Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-24
SITUATION AT HABANA.
Conviction Growing That Magazine
Did Not Blow Up.

dispatch is sent this evening, substan-
TALLY as follows:
The divers having discovered cases OF
brown hexagonal powder for the l0-inch
guns unexploded. and believing also that
others unexploded will be found I'm the
10-inch magazine on the starboard eide
forward, the conviction grows that this
magazine did not blow up. If this be so,
and many have insisted from the first
that it is the conviction is forced that
the explosion which wrecked the Maine
came from outside the port bow.
As already wired, the main portion Of
the wreck as seen from above and noted
from below, was blown to starbOard. The
highest American officials here are con-
fident that General. BlancO and the other
high Spanish officials had no connection,
direct or indirect, with the conception
or execution Of plot 10 blow up the
Maine, If such a plot existed, but they
believe the junior Spanish officers, who
from the nature Of things are more con-
versant with modern explosives than
their elders and superiors. were at the
bottom OF the disaster, II there were
any outside agency. 1t is pointed out
that IT would not be impossible TO plant
a mine OF wet and dry guncottOn near
where a foreign war-vessel was directed
to anchor such a mine communicating
with an electric battery on the shore. II
is regarded as an interesting point that
the Maine. for the first time during her
stay i'm the harbor, lay at the particular
spot where she was at the time of the
catastrophe. and 1t is said, though not
officially verified, that the Maine was the
first foreign war-vessel moored TO this
particular buoy since the troubles in
Cuba grew acute.
All stories as 10 the lax discipline on
the Maine are without a shadow Of truth.
On the contrary, Captain Sigsbee was
complained Of by some for the rigidity or
his rules and the strictness with which
he enforced them. Moreover. the Maine
has been I'm commission for years, and
never had a serious accident until she
anchored in this harbor.
IN CASE OF WAR.
In reply to a question put by this corre-
spondent TO q high American official as
to what the outcome would be, If it were
proved that the disaster was due to an
outside agency. the official in question
said: "Sr. the American people could not
be restrained-I mean from war. Still. /
doubt whether il would be necessary TO
fire shot Admiral Sicard could anchor
the Iowa, the Indiana, the Massachusetts,,
and the New York outside Habana har-
bOr to prevent the ingress Of the food
supplies, without which the city could not
exist a fortnight. Cuba Is a waste or
ashes and desolation. Even the hotels
and cafes live from hand-to-mouth. on
supplies brought from the United States
IF Admiral Scard demanded the sur
render Of Habana, giving twenty-four
hours for the removal of the women and
surrender would follow. The
forts are old structures. and could be de-
lei ,A ~ 4
as have been mounted are short OF ammu-
milton, and have never been tried. II
General Blanco should decline 10 surren-
der the Spaniar merchants here who
represent so per cent. Of the property. and
pay 20 per cent. OF the taxes Of the island.
would compel him to accede TO Admiral
Sicard's terms.
As for the volunteers, the men are
for the most part the employees Of these
merchants, and the volunteers, Of course.
are largely their sons or their junior part
ners II is well to look these things in
the face. At the same ttme II is well for
the Americans TO restrain themselves
until there Is some proof Of an outside !
agency for the explosion. We can afford |
10 wait little longer, seeing that we have !
waited so long. We could not wait after |
it had once been proven than the Maine |
disaster was the result Of y dastardly !
plot.
Spanish officials from the Oh Country |
hold 10 the unaccountable belief that |
their arms would overcome us IN a few |
weeks, but the Cuban merchants have no |
such delusion, and they would control the
situation Hence, l believe thar no shot
from big American gun would be neces-
sary."
THE COURT IS COOL
These sentiments fairly represent those
Of the best informed Americans here.
ANY moment, however, may chronicle dis
coveries at the wreck that would change
All this. A member of the court of in
,uirv who conversed with this cores
nondent to-day strongly deprecated any
premature expression or evidence OF re-
sontrnent on the part of the people OF the
Trnited States. until 1t was proved that
.bo disaster resulted from other cause
,han accident carelessness, or the Nlsl-
teton of Providence. Certainly the
Of the court OF inquiry COOL
axnerienced. and judicial, VIII not lose
their heads. - ,,oi,. NOS
blown up by an outside agency 'ns as 49,
Nos mine. and not torpedo. as no tor
pedo known could nave
results. II, tonic
:, ~ as,nlosion continues the main topic
d, al circles. but especially the AMER
IL, y 49, II IS useless to deny that many De
Eve i'm an outside agency. rms Is op-
'or,,ed in even cursory examination
hat the disaster could not have orisi-
,ated from within. 1t is pointed Out tnat
he main magazine forward was nlleu
Vim brown hexagonal powder In proper
aces and would be slow 10 ignite "hi'e
I'M the high explosives vere art.
II &c generally conceded that neither the
,oiiers the electric wires nor spontane-
ma combustion could. from the very con-
Iition OF things, be responsible.
The wreck has sunk several Feet al
eadv in the soft mud and VIII probably
continue 10 settle
MINES IN HABANA HARBOR.
An American officer Of rank sufficient
o entitle him 10 the command Of a ship
Is authority for the statement that
Spanish naval officer some time ago sold
to the washington State Department a
map OF Habana harbOr showing sub
marine mines. The Spanish residents
deny this statement and say that the
mines exist only in imagination. The
III we told you that your baby
- Wasstartug. that IL actually didn't