The Portland daily press., 1898-02-17

Washington, February 16.-After day
partInsnt and elsewhere growing ont OF
the destruction of the battleship Maine
| in Havana harbor, last night, the situa-
tion at sun-down. after the exchange OF
a number of cablegrams between Wash
ington and Havana, can be summed ur
in the words of Secretary Long who,
when asked as he was about to depart for
the day, whether he had reason to sus.
pect that tho disaster was the work OF
an enemy, replied:
"I do not. In that am influenced
by the fact that Capt. Sigsbee has not
yet reported to the Navy Department. on
the cause. He is evidently waiting to
write full report. So long as he does
not express himself L certainly cannot.
I should think from the indications, how
ever, that there was an accident-that the
magazine exploded. How that came
about do not know. For the present
at least, no other warship will be sent
to Havana"
The appalling nature of the disaster and
the gravity of the situation that would
arise should investigation give basis
for the undercurrent of suspicion of
treachery and foul play that ran through
all minds, had % SOLDERING effect on pub
lio mon of all shades of political opin-
ions. The fact stands forth and 1T is %
little less than remarkable that not a
single resolution was introduced or a
single speech made In either House OF
Congress, bearing on the disaster, save
q resolution Of coincidence with the fss-
miles of those killed, offered by MIR. Bou-
telle and adopted by the House. Public
men expressed their opinion with reserve
when approached for interviews, but
every where there was q demand for an
Investigation and full details in the
light of Which the horror may be justly
viewed. Secretary Long undoubtedly
summarized the general opinion Of the
majority of the naval experts in finding
1t impossible just now to state the cause
of the destruction of the Maine. There
are q great number of theories, but
most OF them are of a character that
makes it easy to prove or upset thsm by
a simple investigation by diver. Secre-
tary Long has taken immediate steps to.
make this investigation. Late this after.
noon he telegraphed to Admiral Sicari
at Key West to appoint a board of naval
officers to proceed at once to Havena,
employ divers and generally make such
inquiry as the regulations of the navy
demand shall be made in the case of the
loss Of ship. 1t is expected that this
work will take some time and while
there arc officers who say that in their
opinion it will not he possible, owing
to the probably disrupted condition OF
the hull of the ship to make out the cause
of the explosion, the opinion OF the
majority is that the question VIII be
easily settled by the simple observation
of the condition of the ships null plates
in the neighborhood of the hole which
sunk her, whether or not they are bulged
out. as would be the case If the explosion
came from the inside, or whether they
were criven in, as would result from the
attack of a torpedo or the explosion OF
mine beneath the ship. The large
majority OF naval officers are lnchneo
to the belief that the explosion resulted
from spontaneous combustion OF a coal
bunker; tho overheating of the partitions
between the boilers and the magazine, OF
from Jhe explosion of boiler, though
the last theory finds little support. lhe
llsG OF survivors that came to the navy
department. this afternoon in answer 90
telegrams was inaccurate and made out
the loss or life eight more than the sum
mary given by Captain Sigsbee in an
carrier telegram, SO Secretary Long tele-
grapned Tor corrected list and one thaS
would show who tho survivors were
ana VINO were wounded. 1t was found
necessary to do this owing to the great