The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-02-23
BLAMsS THs SPANEARDS.
Naval O@cers Think They Blew Up
the Maine.

Naval omcers Think Tacy Blew Up
the Maine.
The Washington correspondent OF
the News and Courier says: Spanish
treachery appears TO De the cause OF
the destruction of the battle ship
Maine in the harbor OF Havana. That
is the opinion OF the best officers OF
the navy. including Chief Nsvsl Con
structor Hichborn. Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt and majority OF the mem,
bers of Congress, who are familiar
with the circumstances surrounding
the terrible event. Although the re-
ports received from Capt. Sigsbee and
Consul General Lee sre lacklng IN de
tail, and the responsibility for the dis
aster is not fixed, the prevailing senu
ment here is that the explosion vas
caused bv the use of torpedoes guided
bv an unirienGly hand. The greatest
excitement prevailed throughout the
city "Wednesday and from early
morning to the hour of closing the
Executive mansion and the navy de,
partmenr have been crowded with
earnest seekers for the latest informa-
ton from, Havana relative to the
Maine disaster.
President Mckinley is disposed to
attribute the terrible calamity to the
Maine to some unaccountsble accident,
but he does not have many supporters
in that theory. The practical men OF
the navy are willing to stake their
reputation upon the assertion that the
circumstances do not admit OF the &C
cident theory.
Chief Naval Constructor Hichborn,
regarded as one Of the best ano most
fearless men in the navy, went 81
over the plsns and drawings of the III
fated snip with your correspondent,
and decided beyond reasonable ooub!
the impossibility" Of such an accidsnt
occurring. He exploded the theory
put out by Blanco in his dispatch to
the Spanish legation here, indicating
that the accident was due to The explo-
sion of the donkey engine, which runs
the dynamo Immediately over the for
ward magazine. According to the plan
of the ship the donkey engine IS en-
ployed in, running the dynamo
It is run one Of the regular
boilers, of which there are
eight, which performs all OF
the auxiliary functions aboard the
ship. Commodore Bicaborn says the
theory of spontaneous combustion
will not hold water, for the character
OF the powder and ammunition, and
the prscaution taken to pro .ect them,
all combine to render such an occur
rance out OF the question. He IS con,
vinced that when the divers come to
take look at ths bottom Of the ship
il will be found that the indentations
will turn inward, showing that the
conclusion came from the exterior N.
stead of the interior OF the vessel.
Nearly all OF the experienced officers
OF the navy agree with Commodore
Hichborn that the destruction Of the
Ma;ue was accomplished by the use OF
torpe5oes. It is known that the feet
inc OF resentment against the \ alted
States by Spanish residents OF Havana
is intense. and there are number OF
Spanish Guiteaus at large in hat city
who would glory n oynanling an
American war snip or 10 assasslnating
an American citizen. Uoder the cir
cumstances it is almost impossible to
locate the responsibility er hold the
Spanish Government accountable for
the i-noisn &C! committed n the mar
bor of Havana under the cover OF dark
ness.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt says
he is convinced that the destruction
of the Maine was no. ar accident. He
says further that It is impossible fer
Capt. Sigsoee TO furnish the world
with detaiei account ct the terrible
happening and the cause of the same.
Capt. Sigsbee was in his cabin at the
time of the explosion, and he barely
escaped halt clad. He received reports
from his subordinate officers ST. eight
bells, S o'clock, announcing that every
thing was well" in the various de
partments OF the ship. According 10
the regulation the magazines were care
fully inspected at S O clock, and the
engineer must have reported every
thing sll rightin the engineering de
partment.
The most reasonable theory ad-
vanced in naval circles is to the effect
that torpedoes we're employed. The
question arises whather they were
sub marine, operated from shore, or
whether they were used, SIS Is freq aent,
~ the practice, by the drifting pro
c.ss; that is, 10 attach two torpedoes
TO cable certain distance apart and
let them drift with the tide toward The
boWIof the ship 10 be attacked. the flow
of The current would cause tnem to
come in contact with the sides o. The
ship, prodacinga concuSsion, followed
by instant explosion.
what tho Survivors Say.
The steamship Osivetts arrived at
Key West Wednesday night with q
large humber Of the wounded ana
MANY Diner survivors Of the Maine