The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-20
NAY RAISE THE MAINE.
Naval Experts Favor Doing
So II Possible.
COMBUSTION IN THE COAL.
Flagship New York Once Had a
Narrow Escape.
SINKING OF BIG SHIPS.
None in the British Navy Ever
Abandoned.

Washington, Feb. 1s-since the
spontaneous combustion theory has
come so prominently to the front
as the cause of the disaster the officials
have been looking over the records to
find a parallel case, as near as may be.
The flagship New York was discovered
on fire March 9, 1896. Smoke was issuing
from her main magazine. This was clear
ed of powder safely and it was found that
the woodwork had been charred deeply.
| The cause was not at first perceptible,
but it was soon discovered that an adj
| joining coal bunker was burning. When
the bunker was opened the coal on top
was not hot, but the men dug down
into the mass it was found to be red hot
| inside. There was no manifestation of
heat on the top of the bunker, nor on any
save the one side next the magazine. The
| belief of the naval officers is that the con-
structors made a considerable air space
between the bunkers and magazine. In
designing the new battleshIp now on the
| stocks the lesson was kept in mind and
everything possible was done to isolate
the coal bunl1ers from the magazines.
Secretary Long has given orders that
at the expiration of this day there need
be observed no longer the order to all
ships and commands to display the ma
tional colors at half mast.
There is no abatement of talk of the ex-
pediency of raising the Maine. Chief Con-
structor Hichborn is one of the most
earnest advocates of the resurrection of
the ship, both from sentimental and prac-
teal considerations. He points out that
the ship lies in a land-locked harbor easy
for the wreckers to operate in and that if
she can be rebuilt at cost of 81, 100000
the government will save 100000, the
first cost of such a battleshlp, with all OF
her equipment. Great Britain, he said,
never abandoned a ship if there was the
least chance to save her, and has not yet
| even abandoned the hope of raising the
| Inflated Victoria, sunk in collision with
the Camperdown off the coast of Syria
| several years ago.
Commander Francis w. Dickens the
acting chief of bureau of navigation and
| Secretary Longs right hand man, in the
| present emergency, said: THE Maine
| must be taken to an American port IL
| there is enough of her bones holding to-
| gether to warrant removal and in all like
lihood that will be done. If the explosion
| was more disastrous than is now thought
to be the case, if the hull is so wrecked as
to be beyond repair, then as much of the
| material can be raised will be brought
shome and placed in a new Maine Ii is
to be remembered that great advances
| have been made Ia shipbulding since the
Maine has been designed, and a finer ship
to bear her name could be built to-day,
but it would take time, and if any consid-
cradle portion Of the ship is good, with
a modernized battery and big improve
| ments in rebuilding the destroyed portions
a magnificent vessel can be quickly secur-
| ed"
Chief Engineer Melville has decided
views in favor of the proposition to rebuild
the Maine. Even suppose she cost $1OOO,-
| O00," said he, SO new ship equal TO the
| Maine would cost nearly $50O0,000 The re-
pairs could be made and the ship put in
service again in a year at the farthest. To
| build a new ship like her would take at
least three years. With regard to the
probability Of raising the vessel, 1t is to
be remarked that larger vessels have been
| raised which were exposed to the waves,
while the Maine is in perfectly quiet har-
Dor. The British armor clad Howe of over
10000 tons was raised off Ferrol, SPAIN in
the open ocean, and H. M. s. Sultan of
| over 5iOuV IOISt was TdlSeu ana SaNeuf dLLef
she sank in the Comyn Channel"
orders have been issued for the enlist
ment Of 300 men for the navy to fill the
vacancies caused by the destruction of the
battleship Maine, and to complete the le-
gal quota. The men will be sent to receiv-
ing ships, from where they will be sent to
ships in commission wherever needed.
Commander-in-chiefS Street of the Union
Veterans has offered to the President the
services of 10000 of the Union forces Of the
country. They could be ready for action in
forty-eight hours
There was a good deal Of talk among the
officials of the need Of speedy relief meas
ures for the benefit of the families of the
victims of the explosions. Under the
treasury rules the allotment of portions
OF pay TO their families made by the men
who perished In the wreck must stop at
once 1t is not doubted that Congress
will do as it did in the case of the Sa-
moan disaster, provide for a years pay
to the families of the sailors who died at
their posts. The difficulty however, is
that such a measure cannot be passed at
once, and meantime some OF the families
Of the dead sailors viii be IN great dis
tress. The subject has been taken up
BY Secretary Long, who has called a
meeting for Monday TO Initiate the move
ment
II happens by the rare chance OF an
unexpected change Of paymasters recent