The herald., 1898-03-07
NO DOUBT FELT
AS to Result of Maine
| Inquiry
A MINE WAS EXPLODED
THE QUESTION NOW Is WHAT
WILL BE DONE
NAVAL OFFICERS AT HAVANA
Look For Prompt Occupation of Cuba
and the Reduction Of the
Capital City
NAVAL OFFICERS AT HAVANA
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
HAVANA, (Via Key WesD, March g.
AS the conviction becomes settled that tn
, court Of inquiry will decide that there wa
a mine explosion under the Maine, discus
sion among American naval officers ant
civilians here Is prevalent as to, the war
like measures which it is believed th'
United States government will adopt il
case the question OF the payment of in
demnity by Spain is overruled. A majorit.
believe that American troops will bt
landed at some port east Of Havana. ant
the insurgents communicated with, tina
the Spanish soldiery will be defeated Of
captured in detail, and that in the mean.
time fleet of United States vessels will
blockade, If not lombard, Havana No one
seems to doubt that the reduction of this
city would be comparatively easy. -Four
12-inch guns. two west and two east Of the
city. are the only ones that are considered
| dangerous These are not likely to be
we'll served, while their emplacements are
not modern.
That some Spaniards are of the opinion
that an attack on Havana will be made.
! is believed to be shown by the abnormal
| activity displayed. on board the Vizcaya-
The Associated Press correspondent has
| the best naval authority for the statement
4 that the Vizcaya Is in a constant state OF
readiness for emergency, and that picket
I boats are on the alert day and night inside
the harbor, and outside the harbor at
night.
1t is pointed out that the men-of-war
/ ViZcaya and Almirante OQuendo might
be caught in blockade and fall an easy
| t<o TY,,t%, ,;r
Alfonso XIII. is without boilers, and would
be of no account All this discussion OF
the probability of war among the Ameri-
cans and Spaniards proves nothing. and
only shows the state Of feeling here.
The conduct of-the Spanish divers who
are investigating the wreck Of the Maine
is mystery. Thus far they have not
| been down five hours in the aggregate
and they show no disposition to make a
thorough inquiry.
| 1t Is impossible to learn the truth fully
regarding the purpose of the Spanish court
of inquiry, but it is generally believed that
| the divers went down for FORMS sake
only. and that report will be made in ac-
cordance with instructions from Madrid.
1t may be that the Spanish divers have
discovered that the whole port side of the
Name forward is gone, and, having so re-
ported, further examination is deemed un-
necessary. Tho work of our own divers
henceforward rs bound to be slow, owing
to the ponderous weights to be moved, and
the safety clamps. bolts and rivets that
must be cut
speech in the senate on his return that will
have great weight in determining the fu-
ture policy Of the United tSates. He is
much affected by the suffering he found
in Matanzas, and highly indignant at what
he calls the 'fnhumanity Of the course pur-
sued" During q visit to Artemisa, this
province. he saw thousands Of reconcen-
trados who refused to beg, though starv-
ing They were evidently of a class ac-
customed to make their own living. and
unwilling to become paupers. He saw
thousands of acres of the best tobacco and
banana lands In the world reduced to
waste, with trochas and garrisons at
every village and cross road. His driver.
pointing to the mountains miles away.
said: 'There are plenty Of insurgent
camps there that the Spanish have never
discovered"
The work Of distribution Of American
relief under Miss Clara Barton, Mr.. Elwell
and their assistants rs, in Senator Proc
tors Judgment, carefully and effectively
carried on. The demand is far in excess
of the supply. The supplies expected at
Matanzas and Sagua la Grande. to be
brought by American cruisers, will af-
ford unspeakable relief.
Now that the Almirante Oquendo and
the Vizcaya are lying in the harbor, the
Spaniards exultingly declare that their
city Is safe, and 1t is given out officially
in the newspapers that the new arrival is
of the same size, armament and compile
ment as the Vizcaya-
ATTACKS ON CONSUL LEE
MADRID, March 6.-For several days
the newspapers have been violently at
co. 0-r ma
The Imparcial, after remarkfng that "An
American newspaper has insinuated that
General Lee is a member of syndicate
desiring to purchase Cuba" says; s'IIis
Ill will toward Spain is SO marked that
even newspapers inimical to Spain are re-
marking on it,
The Imparcial calls upon the government
to demand the replacing of Consul Gem
eral Lee, who, instead of Tightening the
bonds Of friendship between Spain and the
United States, daily renders the situation
more threatening. 1t adds that the next
session Of the cortes will CONSIDER Con-
sui General Lees conduct"
The Havana correspondent Of the I'm
parcia1 says:
among the packages of food sent by the
Americans to Cuba, the customs officers
found watches, jewelry and other contra
band articles. All such parcels were con-
signed to Consul General Lee. who is said
to have energetscally protested AGAINST
such contraband, declaring that it was
without his knowledge"
Other papers accuse General Lee OF be-
Ing better disposed toward the Cuban in
than toward the colonial goyern-
ment.''
The Spanish press however, in nowise
reproaches United States Minister wood
ford. whose conduct Is irreproachable.
and who seixes every opportunity to ex-
press pacific septfments."
WORK ON wARsHIPs
PHILADELPHIA, March 6,-Todav was
I repetition Of last Sunday in the general
activity Of the League island navy yards |
Workmen were busily engaged upon the
cruiser Minneapolis. the monitor Mianto- |
nomah and the ram Katahdin: n addi- |
don work was going on In the mould loft |
and several forges were ii Operation IN |
the blacksmith shops. The utmost refi- |
oenoe prevailed among the otilcere. sailors |
and worlkmen ct tho ysfd. and ii w I'm I
possible to obtain any 61lcial detnil of fhel
work going on It wa evtdant. hoWever
That Al work ~ belnx puq91ed u rapidIy /
r po6Giblel The work ou ~ 1rln6ean. I
~ n1ld AIa1o onozilsls IN III h1loV Z eeFr.
81 n 1xilf i1-I