The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-02
Evidence at Last
Of External Cause.
Cans of Unexploded Powder
Recovered From Near the
Forward Magazine.

Forward Magazine.
Havana. via Key Wes., Fla, Feb
% The situation. which may be
changed at any moment by fresh dis
coveries, may be summed up. when
this dispatch is sent CHS afternoon. sub
s,astialiy as follows:
The divers having discovered the
cases Of brown hexagonal powder for
the 10-inoh gun une1ploded and be-
lieviug also that lots Of unexpioded
powder would be found 10 the 10-ip -b
msgszine on the starboard side for
ward. the conviction grows that this
magazine did not blow up. II this be
so, aud many have insisted from the
firss that it is. the 6ret conviction is
forced that the explosion which wreck
ed the Maize came from the outside on
the port bow.
As previously wised. the main por-
ssion Of the wreck az seen from above
and noted from below vas blown from
the s.srboard The highest American
officials here are confident that Gen
Blaoco and the other high Spanish
officials had mo knowiedge direct or
indirect Of the conception or execution
Of plot to blow up the Maine. if
such plot existed, but they believe
that the junior Spanish ofh,ess. from
the nature Of things are more COO.
versant With modern explosives than
their elders and superiors. were at the
bottom Of the Disaster, if there vas
amp outside agency. L is pointed out
that it would not beiupossible to plaot
: mine Of vet aud dry gun cotton nesr
where foreign var vessel vas directed
to aochor, such mine connecting with
an electric battery on shore.
IL is regarded as an interesting point
that the Maine, for the frst sine dur
ing her stay 10 the hsrbor, lay at the
particular spot where che Was at the
time Of the cstastrope. aod. it is said.
though not eaioially verified. that the
Maine Was ebe frst foreign war vessel
moored TO this particular buoy since the
troubles in Cuba grew acute.
All stories as to lax discipline on the
maine are without shadow Of truth.
On she contrary Captain Sigsbee was
complained Of by some for the rigidi.y
of bis rules and the stricsnees with
which be eDforced them MOREOVER,
the Maine had been 10 commission for
years aud never had q sc.ious acoi-
dent until anchored in this quiet har-
Dor.
10 reply to . question put by this
correspondents to high American of
6cial as to What the outcome would be
If it was proved that the disaster was
due TO an outside agency, the oficial in
question said :
Sir, .be American people could 20,
be restrained. / mean var. Still,
dop.ss whether it would be necessary
TO Ere shos. Admiral Sicard could
anchor the Iowa. the Indiana the
Massachusetts, and the New York out
side Havana harbor to prevent The
iogress Of food supplies. without which
the city could not exist fortnight.
Cuba is waste of ashes aud desolation.
Even she hotels aud cafes, here in
Havana live from hand to mouth on
supplies brought from the, United
States.
.sIf Admiral Sicard demanded she
surrender Of Havaoa. giving twenty
four hours for the removal of the wo.
men and children, Surrender would
follow. The forts are old structures
and could be demolished by six
pouodsr. Suoh pew guus as have been
mounted are short of ammunition and
have never been tried. II General
Biapco should decline to surrender
the Spanish merchants here, who rep,
resent eighty per cent. of the proper.
sy and pay seventy6ve per cent. o.
the taxes of the island. would compe
him to accede 80 Admiral Sicard's
terms. As for the volunteers. the men
are for the most part the employees Of
taese merchants and the volunteer Of.
fcers are laroeiy their sons or their
junior partners
',Tbese continents represent the
best informed Americans here a
member of the court of inquiry "hc
cooversed with this correspondent So
dag strongly deprecated any premature
expression of evidence of resentment q.
the part Of the people of the United
States until it Was proven that the
disaster resulted from some other cause
than accident. careiessness or the vista