The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-24
Leads all Oh0r North Carolina Dai08 in Boh News and Circulation

believe that no shot from a big Amer
lean gun will be necessary"
1nese sentiments fairly represent those
of the best informed Americans here.
Any moment, however, may chronicle
discoveries at the wreck that would
change all this. a member of the Court
of Inquiry who cOnversed with this cor
respondent to-day, strongly deprecated
any premature expression or evidence OF
resentment on the part of the people of
the United States until it was proven that
the disaster resulted from some other
cause than accident, carelesSness, or the
visitation of providence. Certainly the
members of the Court of Inquiry, cool,
experienced and judicial, will not lose
their heads.
One thing seems certain, if the Maine
was blown up by the outside agency, the
agent was Il mine and not Il torpedo, as
no torpedo known could have produced
such tremendous results.
The divers here are those connected
with the warships. They are not accus-
toned to work at any depth or in tur-
bid water. Their apparatus has seldom
Eeen used and the air pumps are apt
to get out of order. Nevertheless the
securing of the cipher code book and the
private correspondence of the State De
partment with Captain Sigsbee was very
satisfactory. The explosion continues
the main topic in all circles, but especial
ly American. 1t is useless to deny that
many believe in an outside agency.
These assert that even q cursOry exam
matiOn of the wreck shows conclusively
that the disaster could not have origin
ated from within.
THE TWO THEORIES.
1t is pointed out that the main maga-
zine forward was filled with brown hex
agonal powder in proper eases and would
be slow TO ignite, while the high eX-
plosives We're aft. 1t is generally con-
ceded that neither the boilers, the cleo
tric wires nor spontaneous combustion
could, from the very condition of things,
be responsible.
The wreck has sunk several feet al
ready in the soft mud and will probably
continue to settle. An American officer
of rank sufficient to entitle him to take
command of a ship is authority for the
statement that a Spanish Naval officer
some time ago sold to the Washington
State Department map of
Havana harb0r showing submarine
mines. The Spanish residents deny this
statement and say that the mines exist
only in Imagination. The Cubans, on the
other hand claim that there are mine
galleries under the harbor leading from
subterranean passages. known TO have
existed for years between Fort CabanaS
and Nalsr4l 4 VI Sff.l and fhiu akolsi
General Blanco, on the night of the
disaster was sitting with General Mari
mas, in the corridor of the palace. When
he heard the explosion he jumped from
his chair, eXclaining at last they have
put a shell in the palace
The latest dispatches frcm Madrid
received here confirm the reports that the
home government agrees to an amplifca-
tion of he autonomous constitution in
the direction of Il greater independence.
This depends upon the insurgents accept
ing the condition Of peace.
In well informed circles it is conn.
IDENTIFY believed that if the government
attempts to disarm the volunteers great
disturbances will enslle. In the pres
ence Of this correspondent Gen. S0lano,
the second chief of staff, said yeSter-
day:
a STRICT CENSORSHIP.
''From the Queen down the sentiment
of I7,000,O00 Of tlla Spanish people
favors complete autonomy for Cuba. ex-
cept IA small minority in Spain and about
400 Spanish residents in Cuba, whose
patriotism is measured by their own per-
sonaiity and their regard for five dollar
pieces. But despite their opposition,
autonomy will come, because Spain is
Wiling to grant the natives political con.
troll and is willing to go so far, if neceS-
sary, TO secure peace, as to make Maxine
Gomez the head of the autonomous gov
eminent
The censorship is very strict and ac.
coqxIing to a recent order all dispatches
must be submitted in Spanish as well
as English. This doubles the trouble
of the correspondents and quadruples
delay. The means of communication in
Havana a large city, are rather prinli-
tive, and the work of visiting ships in
the harbor is tedious. At the palaces
during the hours when Lieutenant Colo
mel Menlez, the Censor, is present,
there can always be found a long line of
newspaper men anxiously awaiting his
approval or disapproyal of their matter
and his affixing of the official stamp, rs
we'll as all proofs of daily newspapers
haIsa and I1Dtfpr fo1 npNS-