Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-17
INTERNAL ACCIDENT
Spanish Commission Will Report
Maine Disaster Resulted from
Causes on Board Vessel.
NO FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
Remarkable Letter Said to Have Been
Written by Weyler- Report Of the
Naval Court Expected Tomor-
row or Saturday.

Madrid, March II. - The following
semi-official note was issued here today;
The report Of the Spanish commits.
sion ON the Maine is not yet known. but
the statement of several technical Off
GERS, who made a close examination Of
the scene of the disaster show it to be
indisputably due to an internal accident,
American assertions to the contrary are
therefore deplored in official quarters as
tending to mislead public opinion, and
render the situation still more difficult
from the standpoint of maintaining
friendly relations between the two coun-
tries. 1t may be regarded as certain
that should the American technical
commission present report declaring
the disaster to be due to an ex-
ternal explosion the public here will re-
fuse to accept such finding, and any de-
mand for any indemnity based thereon
will be Indignantly repelled by Spain.
United states VIII Determine Question Of
Spanish Responsibility.
New York, March IA dispatch to
the World from Washington, says: A
story is in circulation here that Ladis-
laus Henglemuller Won Hengervar, the
minister from Austria Hungary. in q
recent conference with Assistant Secre-
tary Day, said that he supposed after
the American and Spanish boards of
inquiry into the Maine disaster had sub
mitted their reports the whole matter
would be submitted to an international
board of inquiry. Mr.. Day gave a
negative reply. To this the minister
is said to have excitedly replied that
such was the usual method of procedure,
and the nations of Europe would expect
a sister power to be accorded that cour-
tesy. Mr.. Day responded that the United
States would determine the question of
Spanish responsibility for the loss of the
Maine in her way and without reference
to what the nations of Europe might
expect. This is said to have so angered
the Austrian minister that he used ex
tremely violent language. 1t is said the
matter was subsequently adjusted by
the minister making an apology.
A Remarkable Letter.
The New York journal this afternoon
prints statement written by Honore
f. Laine, the newspaper correspondent
recently expelled from Cuba. Laine
says:
Son January "a, at 10 O'Clock at night,
| met In cafe, lnglaterra Francisco
Diaz, reporter OF the rabid Spanish
paper, La Union Constitutional, with
whom l frequently exchanged news.
Son asking him II he, had anything to
fytx ha &c 1aft m
and handed it to me, saying: Weyler
wrote this letter to Santos Guzman, who
sent 1t to Move, editor of the Union Con-
stitutional, for him to read, and write an
article on the acceptance by Weyler OF
the candidacy for deputy to the Cortes for
Havana. | took this copy which you
can keep"
The letter says: ''Since the latest
events have changed my views about
the attitude that our political party in
Cuba ought to assume If thought be-
fore that it was more dignified for us
to abstain from an electoral contest, l
believe now it is a patriotic duty for us
to go the polls. Our success cannot be
doubted. Write on our flag, the flag for
Spain, Defense of national honor" and
| offer you my name as your candidate.
BY the way, l have read that the Ameri-
cans are ponderlng about sending one
of their warships to that city. During
my command of Cuba they did not even
dare to dream of it. They knew the
terrible punishment that awaited them.
| had Havana harbor well prepared for
such an emergency. | rapidly finished
the work that Martinez Campos careessly
abandoned. Ii an insult is made hope
there will be Spanish at hand to punish
it terribly as 1t deserves.
Report of Naval Court Expected.
Washington, March 17.-The presi-
dent expects the report of the court of
inquiry tomorrow or next day. Both the
president and the secretary Of the navy
are determined to spare no efforts to
maintain the secrecy OF the courts YER
dict until they themselves have deter
mined to give it publicity. The docu-
ments will be sealed at Key West under
the personal observation of Admiral
Sicard, and the naval officer who takes
the papers in custody will be expected
to deliver the envelope, with the seal un-
broken, into the hands of the secretary
OF the navy. Probably the messenger
will be Lieutenant Commander Mark
judge advocate of the court of inquiry.
General Miles Thinks situation Serious.
Major General Miles returned from
Washington today. When asked what
he thought concerning the war situation
he replied: MATTERS look very serious,
but the country is prepared for any
emergency"
New Naval Division Forming.
The Texas and Massachusetts,, battle
ships, are now with Admiral Sicard's
squadron, and have been ordered to
proceed at once to Hampton Roads,
where they will join the cruisers Minne-
apolis, Brooklyn and Columbia and 9th
er vessels yet to be selected, forming the
new naval division.
Disbursements for National Defense.
The first disbursement under the re-
cent act OF congress appropriating $50,-
600, 900 for national defense has been
made by the treasury department on an
executive order for $145, ,955 to be cabled to
London to the credit of Sir William
Armstrong, in part payment for IL rapid
fire guns, including mounts and am
munition. The price including mounts,
etc., Is ~, 200 for each gun. In addi-
tion to this amount the treasury depart
ment will cable to the Rothschilds at
London 81 ,689,821 in full payment for
the Brazilian cruiser Amazonas and in
part payment for the Abreuall.
Movement Of Troop Begun.
Fort Riley, Kas., March 17.-Battery
+, Fourth artillery, destined for For
tress Monroe, Va, pulled out this morn
ing on special train.
BATTERIES Passed Through Kansas city,
Kansas City, March 17.-Batter B,
Fouth artillery, and battery F, Fifth Or.
tillery, arrived In Kansas City last night