Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-16
DISASTER TO MAINE.
Battleship 10 Habana HarbOr BsllsTsd
to Be Destroyed.
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
How II Occurred Nobody Yet Able 10
Explain.
MANY KILLED; MANY WOUNDED.
The Whole city of Hsbana shaken--
All Boats from Spanish Cruiser
Assisting I'm saving tife-Descrip-
ton of the Mnine-Bcr Omcers.

HABANA. February i5.-At a quarter
of 10 o'clock this evening terrible ex-
plosion took place on board the United
States cruiser Maine. I'm Habana harbor.
Many were killed or wounded.
All the boats OF the Spanish cruiser
Alfonso XII. are assisting.
AS yet the cause Of the explosion is not
apparent.
The wounded sailors OF the Maine are
unable to explain it.
1t is believed that the cruiser is total
ly destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city.
The windows were broken in all the
houses.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press says ne has converseo With several
of the wounded sailors. and understands
from them that the explosion took place
while they were asleep. so that they can
give no particulars as to the cause.
REPORT FROM sIGsBEE.
WASHINGTON. February 15.-The Sec
retary of the Navy has received the fol-
lowing telegram from Captain Sigsbee:
maine blown up in Habans harbor.
nine-forty, and destroyed. Many wounded
and doubtless more killed and drowned.
Wounded and others on board Spanish
man-of-war and Ward-Line steamer Send
lighthouse tenders from Key West for the
crew and few pieces Of equipment stil
above water. No one has other clothes
than those upon him.
"Publlc opinion should be suspended till
further report. All officers believed to be
saved. jenkins and Merritt noi yet ac-
counted for. Many Spanish officers.- in
cluding representatives OF General
BIanco. now with me. and express SYM
pathy. (signeO sIGSBEE."
The officers referred to In the above dis
patch are Lieutenant Friend w. Jenkins
and Assistant Engineer Darwin h. aer-
rtt.
From the wording of the dispatch the
Navy Department thinks it possible that
they were on shore at the time Of the ac-
cident.
The Secretary OF the Navy received an
other dispatch from Key west at the
same time with the above, but it's contents
were not made public.
The orders for the lighthouse tenders
were at once sent TO Key West in plain
language. thus avoiding the delay that
would have arisen from the use Of cypher.
THE MAINE AND HER OFFICERS.
The Maine is a battleship Of the second
class. and is regarded as one OF the best
ships in the navy. She was built at the
Brooklyn navy-yard. and is 3lS feet f0ng
and OF 81 feet beam. 2is mean draught.
and 66S2 tons displacement. She has two
lO-inch vertical turrets. ana military
masts, and her motive power IS furnished
b9 lWAH-rtltNs N'lil'stis 'AlAH'f'tt
engines. having a maximum horsepower
of e,293, capable Of making a speed Of
17.l5 knots. She carries four i0-inch and
six G-inch breech-loading guns in her
main battery. seven G-pounder. and eight
l-pounder fapd-hre guns. ana four gait
lings in her secondary battery, ana four
Whitehead torpedoes.
The commander OF the Maine, captrn
Charles ID. Sigsbee, is "A fayorite In ne
Navy Department. For years he vas
chief Of the Hydrographic Office. and by
his energy brought the office up 10 q
high standard. lie was lucky. II was
thought to get so important a ship as
the Maine was considered 10 be, con-
sidering his rank. but he has high stanc-
ing, by reason. among (other things OF
his running his ship straight iato dock
in New York harbor 10 avoid running
down a packet excdrsion-boat This vas
a display of quick judgment. nerve. and
pluck, that pleased the department so
highly that the Captain was sent COM
plimentary letter
His officers OF the Maine are: sieuten-
ant Commander Richard Wainwright;
l.ieutenants George r.. W. Holman. John
Hood, and Carl w. Jungcn; IAeu.enarts
(junior grade) George p. Blow, John J.
Blandln, and Friend W. Jenkins: Naval
Cadets Jonas II. HoIcen. Watt. T. clu-
verus Anon Bronson. and David +.
Boyd, Jr. Surgeon Lucien G. Heneher-
ger: Paymaster Charles w. Iitslehe'1;
Chief Engineer Charles p. Howell; PAST
Assistant Engineer Frederick c. Bowers;
Assistant Engineers John r. Morris and
Darwin r. Merritt Navai-Cadets ten-
sineer diyisiom Pope Washington and
Arthur. Crenshaw; Chaplain John +.
chIdwick; First-LAsutenant-of Marines
AIbertus w. catlin; Boatswain Francis
r. I.arkin: Gunner Joseph HllI; carpen-