Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-03
IMPORTANT L0PMENT
Examination Of Interior HrsCkase Of
BattleShip Maine Indicates That
EXPLOSION OCCURRED OUTSIDE
Some Small Magazines May
Have Exploded
BUT THE PRINCIPAL Owe DID NOT

BUT THE PRINCIPAL Owe DID NOT
Washington, Feb. 24.-The Evening
Star has received the following cable
gram from Charles NJ. Pepper, it's staff
correspondent in Cuba
Havana, Cuba, Feb. 90, via Key
Weet, Fla, Feb. "a. AT this writing
divers are developing important re-
suits. From an examination Of the
interior wreckage they have secured
eridence which sesms conclusive that
the explosion came from underneath the
shin. Some OF the smaller magazines
may have exploded, but the main 10
inch magazine did not explode. The
condition OF the interior of the ship
shows further probability of the wreck
ing having been due 10 outside force.
| The further the investigation progresses
the more untsuuble becomes the theory,
which the Spanish government ad-
| duced, 10 show accidental cause. 1t iH
evident that the Spanish case will be
baspd On the claim that a FIRE preceded
the explosion. Capt. Sampson and his
colleagues of the navdl board may have
outside evidence offered regarding tor
| pedo float producing the explosion.
Said one diver who had been en-
gagged in the work of getting bodies out
| from under tine hatch: God may be
merciful to the men who blew those
poor fellows to eternity, the United
States should not" This was before
Secretary Longs order prohibiting
officers from talking was issued. This
diver evidently thought that the ex-
plosion was not an accident. He had
an experts capacity and opportunity
for Judging.
The Havana public is not permitted
to know the intensity Of public sspti-
ment in the United States. Only
meagre details Of what happens In
Washington are permitted to be known.
| Congress is watched with excessive
anxiety by palace officials, but the
pvpulace knows nothing OF what is
liable to happen.
Havana, Cuba. via Key West, Fla,
! Feb. 24.--In connection with the claim,
made by Cubans, that there are mine
galleries under the harbor of Havana.
| leading from suhterranean passages and
/ known to have excited for years, be
| tween Fort Cabanas, MORO Castle and
| this port, the SpRniards explain that,
for over century, subterranean pas
sage, about two miles long and eight
feet at its narrowest diameter, capable
OF giving passage to column OF troops,
| has existed from the navy yard tc
| Castillo del Principe. and further assert
| that the existence Of this passage was
not known TO the present authorities oil
| to those who have been in power fol
| many years. The entrances and exits,
it ia added, have been closed for years
BY thick walls, now covered with
debris, and their exact location is sale
to he lost. At the same time, it is Rd
mitted that records regarding the sub
terraueap passage can be found in ole
documents contained in the archives
of Havana. Finally, the Spaniards in
siHt that this passage does not go undel
the harhor at any point
Liverpool, Eng, Feb. 20. -Senol
Dupuy DE LONE, who arrived here to
day, on board the White Star Lint
steamship Britannia, is quoted as say
ing in an interview: 81 have dacidec
not to speak on the subject of my
letter to Senor CRnalejaa. l can gay,
however, that | have been from thi
first the victim of Misrepresentation
The news published in the American
papers, and sent to this country anC
my own, was, from beginning to end
made up Of lies OF tho most infamous
character. The allegation in the Ameri-
can papers that the terrible explosion
OF the Maina was the outcome of 1
Spanish conspiracy is, in my opinion
another instance o. the reckless ma annel
in which the newspapers in Americi
work upon popular prejudice. "
st. Louis, Mo-, Feb. 25, = Gen
William ii. Powell of Belleyille, Wit
was in command of the regiment il
which President Mckinley servet
during the late war and who wa
recently appointed collector Of interna
revenue for the Southern Illinois dis
trict, returned from Washington yester
day. He is a personal friend Of Prosi
dent Mckinley and said that while a
Washington he discussed with tn
chief magistrate the Maine disaste
and its possible results. 1.-The Presiden
stated to men said Gen. Powell tina
he was only waiting for Il complete re
port OF the naval board of inquiry ant
that should it report that our sailor
had met their death through Spanisl
treachery he was prepared TO act a
once ard in a manner which woult
meet the approval of every loyal Ameri
can citizen"
London, Eng. Feb. %, "A ccordinl
to a special dispatch from Madrid, re
ports received there from the Unitet
States, to the effect that the publi
opinion 10 the latter country is hecom
ing more excited, owing to the impress
sion that the loss Of the Maine was no
dus to an accident are "restirrin.
popular feeling here in MadridI, ant
the conviction is increasing 10 minis
terial circles that the worst must b,
expected"
Continuing, the special dispatch says
1.-THE government has no choice, !
the United States adopts a threatening
attitude, for the prospect of war i
popular with all parties, aud the morI
excitabla newspapers are already urginI
the government to take measures Il
enable Spain 10 strike the first and de
cisive blow"
Washington, Feb. 26.-The court o
inquiry into the disaster has determined
not to return to Havana for further in
vestigation, IL being satisfied as TO tn
cause of the Mninr's Q olosion. What
ever will be the report of this court
the divers who have examined th
wreck are satisfied that tho terribl
disaster was due TO an explosion from
without the batteship, and they hav
so testified, IL is believed that tn
cause OF the sSplosinn was torpedo
and not submarine mine. A report i