The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-02-18

due in every respect and solely and
simply@-to an accident. That is the
clear and unequivocal statement OF
the authorities at Havana and all the
evidence thus far available goes to sus-
tain it,,
Asked if the disaster possibly could
have any adverse effect upon the re-
lations between Spain and the United
States, he responded with decided
negative and the statement that the
affair was wholly an accident
Senior Du Bose fastened to the state
department soon after receiving the
Rlanco cablegram for the purpose of
expressing his deep coincidence to the
authorities and of communicating the
captain generals dispatch to Secretary
Sherman and Mr.. Day, the assistant
secretary. To both of them he eX-
pressed personally and officially the
most profound regret.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-Two mem
bers of the cabinet who spent some
time with the president Wednesday
state that everything so far received
indicates that the loss of the Maine
was due to accident. Capt. Sigsbee, in
his kilograms from Havana, states that
he is not prepared to express an Opin-
ion on this point.
New YORK, Feb. IA special cable
to the Evening Telegram from Havana
says:
Vice Consul Springer has just as
sured me that all the officers were
saved except Jenkins and Merritt, who
are missing. Mr. Springer says at
least 800 lives were lost.
Capt. Sigsbee was on deck when the
explosion came 1t was in the bow of
the vessel. A sentry stationed at the
bow was unhurt He had seen moth
ing suspicious.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-There was no
smOkeless powder on board the ship,
and the ten-inch ammunition was
made up of brown prismatic powders.
! Not only is this powder most carefully
packed in Theoretically sealed copper
cases, but it's heat resisting qualities
are SO great that it can not be ignited
by the flame of a match, 600 degrees
Fahrenheit being the amount of heat
that must be applied for some time to
set off the powder. On the other hand
it is readily ignited, as in the case of
the charge in a gun, by the explosion
of good quantity of illuminate. Ev-
cry precaution is adopted aboard ship
to safeguard the magazine
CHICAGO, Feb. 17.-Commodore J. E.
Montgomery, once of the United States
navy, a commanding officer of the con-
federate fleet during the civil war, and
the man who raised the frigate, after
ward the ram Merrimac, was very
emphatic Wednesday in declaring the
sinking of the battleship Maine in
Havana harbOr the result of treachery
and an act without parallel in the
worlds history. In his opinion war
must inevitably follow.
WASHINGTON, Feb 17.-Among the
matters discussed by the president and
the members of the cabinet meeting
Wednesday was the question of the eX-
pediency of Immediately sending one
or more warships to Havana to take
the place of the Maine, and the con-
clusion is understood to have been
reached that at present such course
was not desirable. At about half-past
one o'clock it was authoritatively
stated at the white house that the in
formation so far received indicated
that the loss of the Maine was the re-
suit of an accident, and that in the alb
sence of evidence to the contrary this
should be assumed to be the fact.
Inasmuch as suspicion exists in some
quarters that a torpedo was used
against the Maine, it may be said that
the majority. of naval officers believe
that the character of the explosion was
hardly such as could be attribu to
torpedo. The latter, charged with
about 100 pounds of powder or gun cot
ton, it is believed, would have torn a
large hole in the bottom or side of the
Maine, but was scarcely likely to fire
the magazine, which is not near the
bottom
1t is said at the navy department
that there is no lack of precedent for
such disasters as that sustained by the
Maine, all of which can be traced to
accidental causes. In 1885 the United
states man-Of-war Missouri, then lying
at Gibraltar, was totally wrecked by
the explosion of her magazine. Another
case famous in naval history is that of
her majesty's ship Doterel In 1887 she
was lying at anchor off Puenta Arenas
in the Straits of Magellan. An explo-
sion wiped the ship from the face of
the waters and left almost none of her
crew alive. This was another case of
magazine explosion, though it may
have originated in the coal bunl1ers or
boilers.
New YORK, Feb. 17.-The Herald's
list of those who were saved from the
wreck of the Maine and are accounted
for is as follows:
j. w. Allen, TOmpkinsville; Oscar Ander-
son. New York; w. Anderson; VIM. Anthony;
Charles Bergman, New York; John II. Bloom
er. Portland, Me-; Chas. II. Bullock New
York; Francis ID. Cahill. Boston: Chris |
Hansen; Daniel Cronin, New York; John Cof-
fey and George David, seamen, New York
Augustin j. Dressler. apprentice New York; !
Thomas j. Durcll. seaman. Boston; Andrew V. |
Erickson, seaman New York; Patrick Flynn !
fireman, League Island; Patrick ]. Foley. APP |
prentice. New York; -- Dancl1 League |
Island; c. p Golpin, League Island; VIM /, |