Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-17
TORPEDOsEs IN HAVANA HARBOR.
Statement by Navy Department Re-
gard1n4s Their Presence There.

Statement by Navy Department Re-
sardfn1f Their Presence There.
The Navy Department authorizes a denial
of the statement attributed to Capt Sigs-
bee that he recommended to the depart
ment before, ehe sailed for Havana that no
other ship than the Maine be sent to Ha-
vana beg cause the harbor was too dangerous
owing to- the number of torpedoes planted
in the bottom,
not the slightest hint given that his ship
was to pc Selected for the visit twelve
hours before his departure. He was then
at Key Vest. doing patrol work. and had
fore the telegraph orders from the depart
ment for his, ship reached Key West.
The telegram was dispatched after him
by means or the torpedo boat Ericsson
and was delivered to him at TortugaS that
night. Before daylight his ship was on
the way to Havana and there was no cor
respondence with the department beyond
the acknowledgment of the orders
AS to the statement relative to the mum
Der of torpedoes planted in Havana har-
bor, it is said at the Navy Department
that nobody aside from the Spanish oul-
GERS In Havana knows what has been
done to protect the harbor in that man.
ner.
1t is customary to divide all great har-
bors into sections and in plans of coast de-
tense, to assign places for torpedoes on the
OF these torpedoes is kept a profound
secret, only few officers of the army be-
ing Entrusted with the knowledge. If their
location were known. it would be easy for
an attacking enemy to remove or explode
them without causing harm to their own
vessels.
But it is not usual to keep the torpedoes
actually in their berths in the water in
times of peace: they are placed in the posi-
items assigned to them only war meas
ure. There are some exceptions to this
rule, for instal ce, at Hong Kong. where the
torpedoes are at all times kept in position,
and it may be presumed that the same pre-
caution has been taken in Havana harbor
to guard against an unexpected raid by a
swift steamer that might fall into the
hands of the insurgents.
These torpedoes are not of the contact
type as are called the .orpedoes that are
set to go off upon the touch of the hull of
vessel passing over them. but are
arranged to be exploded only by means of
electric currents sent from shore by buried
wires.
These fixed torpedoes are really mines.
and carry much larger charges than the
small automobile torpedoes discharged
from the torpedo tubes Of war ships.
In view of the near approach to New
York of the Spanish war ship. which has
caused so much comment, although it has
been explained semi-offlcially that she is
merely returning the courtesy exhibited in
sending the Maine to Havana. 1t may be
proper to state that the naval regulations
provide for proper reception of the ship.
The commandant OF the navy yard. Adj
miral Bunce, will look after the necessary
formalities. A salute will be exchanged
with the ship by the shore forts and naval
officers will be sent from the navy yard to
board the visitor and extend to him the
courtesies of the port. An anchorage will
be pointed out and all proper precautions
will be taken to make the stay of the ship
safe and comfortable. 1t is probable that
she will lie in the North river naval anchor.
age. unless she receives other orders from
the Spanish legation.