The Portland daily press., 1898-04-15
the shock of the explosion at his hotel

|
of the Maine. any expression by Spanish
officers in relation to it, Indicating their
pleasure at the act?'' asked Senator Frye.
Gen. Lee responded: Il heard two or
three days afterward from various per-
sons who came in that there was a good
deal of rejoicing among some of the Off
GERS All reports l got said they were
drinking champagne, quite thing to do
in honor of the event, and in different
portions of the city officers were making
merry | attribute it to the fast that
what they considered almost an enemy s
battleship had been blown up, and it
was that much in their favor.
He said that he had not heard any
threats or illusions to the destruction OF
the Maine, previous to the explosion.
Senator Lodge asked if he had heard of
an attempt ON the Montgomery.
II heard" responded Gen. Lee, that
there was something of that sort one eve
ming, but l believe that on investigation
it was found that it did not amount to
anything.
The following colloquy between Sena-
tor Foraker and Gen. Lee brought out
some further opinions of the general in
regard to the destruction Of the Maine
Senator Foraker-''You think that no
novice could have destroyed the Maine?"
| Consul General Lee-"Oh, no, sir;
the man who did that work was an off
Ger thoroughly acquainted with explosives
of all sorts and knew all about it. 1t
| was very we'll done.
| Mr.. Foraker-"A man who had expert
| knowledge necessarily?"
Gen. Lee-''Yes, sir y"
| Senator Clark-"And who must have
had knowledge of the location of the tor
| pedo?"
Gen. Lee--''Yes, I never have been GER
tain that the submarine explosive was
placed there prior to the entrance of the
Maine into the harbor 1t might have
been done afterwards The Maine was
anchored to buoy by some little chain.
A vessel swinging around that way gets
at various places all around the circle.
When she would swing off that way, with
the bow next to the buoy and these boats
plying about the harbor all the time, any
body could go pretty we'll in front of her
on dark night and drop one of those
submarine mines of 500 pounds They
have fingers, as it were, and as the boat
goes around it would touch the finger
which makes contact and explodes the
mine. That might have been done with
out difficulty after the Maine got in
there.
lone OF two men rowing quietly in q
boat could drop it off the stern of the
boat on dark night, though sigsbee
have been noticed because boats go
there always to late hour of the night.
The harbor is full of these little boats.
A mine weighs about 500 pounds and l
suppose it would take one man to row
and probably three or four to handle the
| mine"
In reply to o question from Senator
Gray, Gen. Lee said that the Spanish
population is not especially hostile to-
wards the United States
Senator Cullom-"W What is the condit-
| ion of the reconcentrados out in the coun-
try?"
Gen Lee-"Just as bad rs in Gen. Wey-
ler's day. 1t has been relieved good deal
| by supplies sent from the United States,
but that has ceased now.
The Chairman-"How about the Span
iards?''
Gen. Lee-'Gen. Blsnco published
proclamation resembling Gen. Weyler's
had no practical effect for in the first
place, those people have no places to
which to go since they have been burned
out. There is nothing but the bare land
there and it takes them two months be-
fore they can raise the first crop. :,
Senator Lodge asked: what does this
cessation of hostilitieS spoken of in the
last few days amount top
| Gen. Lee replied, Nothing"
Senator Daniel-"Do you know the
conditions of it?''
Gen. Lee-.''I saw Gen. Blancos pro-
clama ton, which said the Queen Regent,
at the request of His Holiness the Pope,
had issued an armistice; but it is
not worth the paper it is written on,
because truce or armistice between two
contending forces requires the consent of
both before it can be of any practical
effect and it will not have the consent
of the insurgents.
Suppose Havana was blockaded," said
Senator Mills, $50 that no provisions
l.,1d fhn I, xya
any way to get any2"
"None whatever, responded Gen. Lee.
isThe town would surrender in short
while" Gen. Lee said that all but about
800, 900 Spaniards of the population of
Cuba w hieh is about /, 500, 600 were Gu.
bans. +"
care all the Cubans friendly to the in
surgents?'' asked Senator Foraker.
~ never saw one that was not, was
the response.
Senator Frye-'sIf Spain has really ap-
propriated S6o0,0o for the sustenances of
the recon centIados as it is stated, do you
believe that it will be given to those and
that their soldiers will be left to starve. !"
Consul General Lee-"Oh, no; there
will be very little Of it paid tc anybody"
Senator Foraker-"W What will be come
of it?''
Consul General Lee-tT They will divide
it up here and there. piece taken on
here and piece taken off there. do not
believe they have appropriated anything
of theskind l see these things on paper
always"
Senator Frye-"You would have no
confidence in it and would not advise us
to put any confidence in it. ("
Consul General Lee" Not particle.
In response to question from Senator
Morgan the general said there We're Anne
ricans left on the island for whom there
is 10 provision since he had left. He
thought active steps would have to be
taken for their relief.
He said he thought Miss Clara Barton
would shave remained to take charge of
the distribution Of supplies, but very
much to my surprise she turned around
and came out the same day we did. -
Miss Barton had said she thought there
was going to be war, and that she had
better get out.
s'She told me coming back, - said GeL.
Lee, e'that the Req Cross policy was to go
behind the guns and not in front OF
then1.''
Senator Frye-''Wha in your Judgment
80 moi