Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-02-17

Btll ti4itiAb anu tiHtN BiGIG FsiO6 lil1 Olt VI
the destruction Of the battleship Maine
in Havana harbor, the situation, after
the exchange of a number of cable
grams between Washington and Ha-
vana, can be summed up in the words
Of Secretary Long, when asked whether
he had reason to suspect that the dis.
aster was the work of an enemy, re.
piled:
II do not. In that | am influenced
by the fact that Captain Sigsbee has
not yet reported to the navy department
on tic cause. He is evidently waiting
to wgite full report. So long as he
does not express himself / certainly
cauu3t should think from the indi
ca4ons, however, that there was an ac.
cident--th 5he magazine exploded
The -: ling nature Of the disaster
and the eryity of the sitaation that
would a1iee h9uld investigation give q
basis for the dndercurrent of suspicion
Of treaeheIy and foul play that ran
throB; Il all minds, bad a SOLDERING effect
on public men of all shades Of public
opinion. The fact stands FORT and is
little less than remarkable that not a
single resolution was introduced or 3
sin8ia speech made IN either house Of
congress, save one Of coincidence with
the families of the killed, offered by
Mr. Boutelle, and adopted by the house
of representatives. Public men ex-
pressed their opinions with reserve when
approached for interviews, but every.
where there was a demand for an in
vestiggtion and full details in the light
of which the horror may be Justly
viewed.
Secretary Long undoubtedly summar-
lied the general opinion Of the majority
of the naval experts in finding it impos-
slble just now to state the cause of the
destruction of the Maine. There are a
great number of theories, but most of
them are of character that makes it
easy to prove or upset them by single
investigation by a diver. Secretary
Long has taken immediate steps tomake
this investigation. He telegraphed to
Admiral Sicard at Key West to appoint
board of naval officers to proceed at
once to Havana, employ divers and gen
orally to make such inquiry as the regu-
latlons 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 are officers
who say that in their opinion it will not
be possible, owing to the probably dis
rupted condition of the hull of the ship
to make out the cause of the explosion,
the opinion OF the majority is that the
question will be easily settled by the
simple observation of the condition of
the ships hull plates in the heighbor-
hood 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
driven IN, as would result from the at
tack OF torpedo or the explosion of a
mine beneath the ship.
The large majority of naval officers
are inclined to the belief that the ex-
plosion resulted from spontaneous COM
bustion of coal bunker; the overhead
ing OF the IRON partitions between the
boilers and the magazine, or from the
explosion of boiler, though the last
theory finds little support. The lists of
survivors that came to the navy depart
ment IA answer to kilograms was mac
curate and made out the loss of life
eight more than the summary originally
gwen by Captain Sigsbee in an earlier
telegram, SO Secretary Long telegraphed
for another corrected list, and also one
that should show who We're and who
were not wounded of the survivors.
1t was found necessary to do this
owing to the great number of pitiful
appeals for information as to the safety
of some unfortunate on the Maine that
came from all parts of the country.
The naval constructors. in the 1iobt
of the dispatches thus far received saw
that 1t is by no means certain that the
Maine cannot be raised again and carry
the flag They say that while she is a
big ship, others as large have been
raised, and at Havana the new floating
drydock would receive her if she conld
once be gotten above the water.
Captain Sigsbee evidently is taking
an interest in the future of the shin. for
he sent telegram to Commander For
sythe at Key West that was nromnt1v
transmitted to Secretary Long suggest
ing that lighthouse vessel or some
such small craft be stationed in Havana
harbOr to watch over the wreck The
latter contains valuable ordnance and
other property that doubtless can be Sc
cured by divers.
1t IS said at the navy department that
this disaster is the greatest of the kind
IN naval history since the sinking of the
big British warship Victoria by collision
with the Camperdown, in the Mediter.
ranean, off Malta, June, 1898. By that
accident the British admiral command.
ing, % officers and $3.50 men, lost their
lives
The Spanish legation was early adj
ylsed OF the horror by Captain Genera,
Blanco, who expressed his profound re-
greet and added that the occurrence was
a chance accident. the undoubted canse
beng an explosion of the boiler of the
aNnalno. This Was the only snecifc