Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-01
The Wreck in Havana Har5or.

pedo's work was realized, and th
shattered hull of the great cruiser ha'
settled deep into the harbor mud \
first it was hoped that the ship coul,
have made this possible any sum .
money would have been gladly give.
by this country. AS a matter of senti
ment, if for no other reason, ever,
| American wanted the Maine removed
from The spot where she had been st
| treacherously sunk. But the fata
mine OF torpedo had done its work TOT
We'll and the raising of the ship ha.
long since been given up as a physical
impossibiity. So there lies all that Is
left of the once proud and maSniticent
battleship. sinking into the foul ooz>
of that foreign and hostile harbor. still
enclosing in her mangled breast the
bodies of almost a hundred OF he!
crew. watched over by Wheeling vu!-
lures N search of the belated dead, 4
ehastly monument to one OF the most
hellish crimes perpetrated in al
recorded history.
The work of salvage is still going on
removing everything of value that can
be taken from the tangled debris.
Bodies are recovered almost daily, but
between 50 and 30 still remain in the
wreck. or are so completely destroyed
that they cannot be said to be any
where A naval commission has been
appointed to have in charge the matter
of removing the wreck. The Maine IS
still American property however sur
rounded by Spanish waters. and it is
our duty to remove ii. 1t is doubtful if
Spain would he willing to have the
Maine remain there as a monument to
the events of that fatal night The
time and method of removing the whole
wreck are not determined upon, how
ever Probably the matter will be de
layed until full PREPARATION is given this
is an ample vindication of the Ameri-
can verdict. and an absolute rebuttal
of the illogical and inconsistent report
of Spain sham court Of inquiry.
1t is not easy to reconcile ourselves
to the fact that the cruiser Maine.
which was special source of pride 20
this State and which as member IF
the white squadron had often visited
our shores. is now but mass Of
gnarled and blackened iron at the bot
tom of Havana harbor. with three
tourths of her crew sleeping the last
sleep But never again in her majesty
and pride will she cut the waves. The
navy will have new battleship Maine,
but it can never replace the Maine that
is no more nor wipe away the awful
memory of that fateful night. 1t thrills
the blood of every American to read
that simple but significant statement IN
the report of the court of inquiry. that
the only order disobeyed by the sur
vivors of the crew in the confusion that
followed the explosion was the order
other respect discipline was perfect and
every command was promptly obeyed,
but there was delay and reluctance
when the order, made necessary by the
grim force of circumstances, was given
to leave the sinking and burning wreck.
1t was the old spirit If Don't give up
the ship that has made immortal the
names of 50 many American sailors
and American ships. Such disobedi
ence is a glory and a virtue.
The wreck in Havana harbor is a
grim and eloquent reminder of what
naval warfare would be today. God
forbid that war should come when
would bring a repetition of horrors
like this. But better a thousand times
war with all its horrors. and all its in
eVitable loss of life and property and
treasure, than that the patriotism of
our people should sink to too low an
cbb to wipe out such a blot as the
Wrecking Of the Maine. Spain is held
responsible and must make as COM
plcte PREPARATION as can be made by one
nation to another for such u crime. If
war must come it will he a conflict in
which the battle cry of an insulted ana
outraged people will he Remember the
Maine" IT, as we all hope a peaceful
settlement can be arranged in the mat
ter of indemnity for the Maine as Well
as the Independence of Cuba. then t
must be peace which maintains our
honor and dignity as a nation. and
leaves no stain on our flag.
The first regiment to go to the front.