Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-21
THEORIES OF The WRECK.
A Special Correspondent Of the Herald Tells
OF Havana's Views.

Havana Cuba Saturday 1t is not
yet known what caused the explosion
that wrecked the Maine and net until
diver makes an examination of the
wreck Win It be- positively known
whether the vessel was shattered by an
interior explosion or by an exterior
on. There ar" some difficulties in
pushing This inquiry IN, just wha,
they are can only conjecture
This much know. that | employed a
diver With the intention If having him
MAKE an examination on the part Of
the Herald. Ia dp 50 it was necessary
to obtain the permission of CAPT. Slgs-
bee. and this was refused Courteous
!, ly iNlt firmly. -" captain told III" that
after All III" bodies have been recover.
ed an official examination would b-
made hut not TN then
70 ala In This W1rk ~ rescue at
once offered to Captain Sigsbee the ser-
vices II the Herald = diver The offer
was made at the Inglatcrra hotel
Thursday night. ana was at once ac-
ceptcd Accompanied by tn" diver, /
nut out tu tn" wreck yesterday morn
ing Capt Sigsher Was there In the
gig az the Fern, ana with him We're
three officers ~ the Maine. explained
=, t,r,,i,, ,i,..}.<.. ~. ~. d;,.., ,,.a.
with m. and wished service.
He thanked me, and said that COM
uljcatfnns had arisen which ur.yau,.d
him from using the diver Just then.
Later ~ ~ W"uI4' hut ne Vouia ho' p
that time. An hour later I was on my
.,,.,, Ill III = Il, chtI' p.co..
t''N US ''' H.''7 i'ei''
departing IL cam" 10 me from a trust
worthy source that the complications
r4fp,r.d Il, nv Cantaiu Sigslne hod
,bni,. .r5.Y;,, =, ~. ,,alor.
'i.h 81 'N'H :" wv i'di'''.
the spanish authorities. according to
my informant. fully realize the position
ir ,vhi,.l, ,ha,. bav. -,..n ,lo,.,1 IA. ~,
,,,..,.,.1.i,,..l ,.,I...,.,,, tt, ,,.t
-, ~ - ~ ~ -" '"''
~ l'T li"I' n l'I lh@ St!EA'eSt Crew as
- m cause ~ ii' explosion. J spent iaSt
.hSii u. X t,4"E n''S MAJ might nav" i"d
4" :! 9'iVH''', 'ut t"'i'' ~" 'aIl'"Hta'lN'
"EidrH''' 81" 'AltsInIt result lhe"fieS are
i'f'" III pirhtN. hHl every one ~ these
say one WI 1oh f3dl1t som "'h"F.
\ Nav. N""iH ~ 'N"tHl!dtlNh. com
pdeto az li"utehanj tpmmand.r am
NllGht. m ui ridi'' iioidNtl tilH hl'I i.A-
-Iii'Si LOW ~. hdN "'e!! appointed ny
4P'"H 9i-0'".e. tHt 'fHtftd ~ closely
'Aalb4tlt tit' Nt''h ana report thtti of'ln-
ION as H. th' '.t0Sr ~ me explosion. AN-
c"mPdll'" Joy 'Ptam Si&SbtF. IN" board
pbii'H iH"ul" IN" Wt"tk yesterday. ana
fl"SelH N'fu'lhizGH H. MS inspection
va, 90 G""tN'. H4 rHIS"iN nature ana
y "" ""!y'F+ i"rh'" 'h opinion theN
hrpl y /" themselves
ms m'tlitF ~ i0f ~" serious tnf
nasty 'ohGIuSl"i' was tnv grave reply
I" my question - 90 whether the lnSpee-
t'oa h44 gwen ne "ilr'rS any new ideas
ABOUT Tue 1'rldcnt.
AS nave St''' 'H'rt are theories IN
Pl'h'H' tiN III IN" hlHltltuu" Is on" that
tohlnandS attention. heard II several
times last hiSnI ah': heard II again,
inns morning. ~ Is thaI IN" Maine was
wrecked ny q Suotlihilh. mime ltlu during
tht DAYS 81 Neyler 70 appreciate the
slsnlheanc" 81 the hintS that nave been
given me II y necessary I" explain that
once inside havana hafbor heavy snip
of war has the city at her mercy.
IL Is nor 10 ne supposed that the Span
lafuS neglected the opportunity to plant
mines mere F"uld nave been no mt or
miSchahct ahout Such an operation. Tor
ships entering the port do not anchor.
put are escorted !" moorlns buoNS located
at various places IN the harbor.
Thus the Maine was brought in by
government pilot ana told what buoy she
must tie up to. lhat buoy may have also
marked the location OF mine and other
buoys may serve a similar purpose.
/ am convinced that if such was really
the ease and if the Maine was destroyed
by submarine mine explosion. the act
was perpetratcd without the knowledge
of the Spanish authorities. 1t is conceiv-
able that some fanatic might have dis
covered the location of the mine and its
electrical connection and set the spark
that caused the wreck
| have tried to verify these wbisnered
things, but YOU can understand how well
night impossible that is have also
tried to trace the rumor that what I have
described ms hnon tho cae,. IVA, .hn $50 s,l
cret is in the possession of several mon
and that one OF these is making his way
to Wnshnrton IA teu whnt he Er "rrs