The sun., 1898-02-24
WARNED OF zREAoHERF.
a Caller at tho American Consulate said tho
Maine weuia ne Biewn zip.

Maine VEepid ne Biews Zip.
HAVANA. Fob. %. via Key west.-Tho few
facts as to the Maine disaster that have been as
certained during the last two days, and which
can give any light on the cause, have bcen care.
fully kept from the press by the officers in
charge OF the divers.
Tho military censorship, on the other hand, is
so strict on all messages speaking of the causes
of the explosion that It will not allow anything
to pass save bare mention of the few effects
already found, from which oil conjectures and
deductions must be made in the States.
As is well known. the explosion took place
only in tho forward part of tho ship in which
was one large magazine for the lO-inch guns
and other smaller ones for the guns of smaller
calibrcs. On the utter part of the vessel were
the same number of magazines, but OF these
none exploded.
Which particular one Of the forward maRa-
Zines exploded is not yet known, and II the
divers have found that out they have kept that
to themselves and the investigating board.
But so far these facts are known. The part Of
the vessel situated Immediately above the ten
inch magazine. which was the one containing
the greatest quantity of powder. is still there
although badly shattered. but was not blown
Off like the part of the vessel little after 1t.
One of the powder cases of tubes, as they are
called. of the ten-inch guns was found yester-
day loaded with powder which had not
plodcd. 1t is known that tho divers report
more of these cases in the wreck.
An empty case of the same calibre and one of
the cases for the sx.inch guns were also found.
but, empty although they were. that does not
prove that they exploded in the explosion, as
there were many empty ones on board. the con-
tents OF which had been used in target practice
That o great many loaded cases remained scat
tered on the forward part Of the ship is proved
by the fact that for two hours after the explo-
sion. when the wrecked part remaining above
the water took fire, they were exploding at short
intervals. sometimes only one at time and at
others several for which reason many were
afraid to approach the vessel Tho unloaded
cases may be some of these that were exploded
by the fire after the accident.
The powder cases or tubes are made Of thin
copper. They were all kept in the magazines.
which. at the time Of the explosion. were closed.
as is proved by the fact that all their keys have
already been found in the secret drawer in the
Captains cabin.
II the explosion took place in the closed
magazines. it is asked, would they not have
been crushed or battered out of shapei Those
found already are in good condition except for
q few small indentations.
At the time of the explosion a ferryboat was
going from Havana to Regla, and was not more
than 500 feet from the explosion. The Maine
being one of the attractions of tho bay. many
of the passengers on deck were looking at it at
the moment it exploded.
THE Sun correspondent has been able to in
terview five of these persons, and they all agree
that they heard two distinct noises. n dull one,
which seemed to raise the vessel and the water
around it. followed Immediately by the loud ex-
plosion, during which. by the high flames that
ehr ha ~ otar
easily distinguished rising with the flying
debris. ,'...
/ . 1t is useless to attempt to enumerate the
number Of col Incident stories and theories which
are circulating on the causes Of the disaster,
nearly all going to prove that the explosion was
intentional. One Of the most mysterious coin
cidences is that n man. who seemed to be a
Spaniard, came to the American Consulate O
few days before the explosion and, addressing
himself to Mr.. Hyatt. whom he mistook for
Consul Lee, said:
Mr.. Consul, have come to inform you that
the Maine is going to be blown up. Take the
vessel away and let me go with it, otherwise l
AMI a lost man."
Mr.. Hyatt has charge of the distribution OF
American supplies for the reconcentrados. Hi
desk is at the entrance to the Consulate. and as
he is daily approached by hundreds of weeping
women and men who are half deranged owing
to the effects of starvation, he paid no atten
ton to the man who addressed vice-Consul
Springer Mr.. Hyatt motioned to Mr. Springer
to pay no attention to the stranger. that he
seemed crazy.
The day before the explosion he came to the
Consulate three times. He was very much ex-
cited. Since then no one has seen him.
1t is said by the Spanish officials that IL the
plosion had been caused by mine or torpedo a
great many dead fish would have been found in