The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-15
OISCONTENT or OFFICERS
THE RETURN OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY
YEARLY AWAITED.
Fern Has Uneventful Trip 10 Dispensing Food.
The WinsIOw Arrives -TorpedOes
Cause Local Excitement.

Key West, Fla, March 14.-The Uni
ted States dispatch boat Fern arrived
here this afternoon from Matanzas.
The Ferns trip was uneventful. She
reached MatanZas on Saturday and at
once began discharging provisions into
lighters. On shore few persons had
gathered, burt there was no demonstra-
tion OF any kind. The share of prOvis-
ions for Matanzas was gotten rid of In
u busfneSs-hke way and the Fern sailed
for Sagua La Grande, where the same
program was gone through on Sunday.
the operating of landing the stores oc-
cupying about six hours.
United States Consular Baker boarded
the Fern upon her arrival at Sagua.
He was Oyer-jOyed to see an American
ship once more even thOugh it was only
the little Fern. The Consul said there
were about $4,000 starving recOncen-
tradOes in ms district. An officer of the
Fern said to the correspondent of the
Associated Press to-day:
1T seemed as if the gladnesS of the
Wretchcd lCnbans at our arrival was
stitied by the oyerpOwering dread that
hangs above the people of Cuba and that
could not be dispelled even with the
coming of the food for which they
longed. Naturally, we saw little. Ours
was no exploring trip. Bnt we saw
enough to convince us that the stories
emanating from Matanzas and especially
from MatanZas and especially from
Sagua La Grande were not eXaggera-
ted"
The Fern will probably go back with
more provisions about Friday. The tor.
pedOes and shells which arrived Satur-
day were transferred to-day to Fort
Taylor and considerable local excitement
was raised over rumors that they were
being placed in position. An officer
who would be connected with such work,
however, denied this report and said:
When you see these mines or tor
ped0es being placed you can make up
your mind that war is more imminent
than it is at present. They will not be
put in position until the last moment:
for however good the mine, it is always
liable to become useless through the ac,
ton of the water.
We are not going to risk the useful
ness of expensive explosives by prema
ture submersiOn. All these torpedOes
can he laid in twenty-fOur hours. If we
iald them now they would not only he
liable to cOrrOsiOn, but everybody on the
island would get an idea of their posi-
tionS.
The delicate nature of these defense
torpedOes seems hardly to have been
realized by theorists as to the Maine
explosion. 1t is incOmprehensible to me
that the Spanish government in times of
peace allowed high power torpedOes to
lie at the mercy of the water in Havana
harbor. It would be against the judg-
ment of all experts and the practice of
all governments for, nowadays these
weapons can be laid at the shortest no.
ticc
Although | do not think Havana har-
Dor was mined. / know there are tor
pedoes in MOrrO Castle and the Naval
Arsenal that can he put in position very
quickly"
The return of the Court of Inquiry is
wearily awaited, especially by the Off
GERS of the Maine, who will have been
here a month next Wednesday. They
have been expecting to go to their homes
on every boat of late. and now the hope
deferred. added to the fact that tn FEY
Continued on fifth page.)