President M'kinley Pleased

Washington, March 1. - President McKinley greeted his cabinet ministers at the regular meeting with congratulations on the era of quiet whteh seems to have set in during the last twentyfour hours. The president believes the public feeling over the Maine afïair has been greatly rnoderated in the last two days and that gradually his course over the Maine disaster is being sustained by public opinión. At the state and navy departments no information was given out, except that which tended to refute a erop oí "scare heads" that sprung up during the night. One was the story sent from Key West that Admiral Sicard had been instructed to have his fleet ready to sail for Havana. The secretary said no such order had been issued. On this point there is some surprise and conjecture, because the Montgcmery, which was ordered to be ready to replace the Maine, has not been sent. She is still in the neighborhood of Key West. The records at the state department show that the Spanish authorities at Havana officially informed this government almost a year ago that they were experimenting with explosives in the harbor. No particular attention was paid to the information at the time. Shortly after Captain General Blanco assumed command at Havana a press dispatch from that city stated that a loud explosión had occurred in the city, causing great excitement and apprehension until the discovery was that it was merely the accidental discharge of a torpedo in the harbor, which officials were experimenting with from the shore. The letter at the state department and the news dispatch from Havana effectually disprove the claim now made that there never were any torpedoes or mines in the harbor.