members. It | can be stated on high authority that :the Administration does not now and has not at any time believed the Maine’s explosion resulted from acci- | dent, but for obvious reasons could not assume any other position, for, as one of the officials said to-night: “If it should appear that it was really an accident, the United States Government will have nothing to ‘take back, whereas, if it develops that the Maine was destroyed by de- sign the Administration will be placed in a much better position to | enforce a demand for indemnity.” KARL DECKER IS THRASHED BY OFFICERS Called One a Cur, Struck Lieutenant Blandin and Then Was Prompt- 1y Knocked Out. KEY WEST, March 5.—Karl Decker of the New York Journal was thrashed PPPVPPPPPPPPPPPPPIPPIIIINVVP009PPPPO®POOPBGH o MCcKINLEY FEARS Spain to declare war. In the part of the American Tess powder. PEPIPPOPPPIRPIPPIVIVIRVIIPIVOCOPOOOPOPIOVPOPOPOPOPPOLEY ish Foreign main at MADRID, March 6.— Senor Gullon, Spanish Min- ister of Foreign Affairs, re- cently intimated to United States Minister Woodford that the Spanish Govern- ment desired the recall from Havana of Consul-General Lee, and that the American warships which have been designated to convey sup- plies to Cuyba for the relief of the sufferers there should be replaced by merchant vessels in crder to deprive the- assistance of the recon- centrados of an official char- acter. Minister Woodford cabled the request to the Washing- ton Government, which re- plied, refusing to recall General Lee in the present circumstance or to counter- mand the orders for the dis- patch of the war vessels, making the representation that the warships are not fighting vessels. PRESIDENT MKINLEY IS_SEEKING SHIPS. He Will Strengthen the Navy at Every Part, and Ask the Consent of Congress Afterward. NEW YORK, March 5.—The Her- | by the officers of the Maine last night | in a hotel at Key West. Decker called | an officer a cur, and struck Lieutenant Blandin. Another officer floored Deck- er with a chair. Assistance from the severely hurt. ald’s Washington correspondent sends the following: President McKinley will formally determine, probably: within the next forty-eight hours, whether to in- outside alone saved Decker from being | crease the navy by the purchase of for- eign built ships or to permit those ir 2900000000600 00600600000000000060686086 0900000000000 0000 0600060000606 060659 WILL OPEN HOSTILITIES WASHINGTON, March 5.—The Call correspond- ent is able to state that the Administration Is very seriously concerned over the outlook and regards war with Spaln as possible, if not probable. 5 The Administration is not only fearful that Con- gress may at any time take action which will pre- cipitate a crisis, but has been advised by Minister Woodford that the present administration of the Spanish Government Is tottering and about to fall, but the sentiment of hostility against the United States Is so bitter the Weyler adherents may force dent and his Cabinet do not fear a declaration on declaration of war from Spain. = This may seem a startling statement to make, but it is a fact that the President and the Adminis- tration expect the declaration of war will come from the other side of the Atlantic. : Therefore the Secretary of the Navy has been authorized by the President to negotiate for the purchase of at least two battleships, $100,000 worth of coal and to contract for a large amount of smoke- 2000500080800 60098869080806396000600600 0000000098009 90PVPVPOPVOCOOOSOPOIOOPIOIOIS THE PRESIDENT HAS REFUSED , TO RECALL LEE Despite the Request of the Span- & @ POPPPPCPD 9000000990900 00000000000000006006® SPAIN other words, the Presi- Congress so much as a PPPP920 9999009009909 9060000000000090000009? Minister the Consul-General Will Re- Havana. LR E R R R R % 1 IRRESPONSIBLE CORRESPONDENTS ORDERED OUT KEY WEST, March 5.—The Olivette brings news that all newspaper correspond- ents exeept two have been compelled to quit Cuba. The two favored by the Spanish Government are the eorre- spondents of the New York . Herald and London Times. RR{IRVEYVIWVRIYQIW&Q the market to go to Spain. The Madrid Government, I understand, is negotia- ting for the same ships which have been offered to the President. Furthermore. I learned to-day that the cruiser Ama- zona and the unarmored cruiser of same type which Spain is reported to have purchased yesterday, had been offered to the United States, but the hesitancy of the President to accept'them without ex- press authority from Congress resulted in their loss to this Government and a valuable gain to the Spanish navy in case of war. Mr. McKinley is still considering the advisability of purchasing two battle- ships, one protected cruiser, one tor- pedo gunboat and four torpedo boat de- stroyers. The Spanish Government is negotiating for these ships, and unless the President should take them for the United States they will undoubtedly be RBUUNUUVBNNNN B RN RN K NV RRBRBRURRVRRRNERRRS -sold to Spain upon the production of the cash. The President and Secretary Long were in earnest consultation this afternoon in regard to the action which should be taken upon the proposition, but so far as could be learned. no decis- ion has been reached up to this time. Before disposing of the matter one way or the other there is reason to believe the President will consult with the leaders in Congress, particularly Speaker Reed and the chairman of the Senate and House Naval Committees. In any event, it is positively known the Pranidant is sarinnslv contemplating the