"M'COOK TRIBUNE.
At. KIMMELL , Publisher.
UcCOOK , NEBRASKA
NEBRASKA NEWS.
E. L. Burrington of Beatrice lost his
barn by fire.
Peter Soli of Scrtbner fell out of 'his
wagon and broke -his leg.
Rev. E. H. Baker of York , a , well
known divine , died last week , age
A new daily paper has been started
nt Plattsmouth by Fellows & Mar
shall.
Verdon will have telephone connec
tion with the rest of the world in a
short time.
Ladias of Auburn have taken pre
liminary steps for the formation of a
Woman's club.
One Cunningham , convicted of bur
glary at Fremont , was sentenced to
two years in the penitentiary.
The little daughter of Hon. S. W.
Christy of Edgar , wliile playing about
a bonfire , was seriously burned.
The citizens of Atkinson contem
plate voting $20,000 as a bonus to the
Nebraska & Northern railroad.
Nebraska towns all along the line
are coming to the rescue of the Cu
bans with provisions and money.
Jacob Dowhover of Ord is under a
hond of $300 to appear in district cpurt
and defend himself against the charge
of stealing wheat.
Seward county is sadly in need of a
court house , and an effort will bt
made to submit the question of voting
honds to the people.
A full quarter section of land near
Kearney will be devoted this year fd
raising celery. This is a third larger
acreage than last year.
Deputy Marshal Ted Ackerman ar
rived in Omaha with Thomas1 Lowell , ,
Arthur Malloy and David Sherman of
Niobrara , charged with selling liquor
to Indians.
The Flato Commission company ,
with a capital stock of $100,000 and
headquarters at South Omaha , filed
articles of incorporation with the sec
retary of state.
W. L. Craxton and wife of Omaha
have begun a suit in the district court
of Lincoln county against Mr. and
Mrs. J. L. Minor of North Platte in
which the plaintiffs seek to recover
$5,000 damages for defamation of
character.
The flywheel on the laundry engine
at the Norfolk asylum cas the belt
off the governor and gathered speed
until it burst. A patient was cut and
hruised by flying fragments am' t * "
damage to the engine and building
was considerable.
A woman named Hugenine , em
ployed as cook at the Ransom boarfl-
ing house at Wymore , was fatally
hurned while starting a fire with ker
osene. Her clothes took fire , and in
her excitement she ran out of the
house and around the house sever1
times screaming in terror. Her clothes
- wereliterally burned off and her flesh
was roasted from head to foot.
Manager Babcock of the Transpor
tation department has written to the
officials of the Union Pacific railway
asking that the old car which served
as a means of conveying the remains
of the martyred president , Abraham
Lincoln , on its last journey from
Washington to Springfield , 111. , b ° e > -
iirrercted from the scrap heap in the
Union Pacific yards and put in condi
tion for exhibition at the Exposition.
Governor HolconVb , tn answer to a
request from a New York paper for
his opinion of the action of the cabi
net in deciding in favor of interven
tion bv the United States in Cuba ,
sent the following : "I heartily in
dorse any action by our government
looking toward intervention in Cu
ban affairs. Believe it to be inc45
hy present conditions on grounds -of
humanity and demanded by our Chris
tian civilization. " <
The Ulysses Disnatch savs : "Miss
Edith Lord's birthday , falls on the
17th of March , when she will be 17
years old ; Miss Jdnnie Lord's birth
day is the 22d of March , when cVie
will be 22 years old. and Harry Lord's
hirthrfnv is the 27th of March , when
he will be 27 years old. In addition to
this it will be seen that there are just
five years and five days between , t p
first two hirt rlnvc ; . anj also between
the second and third. "
The Union Pacific Railway com-
panv , one of the few remainine rail
road rnrnorpfirme pentering at Omaha
that flpf ° rrprf fl-iner stock in t * e
sissirmi xposition. ha < : an
nounce ! a ubsrrintion of $ ? 5 onn
This br the total amount snb-
p railroads up to Si2o.- ,
000. Onulfl has promised a
subscription bv the Missouri PPP' P
"when tbf rods parning w'll war
rant it. " T p r < - * jcs expected to sub
scribe at least $10.000.
If thp pripp of range sheep does no *
fall w'thin the next six weeks. sn ;
a Freniont cltepatch. Dodge county will
not 1 * pwh of n feeding center npvt
winte- Lone before this in previous
years all of the tiilinc : feeders have
"been * * " " * * ° nd bought their bami . hn1
the pripo has been pretty stiff th ? < =
sprinrr for any money to be infl'1 .
If tr p is n drop late in the s" i
Tner * v > - < 1 mw hp some buyiner. but
that .will pp 'tnte shipninsr fro * "
the rar-eps Qrt fnr only one fppder h0 *
'
made n pn 'ace. Cash Reynolds
houeM n 7 000 bunch at a reasonable
jfigurp
.
Dora Kobipson , an inmate of a hn w-
dv TiP'i " in Nebraska City att"mpto
self p' < "pt5"P bv shooting. The ball
enter' " ' tn i ° * f = 5 ° f the breast and
ranged r ov"nrtl. . She will live
M.TT Kipler has filed a suit in the
fTistr'pi r.-'i'rt nf Sf'ipp county against
W. P Hanlov for " 510.000 daniaces ft"
slander. W. P. Hanley is one of tno
leadi' " " r. oroh" * : of Dorchester ,
had M W Ki , - > ier in His employ
clerk " "tn nboiit two weeks ago.
lin cln'n > s to have discovered h"t
Xipler " 'W pwh ° z lne ! : the funds of
-the fl and he discharged hir >
Ivipler claims the charge is false , and
lias
v
THE INQUIRY REPORT
IT IS NOW IN THE PRESIDENT'S
HANDS ; ,
The VolumlnoilH Document Delivered nt
an Kurly Hour Vent entity It ranges
Through the llttndH of Secretary Lonp
Without Opening Two SCHSJOIIB of the
CaMnet Held.
The Kcnort Is Opened.
WASHINGTON , March 26 The
report of the Maine court of iquiry
Is now In the hands of President Mc-
Kinley. The formal transmission of
this momentous document was accom
plished at 9:40 o'clock yesterday. It
was delivered by Lieutenant Com
mander Marix , judge advocate of the
court of inquiry , to Secretary Long ,
and by the latter taken to the White
House and handed to the president.
At 9:35 o'clocic Secretary Long
came from his office and with Mr. Ma
rix proceeded to the White House.
The report was still carried by the
lieutenant commander , while Mr. Long
had in his hand a .ong sheet of
transparent paper such as maps are
made of , wound round a wooden roll
er. The secretary also carried a large
black bag. Mr. Long cordially greeted
the group of newspaper correspond
ents , and then remarked that he had
not opened the report and knew no
more than they did oi its contents.
They then stepped into the navy de
partment brougham and were driven
around to the main entrance of the
White House. It was 9:38 as the sec
retary and Mr. .Marix entered the
White House doors. They did not go-
direct to the president's office , but
passed through the private corri.dor
on the first floor , and thence to the
blue room to wait the president. He
had not been in his office before their
arrival , but at the moment was In the
residence portion of the house. A few
minutes later the secretary and Lieu
tenant Commander Marix joined the
president in his library and the report
of tBe Maine court of inquiry was for
mally delivered to the chief executive.
The arrival of the report hardly cre
ated a ripple of excitement at the
White House , except among the group
of newspaper correspondents gathered
there. Assistant Secretary Day hud
called also at 9 o'clock , but as the
president was at breakfast , he retired , ,
but returned about 10 o'clock. Secretary - I
tary Alger came about half an hour j
later , and was followed by the postmaster - v
master general and Secretary Bliss.
The other members cf the cabinet
did not arrive until about the usual
hour for meeting , 11 o'clock.
Secretary L/ong di'd not return to
the navy department after delivering
the report , but was with the president
continuously up to the assembling of
tfie cabinet. Neither did Commander
Marix return to the navy department
and it was understood that he also
remained with the president and \he j
secretary of the navy , with a view to j
answering any verbal inouiri'as ' which'
might arise duriss the cabinet confer
ence. Secretary" Long nnd Command
er Marix , it was learned , did not ex
change a word concerning the con
tents of the report up to the time they j
met the president. The meeting in '
the secretary's office was purely for '
mal and was devoted exclusively to
the submission by Commander Marix
to Mr. Long of the report and the vol ;
uminous evidence accompanying it.
Without nommentins : on the purposes
of the visit , the secretary invited Com
mander Marix to' wait until he had
gone through the important { Itenat"1'-
es and reports arriving durinsr the
nicrht and early mominc. Some of
these required speedy attertion and
Mr. Lens ; called in his private secre
tary and dictated several letters and
dispatches before turning to the re
port.
Secretary Gage and Attorney Gen
eral Oriels were th last to arrive at '
the White House. They went into the , 1
cabinet room and were ioined at once
bv the president , Secretary Loner and
the other members who had preceded
them. Lieutenant Marix remainder in
the library so as to be nea'r at hand
to make any explanations. Assistant
Secretary Day retired when the ses
sion began.
About 1:15 o'clock the session was
concluded and the members drove
away. Tn answer to inquiries it was
stated that after the report had been
read over in the presence
of all the members cf the cabinet ,
a cerieral discussion follower ! of its .
features. Lieutenant Com-
Marix was railed in and in
answer to emeries explained some mat
ters not fully povered by the report.
Further than this no statement would
be made nr intimation given by any
cabinet officers as to the contents of
{
the renorjt until t was transmitted
t
to oonpress next Monday.
Another session of the cabinet was
the afternoon , assemblying at I
5 o'clock. Jj J
Tlio Indian Bill.
(
WASHINGTON. March 26 Senac
tor Allison , is authority for the state
ment that it may be , ten days before
the conferees on the Indian appropri
ation bill meet to take up that meas
ure. This statement , it is thought , ,
may be anticipating important matters - ,
ters ne t week that would even take '
the priority over appropriation bills
and it is looked upon as significant of
the tenseful situation. Senator Alii- " *
son refused to ascribe any reason for
putting off the consideration of'the In
dian appropriation bill , contenting
himself by saying that other matters
of much more importance were press-
.In for consideration.
Ficrlitincr liob in Coninittn I.
WASHINGTON. March 26. Cap
tain Robley D. Evans , better known
as "Fighting ± 5ob Evans , " reached
here yesterday and was immediately
ordered to take command of the Iowa.
Captain Samson of the Iowa , and
also of the inquiry board , has been
ordered to command the North Atlan
tic fleet , relieving Admiral Sicard , who
is ill. Commodore W. S. Schley m all
probability will be placed in command
of the squadron at Hampton Roads.
China has agreed Jo all the Russian
demands
EXPLOSION EXTERNAL.
V
Such In the Judgment of the Court of
Inquiry.
WASHINGTON , March 26.-The
court of inquiry auuointed to investi
gate the cause of the Maine disaster
has reported that the loss of the bat
tleship was due to an outside explo
sion.
sion.The
The state department , by dire6tion
of the president , has cabled United
States Consul Woddford at Madrid to
notify the Spanish government of this
conclusion.
The president and his cabinet ad
visers held two extended sessions yes
terday , one at 10:30 : a. m. and another
at ,3:30 p. m. , at which the report was
considered in detail.
Members of the cabinet stated after
the meeting that the discusion was of
a grave character and that never since
the wreck of the Maine has the situ
ation seemed so critical.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Span
ish naval commission holds the disas
ter to the Maine to be of internal
origin.
The government of Spain , .it can be
stated positively , is not disposed to
tuMi back the torpedo flotala now pro-
ceJing from the Canaries and would be
disinclined to consider a suggestion
ftvjm this government tending to in-
tefitre with the disposition of its own
naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent
scale are being hurried to completion
by the war and navy depa-ftmnets ,
and the country is practically on a war
tooting.
The foregoing gives the record of
one of the most , eventful days the na
tional capital has seen since the close
of the civil wzr. It was a day of pro
foundly important aciion of the deep
est anxiety , coupled with naval and
military activity , one step following
another in rapid succession.
Representative men of the , adminis
tration , public men in all branches of
official and congressional life , no less
than the public in general , shared in
the tension to which the situation has
been wrought , niere was no effort
among the highest officials , nor in
deed was it possible from what was
clearly apparent in the developments
Tninit"irn * - Qitlinti .
of fTip flov tr >
Viewed in detail , the finding of the
court of inquiry was the most vital
feature. Commander Marix , judge ad
vocate of the court of inquiry , deliv
ered the report to Secretary Long
early this morning , and shortly after
it was carried to the White House and
placed in the hands of the president.
At 10:30 the cabinet assembled , halt
an hour earlier than usual , r.nd began
the consideration of tha momentous
document. .
Even the rigid rules of secra = y which
prevail at cabinet meeting- ; were made
doubly strict in this case , and no in
timation in the results reached by the
court of innuirv rrr o > "tprt to 5pvp < 3t-
when an Associated Press bulletin
gave the information to the country ,
as well as the" eagerly waiting offin-iais
throu2hout Washington.
These results , briefly stated , are that
the loss of the Maine was due to an
explosion from the outnde. the court
being unable to fix the responsibility
for the explosion.
The court does not express the opin
ion a--3 to the character of the explos-
ion , but the testimony goes to show
that it was a powerful submarine mine
the exact character of wliich is not de
termined by the testimony , thoagh the
belief was expressed that it was a
floating submarine mine.
There were two explosions. Tlie
court finds that the first was from the
outside , and that set off the smaller
magazine1 ! .
It was these results , expressed in de
tail , and with < he precision of a court
deeply conscious of its responsibility ,
together with the evidence on which
it was based , that-occupied ths atten
tion of the cabinet throughout its ex
tended sessions of the morning a lift
afternoon. All other and lesser sub
jects gave way to this foremeost ques
tion.
There was no change in the plan o ?
making the report public ami trans
mitting it to congress early next week ,
accompanied by a brief message from
the president.
While interest was thin centered at
the White House , the Navy and War
departments were hurrying forward
their work of preparation.
Xo Debate Jlondnv.
WASHINGTON , March 26. Senator
Davis ] , chairman of the committee on.
foreign relations , had a brief inter
view , with Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
velt , 'but had no information to im
part at its conclusion. Senator Davis
said it was his understanding that the
Maine report would 'be sent to co gress
next Monday , but its transmisiou
might be delayed until Tuesday. As
to the disposition to be made of it by
the senate , he said that in all probab
ility , after the reading of the leter or
message of transmittal. it will be re
ferred to the committee on foreign re
lations , and ordered to be printed.
Any senator , however , might demand
the reading of the report in the san-
ate and if it should prove to be not
too long that course might be pursued
on account of the intense interest in
its contents. He was decidedly of the
opinion that there would be no debate
'
upon it until it'had been considered
by the foreign relations committee.
;
The expression of an opinion as to the
action of either the committee or of *
congress with regard to the report
would be premature at this time , in
Senator Davis' judgment , as only
those who had read the report hsd any
definite idea of the findings of the
court of inquiry , and even they might .
not be prepared to say what course it !
would be most desirable to pursue.
u
Utilizing the Kevcnuc Cutters.
CLEVELAND , 0. , March 26. The
Globe Shipbuilding company has re
ceived an inquiry from navy officials
asking when the two revenue cutters
being built for the government at the
Globe yard would be completed , and
urging as much haste as possible. A
reply was made that the vessels would
be ready for service in four weeks.
The vessels in question are the Al
gonquin and the Onondaga.
Robert Schoef of LaPorte , Ind. , has
been acquitted of the charge of mur
dering James llcClellan.
| BLOWN TIP BY A MINE.
WAS OUTSIDE FORCE THAT DE
STROYED THE MAINE.
k. Fiuniimry of tf ; * Findings of
United .States Board of inquiry The
Second Kiplosioa Was that of Two
-Maciixinei ) , Thus Comple lus the Work
of Destruction.
Summitry of the Koport.
WASHINGTON , March 28. The
Associated Press presents herewith a
complete abstract of the court of in
quiry which investigated the wreck
ing of the battleship Maine. This ab
stract is made from the report itself ,
access to which was obtained despite
official secrecy unparelleled in the
handling of official papers. The report
is made up of eight parts , as follows :
First : The court finds that at the
time of the explosion the battleship
Maine was lying in five and one-half
to six ff > thorns of'water. ,
Second. The discipline aboard the
ship was excellent , everything stow
ed according to orders ammunition ,
guns'stores ' , etc. The temperature of
the magazine at 8 p. m. was normal ,
except in the after ten-inch magazine ,
and that did not explode.
The explosion occurred at 9:40
o'clock on the evening of February 15.
There were two explosions , with a
very short interval between them. The
ship lifted on the first explosion.
Fourth. The court can find no defi
nite opinion of the condition of the
wreck from the divers' evidence.
Fifth. The technical details of
wreckage from nvhich the court ad
duces that a mine was exploded under
the ship on the port side. ,
Sixth. The explosion was due tone
no fault of those on board.
Seventh. Opinion of the court stat
ins that the mine caused the explos
ion of two magazines.
Eighth. The court declares that it
cannot find evidence to fix responsi
bility.
The report is unanimous and is
signed by all members of the court. It
does not refer to the existence or nonexistence -
existence of the mine in the harbor ,
except in the specific finding thnt a
mine was exploded under the ship ,
and the opinion that the explosion of
the two magazines was caused by the
explosion of a mine.
The report as a whole is a formal ,
dispassionate recital of facts.Vnd boavs
the stamp of that strict officialism
which marks naval procedure. It is
brief , not exceeding 1.800 words , , and
among the eieht ; parts , frees to th °
greatest length under the second
heading , which deals with the disci
pline and order of the ship. This the
court specifies with extreme minute
ness , the least detail of the satisfac
tory condition of everything on board
being given.
The normal temperature of the large
forward magazines at 8 o'clock only
an hour and fortv minutes before the
explosion disposes of the ouestion of
accidental combustion within these
magazines. While the court holds that
these magazines did not ejcplode from
internal causes , they nevertheless are
of the oinion that the explosion of a
mine under the port ride of the. ship
caused the explosion of the two maga
zines. This will explain the remarka-
able destruction wrought , the explo
sion thus being shown to have com
bined the force of a mine without and
two magazines within.
The two explosions , which the court
finds to have occurred , with a very
short interval between them , are an
additional detail showing that two
orces operated in causing the destruc
tion.
tion.The
The finding that t e ship lifted ou
the first explosion indicates an extern
al source and one of tremendous pow
er to bo able' to lift a battleship of
thousands of tons.
The character of the wreckage , tech
nically described in the fifth part ,
from which the court adduces that a
mine was exploded under the ship on
the port side , sustains the view taken
by some experts shortly after that the
force of the explosion was exerted
from port to starboard.
Tne feature of the report of deepest
interest to the navy is the complete
exoneration of Catain Sigsbee jaid allen
on board , contained in the second find
ing , setting forth the perfect order an-1
discipline prevailing on the ship , and
more directly stated in the sixth find
ing , which declares the disaster to be
due to no fault of those on board.
The inability of the court to find ev
idence to fix responsibility , as stated
in the eighta pan. , makes the report
so guarded in the expression of blamr
that neither Spain nor the Spanish
are mentioned throughout.
THE WAR MUST END.
Administration Taki-s ji I-'irni Stand In
Kcprarcl tn Condition of Affairs.
*
WASHINGTON , March 28. It can
be stated on positive information that
this frovernment will , if indeed it has *
not already done so , inform Spain
that the conditions now existing in
Cuba -have become intolerable to the
people of this country and taat hos
tilities on the island must clore.
This policy is in direct line with
the views of the president as ex
pressed in his last message to congress
.
gress on ecember G. In that messase
he said :
The instructions given to our new
miiiister to Spain before his depart
ure for his post directed him to impress - |
press upon the covernnient the sin
cere wish of the United States to lend
its aid toward the ending of the war ?
in Cuba by reachins : a peaceful and
lasting result , just and honorable
alike to Spain and the Cubans.
These instructions reeked the char
acter and duration of the conflict , the
widespread losess it entails , the bur
dens and restraints it imposes upon
us , with constant disturbance of na
tional interests and the injury result
ing from an indefinite continuance of
this state of things. No solution was
proposed to which the slightest idea
of humiliation to Spain could attach ,
and indeed , precise proposals were c
withheld to avoid embarrassment to
that Eovernment.
After reading the substance of
Spain's reply received on October 23
last the president savs :
The immediate amelioration of exfi
z conditions under the new ad
ministration of Cuban affairs is pre
dicted.
Since the delivery of this message
evidence has accumulated showing
beyond question that the promises
made in behalf of the new adminis
tration to relieve the conditions in
Cuba have not been fulfilled or ac
complished. On the contrary , the
evidence which nas reached the presi
dent shows conclusively that the sit
uation is daily becoming , more se
rious. In view of these facts this gov
ernment hps decided to toke , if it has
| not already taken , definite action by
I ' Informing Spain that while disavow
ing any interest other than that dic-
- fated by a sense oi honor and justice
to a stricken and starving people , it
must insist that hostilities be brig
to a soeedy termination.
So far as known , no specific date
has been fixed within which'the war
must be terminated , but it is believed
that it is the purpose of the adminis
tration not to permit of any unneces
sary or extended delay. It is known
in high official circles that many of
the people highest in authority in
Spain , including mpmbers of the mfn-
istrv. are extremelv wearv of the
conflict in Cubn and would willingly
accede to any reasonable terma fo-
a settlement of the whole nuestion by
erantine to Cuba Ipiependepm on an
indemnity basis. The opposition to
this plan comes from thp factions op
posed to the prcsent administration ,
who demand extreme measures if ne
cessary to ETRin control of the island.
Tn view of these conditions what will
be the nn = wer to our demand cannot
be foretold.
MINISTRY ALARMED.
Significant Statement of One of tlio Or-
trans of the Prc'inior.
MADRID , March 28. El Liberal ,
the organ of Premier Senor Sarrasta ,
has published a paragraph which is
attracting much attention. It says :
"The alarmist impressions continued
late yesterday evening , affecting even
official centers. Ta ministers saw
nothing to relieve the situation of
things. Thus , at 11 p. m. . when a
person in the confidence of the nueen
regent visited Senor Sagasta and had
a long interview with him , sreat im
portance was attached thereto. "
Senor Dupuy de Lome , ex-Spanish
minister to the United States , has ar
rived at Valencia. He refuses to be
interviewed.
Death of a Congressman.
WASHINGTON , March 28. Repre
sentative John Simpkins of the Thir
teenth district of Massachusetts died
last night at his residence in this city ,
1717 K street , of heart failure , induced
by gastric complications. On last
Tuesday he complained of havirg
caught cold , and later of stomach trou
ble. He was quite ill for a time but
yesterday morning was much bettex.
Later in the day he grew Weaker , and
at 9:55 died from heart failure.
No arrangements as to the funeral
can be made until the arrival of the
members of his family , who have been
notified of his death. Mrs. Bacon is
in New York , Mrs. Thayer in Boston ,
Miss Mabel Simpkins in Florida , anc
his brother Nathaniel at Aiken , S. C.
They all expected to be in the city by
Tuesday morning.
Representative Simpkins was a man
of independent fortune. He was born
in New Bedford , Mass. , June 27 , 1867.
attended the public schools of Yar
mouth , and after preparing for college
at St. Mark's school , Southboro , grad
uated at Harvard university in 1885.
He served in the Massachusetts leg
islature in 1890 and 1891 , was a presi
dential elector for Harrison and Reid
in 1892 , president of the republican
club of Massachusetts in 1S92 and 1893 ,
and a member of the Massachusetts
republican state committes in 1892 ,
1893 and 1894.
He served in the Fifty-fourth and
Fifty-fifth congresses , where he was
tnown to his colleagues as a man
faithful to the interests of his con
stituents , although rarely taking part
in debate.
Mr. Simpkins had recently bean
made a member of the congressional
committee.
Bis : Guns Krady.
NEW YORK. March 28. Work on
* he thr ° e t'vnf mite guns at Fort Han
cock , Sandy Hook , is being rushed.
oi , ( ] ] chief of
the engineers' corps , who is in charge
if the work of fortifving the lower
iny and the Hook , expects to have
the guns ready for service in a week.
r - > Of p ov > ,
enpy t e guns could
je put in shape for use in twenty-
four hours. The guns are of different
sizes and carry shells of from eight
to fifteen inches. From sixty to 500
ncurds of dynamite can be carried
n the shot , according to the size. The
shells are pro looted by air and have
in effective ransre of two miles. Tbe
dynamite in even the small shot is
wffieipnt to blow UP the most power-
u ! battleships. The guns are on sta-
nrpprnapes and are each man
ned by three men.
"K < i 1iiiiT Work at Mr
VALLEJO. Cal. . March 2S. Great
m.ivity prevails at the. Mare island "
avy > aid. The cruiser Philadelphia
has been hauled from the stream and
.ies alongside the quay wall , near the r
Charleston. The gunboat Yorktown
las also been towed to the wall and '
all three ships fiirly swarm with-men :
at all hours. The Charleston is rap
idly ( nearing completion and will be
ready to go iato commission in a com
paratively short time. The Yorktown.
too , is nearly ready for sea.
.
Cleveland Kmlor-r * the Proficient.
PRINCETON , N. J. , March 22.
After the Yale-Princeton debate ex-
President Cleveland was asked his
cpinion of the present Cuban situa
tion. In reply he said : "I think the
government at Washincrton is pursu
ing exactly the right course. It could
do nothinr else and maintain the na
tional honor. "
Further * han this he would not to
commit himself.
The Spanish torpedo boat destroyer
Audaz arrived at Waterford with her
bows stove in and stem twisted com
pletely around from about ten feet
from the stern.
WORKING FOE PEACE
STILL HOPE THAT WAR MAY BE
AVERTED.
.11 Onlct hi Washington on Sunduy Tin *
Cabinet Holds 11 Short and Informal
SeHsIon It Is Helievcd that Spi In I *
Ready to "Make Concessions The War.
in Cuba "Must Stop.
A More Peaceful Look.
WASHINGTON , March 28. The >
president saw a number of the mem
bers of the cabinet at the White House *
yesterday. They dropped in one by-
one until those present included Sec
retaries Bliss , Alger , Gage and At
torney General Griggs. With them ,
also was Assistant Secretary Day ot
the State department , who presumably-
had some dispatches to show the pres
ident.
The gathering was not a special cab
inet meeting in the sense in which ,
that term is generally used , but was.
simply a talk between the presidniL
and his advisers , such as occurred ,
last Sunday , concerning matters on
which he desired to consult them.
The Cuban question and the report of"
the Maine court of inquiry were th i =
topics discussed , but so far as couhL
be ascertained nothing conclusive waj.
determined , one of the members of the :
cabinet saying subsequently that there
was nothing new or startling in the *
situation. The presence of Judge Day
would infer that there were advices-
from Minister Woodford , but further-
that an acknowledgment Unit com
munication is in progress between ,
the state department and tiie minister
nothing could be ascertained.
At the State , War and Navy depart
ments there was during the earlier-
portions of the day little semb ancc-
of the Sabbath. Chiefs of bureaus ,
clerks , messengers and telegraph oper
ators were at work. Probably never
Since the dav < s of the late war have
so many officials gathered at the war-
and navy departments on a Sunday-
Dispatches that came over night re
garding the movements of ships and
other matters were received , and-.as-
many of them required prompt an
swers in the present emergency replies ,
were forwarded.
Secretary Long , however , did not
appear at the navy department during-
the day , as most of 'the ' matters re
quiring attention were those that ,
could as well be attended to by bureau ,
officers end their assistants. Mrs.
Long has been m for some time and.
the secretary in part shook off official ,
cares and spent the major portion off
the day with her.
In the , afternoon , in company witlu
Miss Long , the secretary drove to the '
Washington navy yard and inspected *
the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius , which
is having its guns adjusted and re
paired. The vessel IILS been at the-
yard about a week , and great crowds-
have been there to see it.
Assistant Secretary Day spent a portion
tion of the oabbath at the state de
partment , and there received a call
from the Spanish minister , a rather
unusual thing , indicating important :
things for consideration. Its nature-
could not be learned.
Tonight Commodore Winfield S.
Schley , just appointed the commander
of ihe "Flying Squadron. " left here for
ivorfolk. It is expected that tomorrov/-
he will hoist his flag on the Brooklyn. ,
which is to be the flagship of the flppt.
The only other vessel of the squaifron
now at Hampton Roads is the Massa
chusetts. Of the remaining three. tl" >
Texas is in New York receiving its.
ammunition hoists , and the Columbia ,
and Minneapolis are at League Island , ,
wnere the final work preparatory to *
their sea service is being hurriedly-
done. The two latter will be at Nor
folk about the miu.ae of the week.
The developments of the day in tne-
Cuban situation indicate steady pro
gress in the negotiations between the *
zovernment of this country and that.
of Spain looking to ths mainten
ance of peace , for the present at least. I !
There is good authority for saying-
that Spain's present wish is to secure-
a cessation of hostilities in Cuba rath
er than to engage in a war with the-
United States , and that it is more than
probable that the negotiations be
tween the government of the United
States and the Sagasta ministry wiir
take that turn in the immediate fu
ture.
ture.The
The present Spanish ministry has-
proposed a peaceful disposition from
the beginning , and the indications are-
strorz that it will avail itself of the-
r-od offices of the United States to
the fullest extent that public opinion
in Spain will allow in bringing to an-
Qntl tlio hostilities in Cub' ' .
To what extent the United States ;
may fro in assisting Son in in its ores-
is not yet determined , but the conservative
vative element in the administration
ronsiders the manifestation of this-
desire on the part of Siiain. for even
a temporary peace , a divert result of
President McKinlev's diplomacy , and"
niv naturally di = pnp i to contend"
t 'bo president slionH be loft free. ,
the p-esent at least , to pursue a ;
u-iv of preventir-rr wnr between this :
"cjuntr ; ' and Spain , and al < o of brinft-
"v to n close the horilifi ° = in Cuba.
Hence th ° re will be an * ffnrt on thp
i-t of peace , fully inHinint ; to hold"
1,0 Fon"rrt ip check ami preventing ip- ,
'inmnntory utterances theVe for the-
> -pseiit.
ti' nili T > rnr l "tTH : f > fr.
WASHINGTON , March IS. News :
ea hed ilie navy department yester
day that the Spanish torpedo boat flo-
.ilia has left the Canary islands for
Porto Riro. This fact has been com
municated to the presdent. No ques
tion has been asked of Spain as yet
concerning this movement , nor has
it been decided what action the navy
ir state departments will take , if anyr.
under the circumstanc-ps.
The largest order ever placed oy
he government for cables -was given.
a New York company for submar
ine and underground cables connect-
ng all the forts on the islands in the
New York harbor.
The total fund received in the state-
department to date inespouse to the-
president's appeal for aid for the ?
starving Cubans amounts to $30,048.