The Saint Paul globe., 1898-02-27

tlIS iSN regiments Will be Lieut.. co.'s.
h 5. Williston and William Sinclair,
who will be promoted to the grade of
colonel as soon as the bill becomes a
law.
Du BGSc's Denial.
The government authorities were to-
day placed in possession of the infor-
nation reaching Senor du Bose. charge
daffaires of the Spanish legation, that
no mines exist inside or outside of Ha-
Vana harbor. 1t can be stated that this
statement was made not as a matter
or opinion or personal conviction on
the part of Senor du Bose, but as a
conclusion of fact ascertained from
those whose official position makes
them familiar with every circumstance
connected with Havana harbor.
When the attention of Philip Alger,
expert of the bureau of ordnance, was
called to Senor du Bosc's statement,
he made this statement:
The statement is important as repre-
senting the position taken by the Spanish
ofhcials who have absolute knowledge of
whether or not Havana harbor was mined
1t Is, of course inherently improbable that
such mines existed since it is not customary
10 plant torpedoes in the harbors at ALL
especially not in harbors constantly oc-
cupied by friendly vessels
Should it be possible to prove Senor du
Boscs statement TO be true the whole
theory of the Names destruction by a tor
pedo will become untenable in my opin-
ion. But the only proper course to be now
pursued is to await patiently the report
of the board of investigation and to accept
their findings conclusive.
When the first news of the catastrophe
arrived II was we'll to attempt to aliay eX-
element by pointing out the fact that the
probabilities were greatly in favor of the
explosion having been an accidental one.
Nothing that has yet become known should
lead to a modification of this view. 1t is
still vastly more probable that the cause
was an internal one than that it was ex-
ternal.
There seems. however. to be a prevalent
feeling that the accident theory casts re-
Election upon the navy, and also that its
acceptance would be hurtful to the navy's
interest. The contrary seems to me
to be true. The wit Of man has not yet
devised any implement OF destruction which
accident may not turn against friend with
an effect equal to that which it was in
tended to produce upon an enemy
Accidents will sometimes happen, and 1t
is self-evident that the force of the eX-
ways be sufficient to destroy her il they
are accidentally set fire.
If it was an accident, its cause may be
ascertained and repetition can be guard
ed against. If the modern battleship can be
easily destroyed by an enemy as the ad-
vocates of the torpedo theory believe, then
perhaps it might be claimed with some show
OF reason that such ships should no longer
be built.
But to condemn battleships because an
accident may completely destroy one would
be TO act without reason.
Emergency Preparations.
Acting Secretary Of the Navy Roose-
welt. when asked concerning the prob
ability of war and the condition Of the
navy in case of emergency, said:
| wish you would say that. while we do
not expect war the navy department Is
making every preparation for 1t. The work
OF the navy is gOing on as rapidly as we
could wish. To get into an ideal position
OF offense and defense will consume much
time and great deal of patient labor. Dur
ing the last ten days the labor of the de-
partment has been multiplied.
His words are susceptible of two in
terpretatiOns, both consistent with Of
fetal reserve and caution Working
night and day to prepare for war the
secretary may regard as the surest way
to avert war.
Emergency preparations have been
formally decided upon, and the neces-
sary orders for carrying them out have
been issued by Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt. These preparations include:
First-Orders to vessels in different parts
of the world. looking to their better STRAIT
egic disposition
Second-The shipment of guns and mounts
for auxiliary cruisers from the Washing
ton foundry to the New York navy yard
where in q few hours they can be placed
on board vessels.
Third-The collection of stores and tho
completion of repairs to the cruisers Min
neapolis and Columbia, the monitor Mian-
tonomah and the ram Katahdin.
Fourth-The shipment to the works Of the
Herreshoffs of torpedo tubes and appliances
and torpedoes for the torpedo boats Talbot
and Gwin. which will shortly undergo their
steam trials.
1t was not denied that orders had
been issued to vessels which will en-
tail their movement to different
points, but what vessels are affected
and where they will go are questions
that the department declined to an
SWer.