The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-28
c
! INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS. s s
@ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY A MODEST CRITIC.

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| Before the issuance of the order
which compelled the reticence Of naval
orncers anent the Maine horror, Adj
mlral Bunce, than whom there is no
more respected officer in the marine
branch of the national service, prac-
tically Endorsed what appeared here a
week ago, viz, that it is possible we
may never know what the initial agent
was that destroyed the ship; if we ever
90, the probabilities are that we shall
learn only when what is left Of the hull
mas been raised and inspected by ex-
perts. The finding of unexploded ex-
piosiVes means nothing; 1t is no clew
Whatever, and the Examiners silly
story about the cap Of a torpedo being
lound In what remains of the battle
snip Is twin to other lies which have
appeared In that paper. This was told
IN an attempt to prejudice local opin-
ION, and In an attempt to show that the
Maine was destroyed by an anchored
torpedo" If the faker only knew some
thing about buoyant mines it would
nave suggested that part Of the case
or one had been found in the Maine.
This hint had better be watched closely.
for 1t will possibly be cooked anew by
some commissioner" as a special dis
patch.
The Havana calamity, 1t may seri-
ously be hoped, will not prove an I'M
mixed evil. That it has drawn express
attention to our national defenses is
one or the balms that may help to
soothe bleeding hearts. The nation is
all too prone to sleep in the proud
safety which matchless natural re-
sources provide. Knowing that we are
practically uncomfortable, we invite Sc
rlous annoyance by carelessness that
approaches neglect. General Miles
statement of the condition of the de-
lenses of New York is not exaggerated;
that able soldier sees things as they
are and is not afraid to tell the truth.
Not only do we need trained men to
man guns. Notifications in which to
mount cannon, ammunition that can be
depended on and a perfected system of
lana defense, but the navy should be
strengthened SO that we may in the
very near future efficiently protect our
growing commerce. 1t may be pre-
sumed, too, that this serious casualty
Will open eyes before blinded to the stu
pidity of attempting to make empire
while the whole of the present seaboard
is so open to attack.
In Frederick w. Lawrence the Ex-
am1ner once had commissioner to
Cuba. This person should never have
been heard of were he not his brothers
brother. But he is, and so he is per-
mitted in the weekly edition of the
orp1mental screed to say what he thinks
he knows of "Torpedoes at Havana"
I have heard it stated" says the
youth, "by Spanish naval officers, that
there is not spot in the entire harbor
large enough to accommodate an ordi-
nary-sized ship that is not protected
by torpedo" Exactly, enfant You
are pocket edition of Julian Haw-
thorne-you believe all you hear-you
know nothing yourself-you are of
the supine of the earth. Listen to the
dolt Gle is talking of firing a buoyant
mine of electricity from the shore):
"Of course no one except the high Off
knows the secret of where the torpe-
does are located, or has any knowl-
edge Of the manner Of working the ap-
paratus, so that any torpedo at any
particular spot may be exploded with
out exploding all of them" 1t is no
part Of the duty Of this paper to edu-
cate the Lawrences, but the merest
tyro in torpedo defense should know
how securely buoyant mines electrical
ly connected are locked against inter-
ference from. outsiders. Current is not
generated by imagination-no, not even
when so red-eyed as that of the Ex-
aminer's commissioners. A dynamo
might be called in to assist.
Generally speaking, submarine de-
Tense is intended alone to prevent en-
trance to harbors; not for the destruc-
ton of ships therein. Mines are laid
in navigable channels-not in anchor
ages. The idea of Havana being
"sown" with torpedoes is fit for the
conception of a child-like and bland
mind-the mind of an Examiner COM
missioner.
AS pointed out a week ago, much
force attaches to the question as to
whether the Maine was anchored on
ground usually used for that purpose
If Captain Sigsbee was compelled to
moor at a buoy, that one fact would
excite grave suspicion, but until it is
known with certainty it is fair to dis
miss the possibility from the mind
1t is an established principle that war
ships must, wherever possible, depend
on their own. moorings, and, presuming
the Maine did this, her destruction by
a buoyant mine is extremely improb-
able. If her commander had no choice
of location, this bit of circumstantial