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VOL. XXXI. NO. 8.
UNITED STATES BATTLESHIP MME BLOW IIP
IR HfIVAHA HARBOH, IK SIGHT OF JWORRO CASTLE
Bore Than Toto Jfandred Brave Sailors Hurled Into Eternity hy the Force of
the Explosion as They Slept-Toto Officers Knomn To Be Killed.
Great Excitement in Havana.
GMSE OF THE CATASTROPHE A PROFOUND MYSTERY. [
WAS IT THE DEED OF SOME TREACHEROUS SPARIARD?
_ i
Navy Department Will Make a Full Investigation and If It Proves to Have Been the Work of Some,
Spanish Miscreant, Then War With Spain Is Inevitable—Full Details of the Unprece
dented Disaster—The Best Expert Opinion Tends to Sustain the
Belief That Spanish Torpedo Did the Work.
Havana. Pebruary 15.—At a quarter '
to IO o’clock this evening a terrible j
explosion took place on board the
United Stetes battleship Maine in .
Eavu a iia-t box.
Many are killed or wounded.
All the boats of the Spanish cruiser ;
Alfonso XIII are assisting.
As yet the cause of the explosion
is not apparent.
The ■wounded sailors of the Maine
are unable to explain it. It is be
lieved the cruiser is totally destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city.
The windows were broken in all the
houses.
The correspondent ot the Associated
Press says he has conversed with sev
eral of the wounded sailors and under
stands from them that the explosion
took place while they were asleep so
thns they can give no particulars as
to the cause.
Excitement Is Intense.
The wildest consternation prevails tn
Havana. The wharves are crowded with
thousands of peopl. . I. !•' b-lle.vvd the
explosion occurred in a email powder xnaffa
z me.
At a quarter ot 11 o’clock what remains
o f the M tine is stil! burnin.<.
. -..mm Sv.-tn. and vh<r ofH.'.rs hive
h.., 11 i 1' is J that over ICO
~f the er<>« were killed, but u is impos
sible as yet to give exact details.
A , . , t • <rd i 1 thai boat
of ail kinds sliouid go to the in-m.--iam of
t'e Maine jud U"C wounded. The Havana
liremer: are gi’>.co, tending carefully to
<’■<•ner.il Solano and the other generals
have been ordered by Captain <l, neral
Blanco to t.-k- steps to h ip the Maine's
. ctew in every way po' c :b.<‘.
The correspondent <■. the Associated
Pria-s 1:. - b ' 11 near the Matne In one <>!'
the boats of the erul ■ r ?■'. horn.o NTH and
>< en others of the v otm-md. who corr<<b
orat<' the tb.ose first Inter-
viewed, that tore wer ( > already asleep
when rhe explosion o. eurred.
At 11:.'IO the Maine continues burning.
a preliminary explosion in the Santa IJ.tr-
I ;i ra trneg.iz.ii > with powder or dynamite
beho.v the water.
Admiral MaiibToJa believes that the first
explosion was of a grenade shell that was
hurled over the m.v.v \rnrd.
♦
C.APT. SIGSBEE SENDS A REPOKT.
Nevv Department Hears from Com
mander, Who Asks for Help.
Washington. February 15.—The secretary
of the navy r< ■•< iv--<l 'he following tele
gram from Captain .Sigsbte:
•'Maine blown up in .Havana harbor
nt y;4O o’clock and destroyed. Many
wounded and doubtless more killed
end drowned. Wounded and others
on board Spanish man-of-war and
Ward line steamer. Send lighthouse
tenders from Key West for crew and
few pieces of equipment still above
water. hlo one had other clothes than
those upon. him.
“Public opinion should be suspended
till further report. All officers be
lieved to be saved. Jenkins and Mer
ritt not yet accounted for. Many
Spanish officers, including representa
tives of General Blanco, now with inc
end express sympathy. SIGSBEE.
The ofib- rs referee i to in the above dis
patch arc: Eicutenant Fri< nd AV. .lenkiui
Rn d \ t mt Engineer 1 >arwin I? Mei
Tlie s<-eretary of tlie navy received an
other dispatch from Key W est at the sumo
f time v. "ill the above, but its contents were I
I not made public-.
i Th.- orders for the llghtliouse tenders |
I were at once sent to Key West in plain I
, language, tlius avoiding tlio delay tb it j
i would have arisen from the use of ci- ;
THE OFFICERS OF THE MAINE. ;
Battleship of the Second Class Re- I
I garde 1 as One of Best in Navy. .
; Washington, February 15. The M line is |
I a battleship of the .e< <md class and is re- :
| garded as one of the best ships in the ’
She was built at tiie Brooklyn navy yard I
and i -31 s feet long. . 7 !'<■< t l»m>.< I. 31Ji mean ’
draught and 6,<>82 tons <iisplae< tnent.
She carri'-s tour lemeh mid six 6-lnch
bree, )i loading guns in h<-r main battery ;
an-1 ■v< n G-pounder and eight ]-pound< r j
rapid tire guns and. four gatlings in her
seneonuary battery and four Whitehead I
torpedoes.
Tie- oflie, rs of the Maine, besides Com- ;
wander Sigsbee, a .r< :
Kieutenant Commander Richard Wain-|
v rigtit.
luten.-mtIuten.-mt George i ' Holman.
.1 <h ut<-ti.inl John Hood.
iJ'Utenant <'ml W. l.'ngen.
T.ieutenmit Junior Grade Blow, John T. |
' Blondin. ITh nd V-' Jenkins.
[ Naval Cad-ts Jonas H Holden. Watt T.
i Cluveiins, Amon Bronson, David I I
I Boyd. Jr.
j Sut'g, al I.nclon G. Hensbcrger
( I’aymaster Ch.-tries W J .it th-tieid.
i Chiet Engineer Charles I’. Howell.
{ Passed Assistant Engineer Frederick c j
j .Bowers.
Assn-t inf Engine.- rs John It. Morris- and
ri.irwln ii. Merritt.
Naval Cadets (--ngineer division) I’ope I
■ Washington. Arthur Crenshaw
| > 'li.ip!': in J,.tin I'. Clildivick.
I I-'ii.-i 1/ utenaht Marlr,, . Albertus W ’
| Catlin.
Ihiatswafn Francis E T.nrkln
l Carpenter George Helms.
...
I SEC. LONG RECEIVES THE NEWS. ’
. Navy Department Declines To Discuss j
the Catastrophe.
j W ashington. I .ary 15. S< cr< ' ary
i Tamp rreelv«'l Captain Sigslxte’s dispatch
I but a few minilt -s before ttic A.elat’d
’ Press dispatches from Havana w-:.- hand-
lie neotved th’- news with npj arent <■ 'lm, j
' nnd his first act was to i-otnaly witli Cio- ■
. 'al l Sigi-bee's t • qu< st th:i' asst: ta: . o b”
.■■nt from Key West. He immediately
j v/ired Captain Forsythe, at Key West, to
< in •! with tlix.i nav :1 ■ cnd< r I’ern to ti.i-
■ vati t harbor.
; Secretary Dong then r<nf for Captain
! Dickens, and the two discussed Captain
' Sigs),, , A b'. f t’ I -strain.
No other naval officers were present an-1
‘ besides the set retarj' and Captain Dickens,
“ __ - |
THE UNITED STATES CRUISER MAINE.
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I the naval colony hero Is Ignorant of this !
1 disaster, the greatest which his befalb-n
; tli<' American navy • In-o the disaster at
■ Apia im.ny years ago.
j i..;t’-r the secrobtry eent another tele-
I gram to Key West, directing that the ten
; u r Ab .'.grove also lu: s nt to Havana.
WAS THE DEED OF A DASTARD. |
IS TLE TREND OF THOUGHT AT |
WASHINGTON.
I
Accident Was Impossible, and the Ex- ,
plosion Was Bom of Hatred.
Sailors Talk.
I
By Jos: Ohl.
j Waslitngt,’.'.. February 10.--(Special.)—It 1
I means a lien.y Indemnity' or war with :
: Spain, for there r.eems now no good rea.-on j
I to doubt that t io terrible tragedy that has I
! ’■.■ ' ;. gloom over the nation w;is caused
bi Spanish treachery. Despite the strong '
. contrary impression, the opinion tliut the ;
: Maine wu.-- u ■ ■ led by a Spanish torpedo, ;
at first advanced with reluctatiee, has
I grown until it has become a conviction, i
\ Th’’ best thought in the navy department ,
j now indorses this liiea. and the construe- ;
‘ tion wti Mi experts in these affairs put :
I upon c.iptain Slg.-eee’s ca.blegran.l seems
i to bear It out fully.
j All of the Ollielal utterances have been ’
to tie- contrary. Tonight it is given out in j
:i sc ,:i-ollii-. i> wi. nut tim pri s’dent be-
i ll’-V’ S to” v. i',‘- l, due to m-cldent, and :
al! , lot g th< ofTii ills of the navy d< ■
i p.-irinient lias I’c.’ii kept busy trying to ■
i nut up a pimp .i’le story on that line. At j
j ir.st the pubic wm in Hued to take that :
1 view of it. lint since these first stat<- :
I ru’-nts th':e him be n others, Hom the i
rni-i) wlie. •• view; me valued most at the i
navy dep-i.-tment. which h.'ive thrown a '
different light on the situation; and in :
eoiiseqiie’ice of the belief that some Spun- I
im-d 1 ■ n-.monsiblo for the most terrible ;
dlsa ter that has ever overtaken this navy, •
or any other in time of peace, the feeling ;
here is running high.
Nobody believes that the act was ;
committed by authority of the Spanish i
government. But almost everybody j
tenigbt believes that the Maine was :
sent to the bottom by some Spaniard
in consequence of the bitter anti- ■
American policy in Madrid and Ha- I
vana and that it was some man or men ■
ATLANTA, GA., MONDAY, FEBKLAKY 21, 1898.
who had means of securing the deadly
weapons which sra made for harbor
defense.
during i
th<- morning as t ■ t! </■- anner of the "»c- ,
vi’lent” that had i;.-:ow.-ned to the battle- i
ip. Some of tbfiso v ere pl ut dble, mid I
tire still adhered to by the e whose every '
breath Is for p> .ice .it kny cost. But under j
the analysis of such men as Chief Navy '
I Constructor Illchborn and other men high
i in knowledge of the affairs of our navy,
' these explanations vanish Into thin air. It
■ Is tiie opinion of Commodore Hlcliljorn that
i tlw '‘aicitlent" that sent the Maine to the
1 bottom was l torpedo, ami that the investi
gati -a of the divers when tlwy get to work
will demonstrate t< -> id< a. to bo the correct
Today I had a long talk with this man, .
I who is regarded one if tile briinii st men I
I of <.»>•» navy. He went over the plans of ■
; Hie .Maine uno demons: rat' d that it in ini- I
possible for an accident of the kind claimed i
i to have occulted. He showed the iinpossl- I
I bil.ty of tlio magazim- having been <x- ■
plod’.’l i.-y the < xpio. i.m of a donkey engine
: which ran the dymamo, as General Bianco
i se<ms to think, for the very good r< .uson
i tli.it. aeeording to the plan of the ship no
donkey engine was employed to run the
-. dynamo.
Torpedo Did the Work.
As to tile theory of spontaneous com
, budtion. Commodore Hi. iborn takes no
; stock in that. He says the character of
; tho powder ami otie-r ammunition and the
precautions taken to protect them .di com- i
bine to render such an occurrence out of ;
- the question. AU h«s has said for the. pui>- i
. i:<- is that he feels convinced the divers i
will lind that, the Indentations will turn in- ;
of ’ -ew.-, as that would nn-mi ttiat a '
torpedo had dune the work.
<mt if deference ;o the opinion which
- Secir'.ary l.oug expressed for publication,
most o: the vtli. -.als of the <i<-p.:rtments
have hut it incumbent upon them to give
out nothing that did not s<<-ni to bear cut
I tin-ui-.-i leu; tlieory. Hut tonight the secre- '
. Cary Is quut' -1 as having expressed to a ’
close friend his opinion that, a torpedo <l.d
| tlie work and the other ortb ials arg talking :
I more freely.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt is
' one of those who has all along ad- ;
j hered to the idea that there was no ■
spontaneous combustion about it, but
: that a Spanish torpedo did the dam
age.
I His theory, and that of most of the ofil-
I cers of the navy stationed here, 1s that
i either a submarine mine was fired from
j shore by means of c !e' irl -al apparatus or
• that torpedoes were floated down on the
| siiip with the tide. They include the latter
i Idea because the former plan could hardly i
| be worked without tho connivance of the
. authorities. They consider it. likely that a
I pair <>•' the deadly missiles tied together by
a string or light rope were sot afloat a
point some distance from the ship and
allowed to float down upon her. When one
of them struck It exploded and the concus
sion In turn exploded the ammunition in
the forward magazine. This would account
for the two explosions spoken ot In the
elide reports and it Is the only plausible
explanation that is given of them.
Great Excitement in Washington.
The white house and the navy department
have been the centers of Interest today.
Not in years has Washington known such
I exeitement. Tlio conditions at the capttoi
were those of a great crisis. There was no
war talk in the discussion in either house,
but there was talk of nothing else save
the disaster among the members. Every
body seemed deeply impr<-ssed with the
gravity e ’’ the situation. Those seaaiors
and represent a tives who talked for publica
tion were most of them tracking In the
stops of tlio ofllcinls at the other < nd of the
city avenue; hut It was noticeable that the
men who knew most about sliii»s —such
men us Senator Perkins and Congr< ssman
HUborn -wire outspoken in their opinion
that it could not have been an accid. nt.
Th., room of tie' hou.-e cornmitt’e on
i naval iiffairs was a ct-nte.- of interest al!
I the afternoon. Tile committee was in ses
sion ostensibly for the appropriation bill,
i but In reality discussing the Maine Incident
I in all its details. All the members of th.i
committee had spent the morning at . the
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I r ' 81 **>'**_..
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I i
A Bird's Eye View of Havana and Its I'ortilications---The Star Shows the Location
of the “Maine” al the Time of the Explosion.
mvy department and they were kept bu y |
ansvv’-ring questions ami replying to the :
myriad of tel< grams that pour<’<i in on I
them.
'l'onight Congressman Tate, who D e i
member of tint <ummitt'-e. told me '.lint |
while l.is colleagues are very guard’ll in i
their expression:-' to outsidr it Was ;>r.i<‘- |
tleally th” unanlnimis opinion of the com- i
mitti'o tb.it tin re v> is no .-K-eldet hut that. '
the dtsasti-r »••-• tirnu as Con-modm'” Heli- ■
i l
born d’.s< rit?.‘il - to m- .
The magnitude of the <ll. aster appalls]
ev<’ryii”t v'. ’l’l’.. money Jost to the gov - j
i ernni 'nt with the Incr<-ase in Hie pens on i
: rolls that is < ' ala to follow rims up Into I
the tens of million: ; but that loss is lost I
l sight, of in tin- t< r’ ll’le lo.ss of life. Involved. ’
j And while the sorrow over this loss is
great. It. is in reality ove’shailoW’d by the ;
j thought, of reveng-.- that is in every heart
the conviction t! at. if Spain ri-snonsiblo I
i for this disaster sh<- shall pay for it in
j blmvl. (
Nothing can be known definitely about (
’ the <..tf • <>'’ fii accident until an rximi- :
1 nation of the wri-i Rage Is mmle by Ih div- :
i <rs. and it is just possible that nothing will |
: ev’-r be know,’. If th -r.- ar.- ”Vi<len'-< sos a I
■ ' -. wfl -
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s iiimult y. Li ’ i
i forthcom! on< el 1
I The feeling hire i. ; strong that e 'en
: shoal-’, tl ■re bn no '■ i << f theWot' l ll! 1 of
i the torpedoes on the hull ot the ship, we
should insist upon th- full'-.-t . xplanation
from Spain -- ■ - ,- of the navy have
gone it.to < very <>th-r harbor in th.’ world
mid without aecld’.-nt: it is l< Ct. for Spain
to funii: 1> in s-'iny way t.'i means 17|r tin
most d< pltimble disaster of its ki.Ji vw
have ever ’ xperlenccd, and it comet, at a
time and limit t- ’ iK-ittli ■!.iti’’’-« wtlici must.
wa.tr;.nt the . 'roti,-rest suspicions, ,n
I no dif'i't proof can be furnished, t Si-.aii
i i.sli pilot, an official of the Spank h g”v
--| ernnient. placed the ship in imv jiosltion
i la th” hurl.er. If it is true, as rnems to be
] admit t -'l, that there are torpedo, s In the
i harbor, that la- t alone is •Hough to place
' the Spanish gov. rnment under the bun of
■ d'-”!’-.'t suspicion.
Nothing can be done until the in- j
vestigations are completed—that is,
nothing but get ready for the worst,
but unless the culpability of the Span
iards is completely disproved by that
examination no power on earth, in the
white house or outside of it, can pre
vent congress from taking decisive
action.
WAS THE RESULT OF TREACHERY
, -
' That Is the Opinion of Commodore I
Montgomery, of Confederate Navy. 1
<’ ii< ,vn. I-’.-binary F. I’-unnmd'--■ J i
M<m:g< :n< ry. om--- of the 1 n!’,'l Stat. 1 '
na.v>. i. < ommamling of.!.'er of the ■ o- ]
f,-d<-r;:t” th -t during ti.-o • :vil w r ai l th” ,
man who raised tin: fray-itt afterwards tl: - ;
! ram Merrimac, was .my empliati’ today .
’ in declaring the sinking of tlm battleship ,
Maine In Havana harl • r i-w of]
j tneaebery and an act without parallel In :
I tho world’s history In his opinion war j
I must Inevitably follow :
I When the div rs go down and examine j
the hull of the VOS’I, ; ’i>l t’ornmodoro
Montgomery, it will b- found that It
wis :-t -V" in by .1 torped ’ exploded un
der tlie bow with a diabolical Itit’unt.
To I. • sure, an accident may eecur on
shipboard, a magazine or i boiler may
explode. But consider all the einitm-
Htanei s and you will not. entertain the
theory of accident. lit the. history of
SCENE OF WRECK IN HAVANA HARBOR.
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I our navy theta never has been such
an accident. Why should the firs' one
I <v-ur in so perfectly e<|iii;’i>‘d - v--ss<-l
, t
| commanding officer as Slgsbce? 'll ’t.V
j should it occur in Havana harbor,
w 1 re th.. V’-s,-. I w .-1 at the ni’-r< y of
••tn enemy capable of treaeliery. a W”
I know the Spaniard tti'd has '■ •' n
so long as he lias figured Iti history’.
I Why should it follow so closely <>.■ '■ -
I cent <‘\posiir< v of the Spanish mini;- ter ’>
I the I'nited St.it'-s as a. despicald” tlm ■
j serv.-r who won an .affable <1 -m”anor
i in Washington while giving vent to ills
hatred m our elm i ■ xe' utiv.- ami ”i>r
; peopl-- in jiriv He let ters to - ompaij-.-ots .’
• Th' l ’’ombimttion ot facts i too -.-'r-mg
i to b-.-iv. a <ionbi. I miss, my g’n-s.-i if
i retribution will not bo swift,
ARRIVAL OF WOUNDED
ON THE OLIVETTE-
i Sr<d Scenes on. the Dock ar Key West
Last Night as the Wounded
Were Cared For.
• E.< West. Fla., February If -Tho O’.l
vltte, with sixty-two survivors of the Main”
I disaster, nrrlved at 1 ):30 tonight, seven and
’ om -i alf hours from Havana. '>f that,
i number tw-m y w ere wounded, ten seriously
; and one fatally.
' Captain .Merritt, with a company’ of tho
■ First Artil cry, to ’. po • ’ nos the dock
before the v ■ I's arrival and kept back
the excl taxi ci
latlon of Key West, a majority being Cu
bans and mulattoes. No one not In uni
form vas allow<sl ,n board. Your corrt -
spondent saw PtinsT Denison, of the Oll
' v-tte. Who gave the following brief ac
count :
‘‘The explosion Is an absolute my.-t'-ry to
every one It <”-eur:i-<l in tlio forwird
magazine, which 1 . just forward of amid
ships and below the water l;m . ’Mio coal
bunkers were out .de, but sonar.ttid by a,
t’.vo-f-'-t spact . According to eus! un, the
! magazine was inspected at 8 o’clock In th
• evening ami ti:e temperature found o’.
I 5l». Tile magazine v. a.-- locked and the keys
glv< n to t'apt I :ti Sigsl. 'i he lie a v n<
to their hammocks iti the forward pit-, ot
the ship soon aft’-r .' o'e.o.'.t. ii-- explo
sion occurred at !.t;-V) a ”1- o awfi i >”d
■ overwhelming that n-u one c ;tt yet h'A’’
I a connected accou.il. Ah- at ’’> - ll 1
forward part of tlie -h 1> w< so sax -i ■ 'i
lot tli.»: several bad uammccks ,-I'i-g ”U
I the berth or lower deck The expl •'
I the big ship in two anti threw these md
I one marine sleeping on the super: i ic ire
i forty f- ei in t b :i:r l!1<? ." a ' v! ’. .
1 ”ln tiie magazine was twenty lit< u
<>l coarse powder, use’l lor .-harpm.; .
; big guns no dynamite o: <!• .ona: '-a
] dt-r, nor torpedo heads- -nothing that < ould
! be < xploded by <<nt us ot . In the m;
' magazine aft high < xplosiv r, «<t- nor.-
This m igazine did not <.A d< Hi
I no electric wires eoimviini- wilti -> n
I tie magazim-. It M not I” li.-vd that Um
i Main” was destroy'<i by a. i”i'i’”-i> uml-r-
I neath; if so, a. hole- would i '■ I'-■ n torn
i lu tin- bottom and th” ship won I not
• have been rlv i to atoms, as was tlw
I T ... ift part of th a■■ t
ut< s and tlm ofii ■■ rs and survlvl
' ,scii ■ d haJf ■ lotht d. I’l< wreck-
age flt -. . di tarn ■ of 500 yai ot
pte<-.- of cement striking the quarter <b R o
tlw City of Washington o’’ th” Ward lim:-.
anchor”! ’.head of dm Maine, twenix min
utes befor” the explosion.”
It wa - ” sad sc< ne at the (lot ' tonight ns
stretchers were carried to waiting .n -
bulaitc' s by the artilb ryme.i mid the stii-
i: FIVE cents
ferers tend' rely pkict"! on ,*s for con-
■l'ho brave f< Hows bur ■ t'-a sufferings
admirably and some limp'd along, With
i arms in slings. R. ads bound up and blood
t stained bitn<lag< s on their legs or trunks.
i The crowd had been yelling as only <x
: cited Cubans ami negroes can. but a great
hush fell as tlie 1: ad of the procession
<l< tiled from (Ins <)o'k bouse. Excited wo
: men grew hysterical ,i.nd many a Latin
, prayer was ’-card from the Jlps that bad
i been shouting a. moment before.
Every possible arrangement for the com
; . . , mbarked had bee
• made and all who could talk praism! hlgli
|ly the klndm s o th” Spanish oftlclals,
■ who opem J their m arts ami wardrobes to
• the survivors. Boats from the Spanksli
• nzo Nil were among th first
to re.-u-h rhe Maine ond Captain General
! Blanco plncM .ill his resources at the dls
' posal of General I.ec.
THE SAiLORS ARE OUTSPOKEN.
I
Blowing Up of tlio Maine Was tho
Work of Spaniards.
1 .Tnekser,-'' Fl- , ’ ’”brunry I l '. A sy.
| elal to The Timos- and Cb.lz -
I Key West, '-la., p:yi that the steamship
iiiiV’ i.” arrived 11. ere tonight with a 1,-,r; •»
! numb’-r of tho wound <1 and tmirv ot!” r
! survivors of the -Maine di. aster. The offi
! c. rs w< re, as a rule, r’-tlv.it .’.nd followed
i !u line, with their chi- f, i.’.-.pmiti Sigsb-m.
| In saying tb it tho i ..-t;s« of tho explosion
' could only boa ” aitii-J by divers, but
many of the i.ailors w.-ro outspoken ui
their <|,.-1 iratl-m v-f beli-T that the ,xp’.”-
' ; sion was a <l. ep lai 1 plot of the Spaniards.
I They are greatly it Inst the H
i vana people, who have shown them sm.i.i
’ courtesy, who looked upon their presence
| as a national affront, and who buv, pub-
' ■that tin- author of sue’i < ■:pres.-ed and ’-■>■■<-
’ ardly h.-itred would not stop at. rm <<et <>f
such terrllie v--.'ig< ice a • the bio a Ing up
1 of th” M tlm-.
... . . i a< wi h the drills,
■ pooh-pooh tho bl-a of an internal cxplo
] slon as tliu l ist thing to ij ■ though' of.
TORPEDOES IN THE HAP.BOR,
I Senator Money Says Havana Harbor
Is Mined Throughout.
Z\! ■i'---*1 Vbrnnry 11 -(Sp*? L'dJ
] A Wasl -- wi ft is been
: known for --uno time that tm< in
j Hatana was nit n sat'” i ■ for Dn ri n
: celvi-d in coniitli tn ” liiforni : I ion 1b...' vPh-
' ” ultorLl - ’ ' ' .served
I who visited <’ :ba last wmt’-r to u ■!<• a
personal mvestlg.--Hon oj f
■ jl’.v.ina. was mined tlirouglimit. aim tli; t
I the harbor, ami wm-n Hint, i- admitted, tlio
burden of prO;H' f:di • vniir- ' ’ uj'i'H Span
( (ondlUoilM Could l;!*'< !>»• KI’IIV , thill
j they ippf.-ir tojiii-’r, th-- pr<>ni> • d d -
claimer for the LL-Loiih h’.tr litis not .yet
: lu'F-n ro'*< lve<L
-
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
■ SIGSBEE TELLS OF THE DESTRUC-
TION OF HIS SHIP.
Lieutenant Blandin, Officer of tb.o
Watch, Tells of His Thrilling Ex
periences on the Cruiser.
■ New York. I'-briiry 17 A dispatch to
’Tin’ Herald from Havana says:
j •'The Officers of Hl” Maine fall utterly
! to tiecounl for thi- ills :-'lev on the th< ory
ol any inifin.il ♦ xplosiun, bui i}j*\ al. >
‘ agree that im torpedo could lint” . . 1
tiie damage that this explosion wrought.
i Then. too. the linding of a largo diamond
‘ sii ipi’l pi'-ee of cement which went so
■ high in the air as to crash clear through
’ the deck of the t'lty of Washington in its
~i, c< ■ adds r -■m-. ■. •; iture to
th” --a -- An intel lal exulosion would no,
have h ■ ■ ' " •
Overcome with Emotion.
‘‘The < np: ii:i <Toked down his emotion
when I ;-ke<i him of Hie disast' f.
■■ ‘There i. very little tn.it 1 <m tell
you.’ he replied. ’1 V.as in tlm C ibili at
th) . time. I I' el .i'tst. •;■■■-., .1 a let ter to
ni’. famil'.' u . that .m • m<>u ■ e; ,sh
< ame The - ■ to port
ami 1 knew in an ins' mt wh.-it it ill
m .'ii. ll ■' im int tli.it my ship had
blown : a
“ 'Ail tiie cabin lights were j'Ut out and
