The Portland daily press., 1898-02-22
LEE ASKS FOR DIVERS.

Washington, February 2l.-Gen. Lees
despatch was as follows:
Havana, February 21.-To Assistant SEQ
rotary of State, Washington, p. c.:
Great need of divers to get effects and
bodies from the wreck. Two are now
employed, but 10 or 10 could be used.
One hundred and forty-three bodies have
been buried. Very few were found today,
but over 100 are supposed to be confined
in the ship. The sailors now in the two
Spanish iaspitals number IL. Visited
them yesterday. All will recover except
two. They are comfortable and we'll
cared for.
(Signed)
Accordingly Secretary Day made the
following answer Immediately to this
caElegram:
To Lee, Havana:
Have called attention of navy depart.
ment to your request for divers. Same
will be complied with.
(signedl
The naval department helievss that the
scarcity of divers complained of by Gen.
Leo, probably has already been overcome
of divers from the North Atlantic
squadron at Tortugas, and with the neces-
sary apparatus.
A PASSENGERS STORY.
Providence, R. l., February 81. The
Journal prints letter received by busi-
pess man Of Providence from his partner,
Joseph NJ Mann,. who was on board the
steamer City of Washington in Havana
harbor, the night when the Maine blew
I'D. In the letter, Mr.. Mann, who was an
eve witness of the disaster, says:
.sLast night at 9.20 did not think I
would ever write another letter. I thought
my time had come. Our ship was lying
$50 or 200 feet from the Maine when she
went up. Words cannot describe the
awful scene and the minutes that seemed
like hours. The cries from the dying and
woun'ed were something never to be for
gotten, but although it seemed an age, by
minutes 1t was very short time.
1.-THE officers and the wounded men
were brought aboard our ship, the City of
Washington, which was converted into
hospital. Such scenes 1 do not want to
look upon again. Arms, heads, legs etc.,
all shattered. faces black as ick, from the
powder, etc. 1t was awful, too horrible
to imagine. We, all of us, the crew as
well as the passengers gave up what ex-
ira clothing and underwear We could spare
and did all we could to assist"
GOVERNMENT DOESN'T BELIEVE
1T.
has received no information tending to
confirm the despatch from New York to
the Imparcial with reference to alleged
extensive military preparations in the
United States. Admiral Bermejo, the
minister of marine. visited U S. Minister
Woodford this afternoon, in order to com
municate, it is supposed, dispatches with
reference to the Maine.
QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY
Chicago, February 21.-The question
of responsibility which might attach to
the government of Spain in case the
Maine explosion was due to a mine in the
hnrbor of Havana, and was the work Of
a fanatic or an accident, has become
subject of discussion among the lawyers.
The International law is q matter largely
of precedent and a mine explosion in a
fortified harbor in time of peace has no
precedent. Robert T. Lincoln, secretary
of war under Presidents Garfield and
Arthur, and formerly minister to Eng
land, is positive that in case of accident
or If the mine was exploded by Span
ish fanatic, Spain would not be burdened
with any legal responsibility. MIR. Lin
coin says that in neither case would the
slightest responsibility attach to Spain.
Assuming a mine explosion by fanatic
or by accident that would be the end of
the affair. Giving International law
the widest attitude and stretching pre-
cedents to their limit, there would BE- no
liability against the government of Spain.
1t Is an elementary principal Of interna
tional law that government is no way
responsible for the acts of private citi-
zens. Ii it were not so, complications
would be arising continually which would
Continued on Second Page.