The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-18

CauSes. In 1885 the United
States man-of-war Missouri then ly-
ing at Gibraltar was totally wrecked
Dy the explosion of her magazine.
Another case famous in naval history
is that Of her majesty's ship Dotrel.
In 1897 she was lying at anchor off
Puenta Arenas, in the straits of Ma
gellan. An explosion wiped the ship
from the face of the waters n left al
o none OF her crew alive. This was
another case of magazine explosion,
though it may have originated in the
coal bunkerS or boilers.
OPINIONS OF CONGRESSMAN.
Senator Hale, chairman of the COM
mittee on naval affairs and a member
or the committee on appropriations
said that he had just come from an in
terview with the secretary of the navy
and that he felt confident that the
navy department would institute a
thorough investigation into the diSas-
ter. The senator expressed the opin-
ion that congress would take steps to
prevent the decrease Of the navy, but
did not undertake to say that there
would Zoe immediate efforts to replace
the Maine.
enato Warren, of Wyoming said:
IF it should develop that the Spanish
had anything to do with the occurrence
both the United States Navy
and army ought to be sum-
moned to take the matter in
earnest. If it should prove to be an
accident, it should fbe carefully inves-
tigated for it is high time that such ac-
cidents were brought to a close"
Senator Clay, of Georgia said: The
presumption is that the " depart
ment viii give careful and thorough
to the matter and that it will
make such report as it may deem nee
essary. If then it becomes necessary
for congress to act, / am sure there
will be no hesitation in dealing with
the matter. There is nc proof that the
Spanish are in any way responsible for
this serious calamity and We should be
slow to make charges without proof to
~Substantiatet them
Senate Perkins, of California said:
The situation in Havana is 80 criti-
cal and the Spanish feel SO keenly
what appears to many of them an af-
front that the Maine should have been
in the harbOr that it seems not unlikely
the catastrophe was due to the action
Of Spanish sympathizers. That it was
not an accident, I feel assured and that
it was due to treachery / am con
vinced."
Senator Mills, of the committee on
foreign relations, expressed the opin-
ion that the occurrence was the work
Of a torpedo. Il would not say" he
said,' that the Spanish were espon
sible for it, but sOne one must have
been WITH had free access to the waters
Of the bay. I don't think it could have
been due to an accident, 1 think con
gress- should Immediately take the
matter up for a thorough investiga-
ton"
Representative Newlands, of Nevada,
member of the committee on foreign
affairs, said it would be very hard to
convince the American people that the
explosion was an accident. He would
not wish to express an opinion until
further information was received.
The Maine incident formed the prin-
cipal topic of consideration by the SEN
ate committee On foreign relations at
it's meeting today. The opinions gener-
ally expressed by members of the COM
mittee in this informal conference were
to the effect that the occurrence is n
of very serious import and that it may
result i'm grave complications unless
Spain can make it very plain that no
Spaniard was in anyway responsible
for it..
is too serious to talk about at
present. said Senator Lodge, while
Senator Cullom said: II am too mad
to talk about it," to which he added:
Il can't see how the explosion could
have been the result of an accident and
! 1 think that the time is rapidly APP
preaching when this country must do
something"
MI. Cummings, of New York, a mem
her Of the naval committee, unhesitat-
ingly gave lit as his opinion that the
Ship had been blown up by a floating
torpedo.
Representative Quigg, of the foreign
affairs committee said he had no doubt
that the disaster to the Maine was
caused by a torpedo and by design.
Representative Adams of the same
committee, says that everything indi-
Gates that the explosion was an ac-
cident and occurred inside the ship.
Representative Mercer said this af-
! %ternoon; If the death of 253 Ameri-
can sailors can, upon Investigation be
traced to Spanish origin, nothing will
satisfy the American people except
war;"
CAPTAIN SIGSBEE INTERVIEWED.
Havana, February 16.-Captain
Sigsbae, interviewed this evening by
the correspondent of the Associated
Press with reference to the cause of the
explosion, said:
Il cannot yet determine the cause;
but competent investigators will decide
whether it was produced from an inter
lOI ii oAlS1lOI CdUSc. Il I'LL Say oily
thing until after such investigation
has been made. I will not and cannot
conscientiously anticipate the decision
nor do / wish to make any unjust es-
innate of the reason for the disaster
Minneapolis, Mimi, February 16.-
Senator Butler, of North Carolina, now
in Minneapolis attending the session o.
the populist state convention, is in
clined to view the loss of the Maine
- --~,lA - TIn m
of blowing up a vessel in that manner
would appeal to many Of the Spaniard!
as a noble deed and the author would
be a hero" he said, but of course, tn
Spanish government has no connection
with it,"
will it precipiate a war;"
INC, hardly. If it is shown that til.
explosion was not accidental, the Span
ish government would be in duty-bounC
to disavow any connection with it al
punish the author or authors in a sum
4 m n ~ poonnar"