The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-26
Various Phases OF
The Maine Disaster

the Maine Disaster
From Town Topics.
IN SIDE from its terrible features of
IAN death and destruction the blow
IU\ ing up OF the Maine was an incl
I0\ dent unique IN the naval history
Of nations. No precedent or par
allcl case can bc recalled. In view of
these aspects OF the affair it well de-
serves q careful. unemotional and un-
biased consider alton, free from the rcck-
less statements, absurd spcculations ana
general sensatiCnalism which have been
accorded it in the daily press. The cir
cumstances under when the Maine was
anchored in the harbur of Havana %ere
peculiar. Both the United States and
spanish governments emphatically pro-
claimed hat the battleshlp's visit was
friendly onc, in the nature of a social
amenity from one nation to another, with
which 1t ives at profound peace; step
intended to publish and to cement the
existing cordial relations. On the other
hand, no one Is so stupid as to fail 10
comprehend the Names real mission and
to appreciate the sentiments toward her
entertained by her osttnsible hosts The
strained relations actually existing be-
tween the two countries and the latent
hostility between their representatives in
Havana and on the Maine respectively
cannot he gainsaid, and it required the
exercise of extreme tact on the part OF
the superior officers on both sides to
maintain the outward appearance OF
friendship. Under these conditions Cap
tain Sgsbec was compelled to assume his
ship rs safe from molcstation in Havana
as If she were in Southampton. Cron-
stadt, Chcrbourg or even New York, well
knowing the while that such was not the
case,
This naturally suggests the all-impor-
tant subject of the precautions that could
and should have been taken to protect
his vessel from harm from without. The
recognized precautions to lie taken by an
anchored vessel against the attack of
moving torpedoes are outlying picket
boats. torpedo nets surrounding the ship
and due vigilance on the part OF those
on board. In the case Of the Maine 1t
would have been discourteous for her to
have surrounded herself with picket
boats: such a step would also have neg
ativcd the avova ais of mutual friendship
between the two countries; 1t is never
taken in time of peace and this was con-
fcssedly a time of peace. Here the point
is to be taken that whatever picketing
and patroling was to be done devolved,
by courtesy at least, upon the Spanish
authorities, just as the safety OF the
Spanish cruiser Vizcaya was insured
by an efficient patrol of the
United States and New York city
boats. Spain was delinquent in this
particular, although, of course. The
old comparison of hindsights and
forcsights is here applicable. Torpedo
nets may be eliminated from the Ques-
ton, as the Maine did not carry them.
They are not in use in our navy and are
falling into disrepute abroad, as they
hamper p vessels movements, and tor
pedoes of recent pattern can pierce them
or dive under them. besides being of such
great power that their explosion even at
the net would, in all likelihood, fatally
injure the vessel within. Even had the
| Inflated vessel carried them their use
would not have been justifiahlc, for the
same reasons applied to the piCket-boats.
| AS for the vigilance on board, there is
not the slightest evidence that II was re-
| laXcd i'm the least from the high standard
which CharactcriZes the American navy.
| The officers of the Maine, from Captain
| Sigsbee, who is a man as careful and
alert as he is cool, courageous and dis
! Greet down to the Junior officers, were
| an unusually efficient and intelligent lot
| of men. Lieutenant Blandin, who was Of
| fcer of the deck at the time OF the eX-
| plosion, is recognized for his capability.
| There were a quartermaster and a sig
mailman. as usual. keenly on the lookout
| and several sentries scanning the water
| for approaching or passing boats, besides
| several of the anchor watch loungng
about.
| Against fixed submarine mines there
are only two precautions: dragging-or
! cOunterminng-and avoidance of the
| spots where their presence is suspected.
! OF course, Captain Sigsbee could not have
I undertaken dragging or counterminng,
| which would have been hostile act not
/ ,nIo t,I nl,a,.s .sis,rr
! the "friendly visit" aspect of the circum-
| stances, he was virtually compelled to
| moor to one of the buoys in the man-ot-
| war anchorage. This is the custom in all
| civilized ports and is generally accompa-
| MED by the designation, by port official,
| of the buoy to be used. This was done
| in the case of the Maine, and there was
no plausible reason why the buoy point
| ed out should not have been taken. Nor
! could he have sent divers down TO exam
| inc the anchorage. This would have been
an impertinent prynG into government
secrets. 1t will thus be seen that Captain
| Sigsbee cannot be justly charged with
neglecting precautions. He did precisely
! what he should have done in the prem
ises. In time of war he would assuretly
have acted differently. 1t was peace, and
! he had to act accordingly even though
| he appreciated fully his danger, and OF
this he had been warned But Sigsbee
| possesses an iron nerve anu udulltlSSs
| courage. lie would have sailed into the
crater of a volcano in obedience to Or
ders. ] know the man.
o.
All familiar with the Maine, her Officers
and crew, agree that the discipline on
| hoard her was admirable at all times
| Her people could have been at quarters
| and her guns commenced firing in less
than two minutes from the sounding ol
| the call TO general quarters to battle. The
| c1oness of all the survivors when tht
| explosion had occurred. and the fOrti'
tude of the maimed and dying, testify tc
the stuff her officers and crew were
made Of. The explosion came, as tho
world knows, like a thunderbolt from &
clear sky. The incidents connected viii
it arc matters of record, and most OF
them are familiar.
There are a variety of agents that
might have caused the tragedy. If pro-
duced by Gesign, the most likely of these
were n submarine mine of great eXplo
siye power which could have caused the
explosion directly; or one Of relatively
small explosive force, or a moving tor
pedO, or an Internal machine smuggleC
on board, any one of which could hav,
caused it indirectly by exploding the YES