The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-03
CAUSE OF MAINE DISASTER
OFFICERS INCLINE TO FLOATING
SUBMARINE MINE THEORY.
Those at Havana and Key West Believe
the Court of Inquiry VIII Make Such a
neutrality-suspicious. Differ as to Whether
the Mine Was Made of High Explosives
or Ordinary Gun Powder

or Ordinary Gun Powder
Havana, via Key West, March a.
Without adding unnecessarily to the
flood of surmise, conjecture and proph
ecy concerning the finding Of the court
of inquiry, it is fair to say that as a
matter of fact most of the naval off,
GERS here and at Key West incline to
the opinion that the court will find that
the disaster to the Maine was caused
by the explosion of floating sub-ma-
rine mine under the port side of the
ship forward of amidships. Opinions
differ as to whether this mine was
made of high explosives, such as wet
and dry gun-cotton, or ordinary gun
powder. Opinions concur not only as
to the existence of mines in the harbor,
but also that this mine was laid pur-
posely near the buoy where foreign
war vessels were expected to moor, and
was fired by an electric battery on
shore.
1T is believed barely possible that the
explosion of the mine was the result
of carelessness or ignorance of Span
ish officers in charge Of the mine sta
tion keys when testing the circuit, but
the latter supposition is not felt to be
probable. 1t is further regarded as
settled by the evidence before the court
that the port side of the hull forward
was completely blown to pieces, and
that the only explosion on the Maine,
except of isolated cases of fixed am
munition, was that of 1000 pounds of
saluting powder, stored forward, and
of which no trace can be found. These
views are gathered from officers who
talk with great reserve and only upon
the assurance that their identity will
never be revealed. The fact remains
that only the members of the court of
inquiry know all the testimony elected
and no one is authorized to make pub
lie the opinion of members in advance
of the final judgment.
A good deal of surprise was expressed
by Americans here at learning that
Spanish divers were to make an exam
ination of the wreck of the Maine, es-
peoially as it was also said that Ameri-
can naval officers would give such
divers all consistent facilities and
would throw no obstacles in the way
OF thorough submarine inspection. It
was not at first understood, as it came
to be later, that the Spanish search
was to be entirely independent and that
while 1t was being made the American
investigation would proceed under Cap
tain Sigsbee's supervision. AS under
stood here, the Spanish request for a
Joint investigation was promptly re-
fused at washington, but after a cab
met consultation it was agreed that the
Spaniards had moral and information
al right to discover the cause of the
wreck for themselves if possible.
Therefore permission for an independ-
ent examination was granted on the
ground, as understood here, that it
could not be- refused to a friendly
power in her own harbor.
That the permission was not accord
ed until after the court of inquiry had
finished it's work here and gone to Key
West is regarded as significant. II
opens wide field for speculation. Some
assert that the court now has no OBJ
lection to Spanish inquiry for one OF
two reasons: Either the court has suf-
ficie1lt evidence already of accident OF
malice, evidence that cannot be con-
troverted by the Spaniards, or, after q
diligent search, the mystery remains
as deep as ever and the court does not
think the Spanish will reach conclu-
sion where the Americans have failed
La ,,ofo ,z,-;,, ,Ai,A AoI1 ff
inspection of parts Of the ship Other
than the hull. Until the gums ane
debris of all kinds have been removed
it cannot be examined thoroughly by
any one. That any important testi-
mony has found it's way to the public
is very unlikely. Some Of the witness
es have told certain correspondents Of
alleged testimony, but in every case in.
vestigation has shown their stories
controverted by well known facts.
Probably the court knew before it left
Havana for Key West whether the ten.
inch magazine on the starboard for
ward did or did not explode; but the
members gave no sign and the divers
who talk at all contradict each other
Doubtless even the contractors for the
removal of the inner debris and the
raising of the hull do not fully appreci
ate the difficulties to be encountered
Certainly the tug Right Arm has beer
of little value thus far, her captain MOI
having sufficient authority until Mon
day to employ the necessary help or tt
hire the needed lighters.
While criticising the naval divers fol
their slowness, it must be remembered
that their work is dangerous and diff
cult In muddy, foul water, through {
mass of riven steel, bent iron, shat
tered gratings and ladders, over up
turned matches, heaped-up coal, scat
tered ammunition, guns, chests, ma
chinery and electric wires, they mus
make or cut their intricate way. They
must exercise great care lest the ali
tube be severed by sharp projections
Already many have had bad falls il
the uncertain light and difficult pas
sages. Nothing need be retracted
however, from the former statemen
that all the haste possible is great!
to be desired. The huge weight of thu
wreck causes it to sink daily in th
mud. While no outsider is allowed OF
the wreck, the patrol lines are not 81
rigid as formerly, and the boats of Wis
itors are allowed to sail quite close t.
the upheaved mass of debris.
The question is frequently asked
''Are Americans in danger in Ha.
vana?" The only truthful answer eve
given by a well known resident o
American official or laymen is "W