The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-24

HE bAT1LEeHlt VI AiNE AZ CHE " -
Ear as expression of opinion has been made,
incline to the theory that it was an accident.
Capt Sigsby and the officers of the Maine
also appear TO entertain the view that the
disaster was due to the explosion Of one of
the small magazines on the starboard side for
ward due to heat from combustion in the coal
buDkers There was more than one ex-
plosion, according to various reports. but
whether two or three or more is not clear
The loss of life was appalling amounting to
255. out of complement of $50 officers and
men. As soon as the explosion occurred,
which destroyed the forward part of the ship,
she began 10 sink rapidly, and her boats
were lowered. as were those from the Alphonso
XII, the Spanish man-ofwar which was at
anchor near by the Maine at the time, and
.he Ward line steamship City of Washington.
BY this means 10 OF the men were rescued
Dne Of whom has since died, many of them
badly hurt. The injured were taken on
board the Spanish warship and to hospitals in
the city. A rpedo boat and a lighthouse
tender were at once forwarded from Key
West. and the wounded and other survivors
were brought TO the latter place, except few
too badly hurt TO travel. and Capt Sigsbee
obh i1stft btilttJS dllti f'ilt vi iNc
who remained In Havana, pending the in
vestigaton of the disaster
Only two officers were lost. owing TO the
fact that the explosion was forward, where
are located the quarters of the crew The
missing officers are Lieut. Fred W jenkins
and Assistant Engineer Darwin L. Merritt.
Upon the assembling Of Congress on We'd
nesday resolution of sympathy and condo
lence was unanimously adopted. Presi-
dent Mckinley sent message of coincidence
TO Capt. SIgSbee the Queen Regent of Spain
sent "A message to the President and the Presi-
dent IN turn thanked the Spanish Govern
ment for the couIteses shown the wounded
which. II must be admitted. were generously
extended by both Gen Blanco and the munici-
pal authorities in Havana without stint
Emperor William sent a message of condo
leDce TO the President, and the cable dis
patches from London showed that the affair
had created profound sensation in England.
Admiral Sicard, commanding the feet at
the Dry 1OTtngas has ordered Board of In
curry 10 investigate the matter consisting of
Capt. W. T. Sampson, Commander of the
battleshlp Iowa; Capt. +. L. Chadwick. COM
handing the cruiser New York Lieutenant
Commander Potter, executive officer of the
New York: Lleutenant-C Commander Adolph
iailA executive oiiiceT OF the Vermont. The
latter VIII act as Judge Advocate OF the court.
The Board has convened at Havana 30 con-
duf most scrutinizing investigation into
the cause Of the loss of the ship Until their
report shall have been received probably little
more light can be thrown upon tie matter
than We have at present
The ship lies in 80 feet Of water on a bottom
OF mud. Congress has promptly appropriated
s2O0. coo TO proceed with the work of raising
the hull, and according to the opinion of ex-
peT1s al the Navy Department it is possible
to raise the ship and put her again in COM
mission by the expenditure of about 81 .OO0.-
600 and one year work.
The Spanish Gov mment proposed, through
our State Department, 10. join in the investi-
CATION, but this President Mckinley has
politely but firmly declined, and no foreign
power Will be permitted to interfere in
the inquiry by our own board OF officers.
Assistant Secretary Of State Day politely con-
yeyed this message TO Madrid on Saturday
last
The news from reliable sources from Cuba
is to the effect tina while the Captain-Ge
eIal and municipal officers extended every
Official courtesy and made approximate ex
preston Of regret, the facts remain that the
ulira-Spanish class in Cuba is in state Of
eEultailon at the loss of the American
batiieship. Below Is statement of the
affair by Capt. Sigsbee TO an associated press
reporter: