The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-26
A SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT
ALL AMERICAN OFFICIALS EXCEPT
 LEE TO LEAYE HAVANA.


 
 Report From Key West That the Man grove Has Suddenly Sailed for Havana With Orders to Take on the Officials Sicard Will Not Believe Statement That Havana Harbor is Not Mined-water There Especially Suitable for Such a Defense.
 Key West, Fla, March 25.--The ad- vices stating that the court of inquiry
 had found the Maine was blown up by
 a submarine mine created intense ex- citement here. It was read by eager
 crowds which included Rear Admiral Sicard, elderly captains and cadets. AS frequently stated in these dispatch
 es, most of the naval officers at Key West have held to the opinion, shared by all the officers of the Maine, that the warship was blown up by external means. The minority, who previous to this day, had expressed the conviction that the court would be unable to de- termine the cause was hard to find. All were glad to know that the Maine's fate was rot due to the negligence of her own officers. Intense eagerness for further details is manifested on all sides. Countless opinions are offered as to the possibility of war and arbi- tration. Until a late hour tonight dis cussion was rampant on ship and land as to the outcome.
 The most significant development that followed the announcement of the courts report-a development known to but few-was the sudden sailing of the lighthouse tender Mangrove for
 Havana. The Mangrave was laying quietly at the dock, loading buoys, when orders came about 5 o'clock this afternoon for her to proceed with all haste to Havana and to take on board all the American officials in that city with the exception of Consul General Lee. It is feared here that the knowl- edeg of the courts report has excited the Havana population and brought the anti-American sentiment to cli-
 max Officers of high rank were still reticent Rear Admiral Sicard, how
 ever, said: ''The court of inquiry brought in findings according to what
 it's members believed. Nothing could
 have made them do otherwise. If they
 had been able to fix the responsibility I feel sure they would not have shirk- ed this duty"
 | The attention of Rear Admiral Sicard was drawn to the fact that Spain had officially denied that Havana had been mined. He replied: "If Havana har-
 bor was not mined I should have min ed it. The water there is especially suitable for such method of defense. Spain's denial had nothing to do with the court of inquiry. I should not be- lieve statement that Havana harbor was not mined. The court has not yet
 been dissolved. It Is barely possible
 that more work may be required of it,
 but this Is not probable. The court of inquiry is composed of splendid men. ] am greatly satisfied with their work
 hardly suppose much excitement will be caused by the announcement of the verdict as I am under the impression that 99 per cent. of our own people were already convinced that the Maine
 was blown up externally; and I scarce " IIllHK LIeTe luedS WOulu HdNe CudIB-
 ed even if the court had reported other | wise" When the possibility of arbi- | tration and the ensuing entanglements
 were suggested to him, Rear Admiral Sicard said: '"The Maine case is noth- | ing in comparison with the Alabama
 claims. Then we were opposed to a powerful commercial rival, but now we are dealing with Spain."
 Washington, March 25.-At the White house it was said that official advices | here did not bear out the suggestion of pending crisis in Havana and that there was no dispatches from General Lee of disquieting nature. As to the movement of the Mangrave it was said that her departure was merely in line | with orders issued several days ago to go to Havana and return with the re- l maining officers of the Maine now l there.