The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-17
SENATORS VERY SORE.
Morgan FaVOrs Building Two
New Ships.
PERKINS MOST POSITIVE.
Thinks Chances 999 to 1000
Ii Was Torpedo.
WHEELER READY FOR WAR.
Famous CaValUman Would Be a
Hero Again.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Morgan of
Alabama a member of the committee on
foreign affairs, said;
"In the absence OF definite information
as to the causes and results of the Maine
catastrophe / would not venture an opin-
ion upon 1t. If IL was an accident, as the
first dispatches seem to indicate, 1t was
most deplorabe; II it was due 10 treachery.
as some are inclined TO believe It Is moss
heinous and no penalty would be too Sc
we're for those responsible for It,
but whether the calamity was due td
accident or treachery. / should like seq
adopted in Congress a joint resolution pro.
vidlng for the immediate construction OF
two batteships equal In size and equip-
ment 20 the Maine, and costing not dol-
lar less than the ill-fated Maine cost Ac-
ton OF that kind by us would indicate to
the world that whenever or wherever one
of our tentacles was cut off two would at
once grow in It's place
ut seems almost out of the question
that It was the result of an accident.
It is usual for a ship of the Names class
10 carry her magazines in her bow where
the explosion seems to have occurred.
But / can say nothing OF that now.
cannot guess and speculate 1t is an
awful calamity. Let us await the par
ticulars
Senator Perkins of California, who has
been a navigator all his life and knows
thoroughly every detail In the construc-
tion and handling of great ships, said:
Il cannot conceive that such an explosion
hat frh ia al tn han
wrecked the Maine could have resulted
from an accident The chances, II seems
20 me, are 999 TO 1900 that the calamity
did not result from accident. II has
been suggested that the explosion might
have occurred while ammunition was be-
ing handled, but that Is scarcely credible
as ammunition on Warship lying at an-
chor is not handled at 10 o'clock at night.
Il am firmly Of the belief that the hor-
ror I'm Havana harbor last night was not
due to accident. / can scarcely conceivs
either that 1t was due to the treachery OF
Spanish officials, or was brought about by
their cognlzance. However the situation
In Havana Is so critical and the Spanish
feel so keeniy what appears to many OF
them an affront that the Maine should
have been In the harbor that II seems noe
unlikely the catastrophe was due to the
action of Spanish sympathizers. That it
was not an accident / feel assured. and
that 1t was due to treachery am convinc-
| ed"
Senator Mills says that the occurrences
was the work OF torpedo. II would not
say" he said, that the Spanish were re-.
| sponsible for IL, but some one must have
been who had a free access to the waters
| of the bay. / do not think 1t could have
been due to an accident and think Com
| gress should Immediately take the matter
up for a thorough investigation. If the
vessel had gone into the Havana harbor
| In time of hostilities between this couri-
try and Spain precautions would OF
course, have been taken, but there was
no more reason to expect anything of the
kind there than there would be In one of
our own harbors. Yes, we should probe
the matter to the bottom"
Senator Gormon of Maryland-It is a
most appalling disaster but no one knows
at this distance, and before any more facts
are given, where to place the responsi-
( biliiy.
Senator Morrill-In my opinion the oc-
currence Is the result of an accident.
have no idea that any Spaniard had any
thing whatever 10 do with Ii.
Mr.. Cummings of New York. member
Of the naval committee, unhesitatingiy
gave his opinion that the ship had been
blown up by a floating torpedo. "It would
| have been easy" he said "for some one TO
1 have fioated a torpedo down upon the shin
as she lay at anchor I believe the Maine
| was blown up"
In speaking OF the ease with which
torpedo could have been placed under the
Maine Mr.. Cummings recalled the occa-
| sion when Cap. Paul Boynton, as a joke,
swan alongside a British warship In New
York harbor and attached bogus torpedo
to her protecting netting.
Representative Mercer Of Nebraska said
| this afternoon: IF the death of $50
| American sailors can, upon investigation,
be traced 70 Spanish origin the American
| people will expect war"
Joseph Wheeler, the ex-Confederate cav
airy commander, a member of the House
| from Alabama. sent the following mes
| sage to the President this afternoon: In
| case Of any trouble with Spain remember
| that my tender of services is on file at the
war department. Joseph Wheeler"