Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-18
The Mystery Of the Maine.

surrounds the cause of the explosion,
The loss of life proves much greater
than at first announced, nearly three
fourths of the crew perishing with
their ship in this overwhelming
tragedy. In the face of such a sudden
and stupendous disaster. with it's ap-
palling loss of life and property, the
government and the general public are
manifesting a most commendablc spirit
of GOODNESS, and desire to learn all the
facts before an opinion is expressed or
action taken.
1t is natural that such a calamity
should be followed by intense excite
ment all over the country; and coming
of night and in the harbor of Havana,
the explosion that wrecked the Maine
cannot be made to seem an accident,
pure and simple. 1t is not easy to be-
leve that such an occurrence. the only
one in our naval history, could be without
foul play Had it happened in one of
our own harbors the explanation OF
some mysterious accident would he
quite readily accepted. but it makes Il
vast difference on the popular mind
that il was in a hai'bor that if not hos
tile. was certainly not friendly
The accident theory is weakened by
the fact there never has been in a nun
dred years an authentic instance of tn"
stoned ship of war of the United States
by the accidental ignition of her
magazine. OF the thousand or more
Vessels which at one time or another
have been borne on the American
naval lists. it is not known that a sin
gle one, which WAS more than a mere
hulk. ever persisted by this kind of a
calamity. At the same time it must
he recognized that while an accidental
explosion is highly improbable it is not
impossible Foreign naVies have occa-
sionally suffered from these disasters
il our own has not, and absolute i'm
munity from risk in the presence of
tons of high modern explosives cannot
always be secured by the most rigid
discipline and the most thoroughgoing
methods of construction.
=, 81 4
agree in their theories as to the 3N-
plosion. While one holds it must have
been caused by agencies outside the
Maine, another is equally sure that it
occurred in the forward magazine. a
thorough official investigation will be
necessary. and perhaps the true cause
of the awful affair may never h.
known. II is significant that neither
Capt Sigsbco nor Cen, Lee in their re
ports speak of the explosion as an "ac-
cident."
1t is almost Incredible that the
Spanish government OF Spanish officials
could have pcrpctratcd such a bastard
~ and unheard,of outrage. Whatever
we may believe of Spain's cruelty and
her harbaric war methods. it is not
easy to lay such diaboical treache"S'
Maine and the wholesale murder of the
crew. TO believe the Spanish govern
mont entity nf This ,yoIlld lac ia hold il
mob of madmcn determined on their
own destruction and the ruin of their
country. The more reasonable theory
that some Internal contrivance was
struggled on board the Maine in the
stores she has taken in at Havana is
consistent with the suspicion that the
explosion may have been the work of 4
single Spanish fanatic. some hot
headed and cold hearted miscreant of
that nationality. who imagined he was
rendering service to his own country
by destroying a single battleship as she
peaceful harbor.
However we regard the tragedy. from
whatever point Of view We consider 1t
it is one of the @raVest occurrences ouI
government has been called upon t.
consider for many years and the need
of deliberate investigation is imper1
| tive in the excited state of the pubic
mind of both the United States and
| Spain. The full facts of the disast",
are the first need of the hour. FOrtu-
nately We have at the head of the ad
| miniStratiOn an emincntly pacific PreSi-
dent, not likely to he stampeded into
! war by cIamor and suspicion. am
/ capa BILE of keeping to the dictates thai
! investigation shall afford. If the Mainl
| was fouly destroyed our government
! will exact of Spain the sternest retribu-
! ton known to nations; if the explosion
| was an accident, our government i.
| capable of seeing that the public is
/ able to accept the explanation aforda,
| Ivy undsputed facts.
Professor Park of Andovcr figures