Big Money From Spain

Washington, Feb. 22.- The Chicago ournal's correspondent telegraphs his aper as follows: "Should it be proved hat the Alaine was destroyed by an utside explosión with the knowledge f Spanish officials, President McKinley vill demand an indemnity of from $13,00,000 to $15000,000." This statement was made by an offier of the navy department, who ia horoughly conversant with the present Spanish situation. "It was decided at a conference of the president and several cabinet officers oday,' he continued, "that the Spansh government was bound to protect he vessels of a friendly nation in one of its harbors, and that if the Maine was destroyed by a submarine mine or orpedo, whether with the knowledge of officials or not, that government must be responsible. The value of the essel is estimated at $5,000,000. The rest is to be paid the relatives of officers and men who lost their lives by the desiructicn of the vessel." Have We a Naval Tritor? The same correspondent says: "There s a ery unpleasant ston' afloat, which )y its very nature, can not be ated. It is to the effect that there is an American Dreyfus connected with the war department. who has sold to the Spanish authorities secret information concerning the fortifications of New York harbor, which were supposed to be known only to the chief of engineers and a few of his most trusted associates. For some time past Lieutenant Sobral has been acting the part of a spy for the Spanish authorities while ostensibly the naval attaché of the Spanish legation. Sobral is known to lave acquired a great deal of information which it was quite legitímate for him to gather, although the means he took to secure it were at least questionable, but it was believed by the w-ar depavtment that the plans of the submarine defenses of the harbor were absolutely secret. It is reported, however, upon rtliable authority, that Sobral has obtained these plans by c-orrupting some employé of the engineer's office, and that they are at present at Madrid." Telegram from Captain Sigsbee. The following telegram was received by the.navy dcpartment from Captain Sigsbee: "Send to Forsythe ior Sigsbee transverse sectional drawing of Maine through forward ten-inch magazine and shell room, showing pocket coal bunkers." This request was immediately complied with. It is supposed that Captain Sigsbee wants these drawings to assist in the wnrk of wrecking the ship, as they would be of great aid to the divers. They wlll be useful also as the basis for the testimony now oeinj, taken by the court of inquiry af Havana. The fact that it is deen-.ed essential that the drawings shall show the pocket coal bunkers which abut on the magazine, is evidence that Captain Sigsbee has in mind the spontaneous combustión theory. Ihough it does not follow by any means that he is committed to it.