The times., 1898-02-19

Secretary Long on Thursday stated
4 With much pesitiveness on at least three
different occasions that he had no opinion
as 70 the cause of the disaster to the
AaiRe and the humiliation of her crew.
his words IN answer 10 a question from
+ reporter FOR The Times were:
Il have no opinion. do not believe
that Ne have any right to an opinion
until the result OF the investigation is
+ known. Ii would be unfair 10 judge
hastily
! The Important development YESTERDAY
+ relative to the Maine disaster was the
official publication of AN opinion as to the
cause of the disaster by the Navy De-
partment
The statement that follows was pasted
on the bulletin board of the Bureau of
Navigation. where all the official news
OF the catastrophe has been given out. 1t
is an opinion that the Maine went to the
bottom by an accident. IL is as positive
and as definite an opiaion as that ex-
pressed by Secretary Long on the day
before that there should lac no opinion.
AS 10 the question Of the cause of
the Names explosion, we know that no
torpedo such rs is known to modern
warfare can of itself cause an explosion
OF the character of that on board the
Maine. We know of no instance where
the explosion of a torpeao or mine under
a ships bottom has exploded the maga-
zine within. 1t has simply torn great
hole in the side or bottom. through which
water entered, and in consequence of
which the ship has sunk. Magazine ex-
plosions. on the contrary, produce ef-
fects exactly similar to the effects OF the
explosion on board the Maine When it
comes to seeking the cause of the ex-
plosion of the Names magazine we
should naturally look, not for improba-
BILE or unusual causes. but those against
which we have had 10 guard in the past.
The most common OF these is through
fire in the bunkers Many of our ships
have been in danger at various times
from this cause, and not long ago
fire in the Cincinnati's bunkers actually
set fire to fittings. wooden boxes, etc,
within the magazine. and had 1t not
been discovered at the time it was.
il would doubtless have resulted in a ca
rastrophe on board that ship similar to
the one on the Maine.
Il shall again emphasize the fact that
no torpedo exploded without a ship has
ever produced. or according 10 our
knowledge can It produce. an explosion
of a magazine within.
Mr. Roosevelt on the day after the dis
aster came out into the corridors in front
of his room and said to half dozen
newspaper men that a torpedo had done
the work. and that Spain had furnished
the torpedo. Yesterday Mr. Roosevelt
would not be quoted. He left word for
the press. however. with his clerk that he
disavowed the interview.
The real news given out at the depart
merit yesterday was all confirmatory of
any other theory that the vessel was de-
stroyed by accident
The statement OF Mr. Charles Cramp
that the spontaneous combustion idea is
utterly out of the question. was the most
important news. The statement of the
department viewed in the light OF this
would seem to be not deserving of much
consideration. The official kilograms
from Capt SigSbee cast no light what
ever on the subject. There was no suS-
sestion as to his own ideas and there
were no facts that might be utilized in
forming ideas here There is some sur
prise expressed that he has confined HIM
self so entirely 10 the details of the re-
covery and the Identification and burial
of the dead. and TO the acute sympathy
of the Spanish officials at Havana. His
knowledge as TO the condition of the
coal bunkers would be invaluable as an
aid TO reaching the correct conclusion.
An explicit statement as 10 when the last
examination of the bunkers and of the /
magazine was made would serve the same
purpose. Capt. Sigsbee Is one of the |
best liked and most trusted officers in the /
navy. There is a growing opinion that I
the department is not keeping its promise |
made with great positiveness OH Wednes- |
day that all the information obtained Oh |
obtainable would be given out without |
reserve. 1t is believed that more than |
one message of the utmost Importance /
from Capt Sigsbee has been withheld.
The dispatches from Gen. Lee published |
so far have ALI been of the same nature. !
one Yesterday related to the funeral OF the |
victims found during the day and to the |
attendance of the Havana functfonaries. /
Ne dispatch from Gen. Lee or from Capt. I
Sigsbee made any reference TO the naval |
court investigation.
The messages of coincidence came in all I
day yesterday. They included one from
the naval attache of the Spanish legation. /
The statistics of the disaster, corrected I
up to the present time, are as follows:
Total officers and men on board