The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-17
An Undercurrent Of Suspicion Is Apparent Despite
All Diplomatic Retcence.
DAY ONE OF INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
Secretary Day Awaiting Report
from Captain Slashec.
ALL THEORIES coABATTED.
hoard Of Naval Ofarcr. ana divers
( To Go nj once 60 Hnsana--No WAR
ship, However. TO Go There.

washington, February ts.-After day
mint and elsewhere, growing out OF the do
strnction of the battlpship Maine in Ila-
saaa harbor last night. the situation to-
night. after the exchange OF number OF
cablegrams between Washington and Ha-
ynna, can be summed i'm In the words OF
Secretary Long. yhcn askea as he was
about TO depart Tor he day. whether no had
reason to suspect that the disaster was the
work of an enemy, replied
Il 10 not In That ara influenced BY the
fact that Captain SisBhoe has not vet ro-
ported to The navy department on the case
He is probably w:llting 10 writo full re-
port. So long as ne does not express him
self certainly can. not should think
from The indications, however, that there
was an aacident-thnt the magazine ex-
ploded. How that came about | 10 got
know, For tho present, ut LEAKS, no other
warshin VIII be sent to Havana
Tho appalling nature OF tho disaster and
the gravity of the situation that would
arise should Investigation give basis for
tho undorcurrent az suspiolon of thc treas
ury and foul play that ran through all
MINDS, had II SOLDERING eject on public men
Of all shades OF politics. The fact stands
forth and is little leps than remarkable
that not single resolution was introduced
or single speech made In either house of
congress- save one OF condoltpcc with the
families OF lhe allied, adonlcd hy he ho,Sa
OF representatives. Public meu EXPRESSED
their oplnious with reserve when approach
cd for interviews. but everywhere there Is
n demand for an Investigation and full de-
tails. In the Hight o. which II thorough orin-
ion may Justly be given
Secretary Long undoubtedly summarizcd
the general opinion of Tho majority OF tho
naval experts IA finding Il impossihie lust
nov 10 stato the caure of ;he disaster 10
the Maine, There arc great number OF
theories, bni most Of them arc OF = char
acter that makes It easy to nroyc o. upset
them by single investigation by diver.
Secretary Long has taken immediate steps
10 make this investigation.
Late this afternoon he teiegraphed Ad-
,niral sioard at Key Wost TO appoint
board OF naval officers to proceed at once to
Havana. employ divers and generally 70
mako such inquiry an the regulations OF the
navy demand shall be made In tho case OF
the loss Of such a shlp,
It tx expected that this work VIII take
some time. while there are officers who say
that in their opinion II viii not be possiele.
owing 10 Tin. possible disrupted condition OF
the hull OF the ship. 10 make out the cause
of The explosion. the opinion Of the majority
10 that the question Will bs easily settled
by the simple observation ni the condition
OF the ships hull plates In the neighbor-
hood OF he hole which sunk her. whether
or not they ARE buIged out. as would b
the case II the explosion came from the In
aide. or whether they are driven IN. ~
would result from the attack Of torpedo
or the explosion OF mine beneath the ship.
The large majority Of naval officers are
inclined to the belief that the explosion