The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-03

While critcising the naval divers for their
slowness, it must be remembered that
theirs is grim, dangerous and difficult work.
In muddy, foul water through a mass of
riven steel, bent iron, shattered gratings
and ladders, over upturned matches, heaped
up COAL scattered ammunition, guns, chests,
machinery and electric wires, they must
make or cut their intricate way. They must
exercise great care lest their air tubes be
severed by sharp projections. Already many
have had bad falls in the uncertain light
and difficult passages. Nothing need be re-
tracted, however, from the former state
ment that all the haste possible is greatly
to be desired. The huge weight of the
wreck causes it to sink daily deeper into
the soft mud Of the harbor, making the
task of raising it the more herculean. While
no outsider is allowed on the wreck, the
patrol lines are not so rigid as formerly,
and the boats of visitors are allowed to sail
quite close to the mass of debris.
The question is frequently asked: Are
Americans in danger in Havana?'' The only
truthful answer ever given by a well-in-
formed resident Of America, official or lay
man, Is I'VE think not; we don't know"
OF course Spanish officials who will talk on
the subject, deprecate any idea of danger;
but they are as much in the dark as the
| rest.
A well-informed Cuban, of high social
position, and on good terms with the gov
ernment, said to the correspondent of the
Associated Press: "Of course, in the low
dives and saloons there are constant boasts
by irresponsible persons as to what they in
tend to do to Americans; but these people
are only dangerous in case riotous demon
strations come from other quarters, such,
for instance, as the volunteers. In the ten-
year war the volunteers shot many inno-
cent people and were controlled with diff
Guilty but it seems probable that dissatis-
faction is more likely to be manifested lat
er against the autonomists or against Gen.
Blanco and his staff than against the Amer
leans since the impression is daily stronger
that only short time will elapse ere Cuba
will be annexed or under the protection of
the United States.'
There are no signs of a demonstration
against the Americans and stories to the
contrary thus far, are without foundation.
Still, Havana is no place just now for those
without the calls of business or duty. The
season is inclement and the variations of
temperature are sudden and violent, causing
much sickness, especially the grip.
PRESS CENSORSHIP.
All idea of censorship is so foreign to the
American mind that an American can
scarcely appreciate the. difficulty of sending
news from Havana. The Spaniards seem
equally unable to understand why censor
ship is not exercised in the United States.
One experience will serve as an illustration
of others of daily occurrence. corre-
spondent prepared an early bulletin for
cabling, giving such routine facts as could
be gathered before o'clock in the morning
in the city where the official business be-
gins at 10 o'clock or later Sickness hap
pened to deprive him of his interpreter and
he tried to get the dispatch stamped" by
the censor in the original English. The
regular censor happened to be i'll and Com
mandant Norena was acting in his place.
Norena who does not know word of Eng
lish, declined to give his approval until the
dispatch was shown him in Spanish The
correspondent hunted some one up whom he
could trust and finally secured Spanish
version. Norena scrutinized it carefully,
crossed out sentences perfectly harmless,
but which appeared to him to contain
double meaning and after emasculating the
dispatch stamped the Spanish version.
The correspondent took the English and
Spanish copies to the cable Office, where
they were compared by operators, who are
held responsible for their perfect agree
ment. The dispatch, finally approved as
butchered, was then sent. Time consumed:
Two hours and forty minutes Later in the
day the same correspondent may lose two
hours of valuable time in waiting for the
censor, who happens to be at lunch while
at night the censor may put in an appear
ance half an hour before the cable office
closes.
Greater demonstrations of welcome could
not have been accorded the Vizcaya had
she been the most powerful battle ship in
the world. Her officers and crew will be
the objects of constant and generous social
attentions 1t had been prophesed that her
arrival would be signal for demonstra-
tions against this that other party or
officials, but as usual this was nothing but
prediction. A few shouted for Weyler, but
not enough to attract the slightest atten-
tion from the police.
News as to movements of the insurgents
Is scarcer here since the Maine explosion
than usual. No official declaration has been
received from General Maxine Gomez as
to the Maine disaster so far as is known
but of course he and his followers regard
the affair as due to Spanish treachery.