Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-10
Naval Court Ready to Report on Short
Notice.
PROOF OF EXTERNAL EXPLOSION
Some Doubt as to the Perpetrators
of the Crime.
w H AT PROCTOR KNOWS

| Copyright, 1885. by Chs. N Peprer)
Special Cablegram From. a staff Correspondent
| HAVANA. March .. via Key West. Fla,
March 9.-These things are known in Ha-
4 vana at this writing: The naval court can
| report the results OF it's investigation of
the Maine disaster within three days, IL
| the report is desired in Washington that
| soon; IL not, II will continue on what
amounts to waiting orders. digest of the
divers and other expert testimony is up TO
date. There is absolutely nothing showing
accident, but mass OF positive evidence
| showing foul play.
1t is believed the proof of an explosion
| from external cause is stronger than the
Spanish admiralty board expected though
the Spanish divers have not made a
| thorough examination. There is no telling
! when the Spanish inquiry will be concluded
but officially the accident theory will be
| maintained.
Regarding the persons by whom the ship
was blown up, it is doubtful whether the
| naval court has been able to reach a con-
clusion, though some of the stories told
| the court are not beyond investigation
Findings TO Go to Congress.
The court seems to be working with the
| impression that all it's findings will be laid
before Congress. The naval policy of the
United States puzzles people here. The
Spanish classes do not like the presence of
the Montgomery, although they compare
her unfavorably with the Oquendo and Viz
| caya- The suggestion has been made that
Captain SIMPSONS ship, the Iowa. come to
Havana and take the court back to Key
West. The public here is just beginning to
appreciate the significance of what has
| been happening in Washington.
| The aufpnprniSt l,a
| hope of discounting adverse reports of Gen.
eral Lee and other consuls on autonomy
The proceedings of Congress are watched
closely. but only the most meager accounts
are permitted publication The general
public has some inkling that the United
| states is making preparations for war as a
| means of insurng peace, but this has not
| caused any abatement of the war feeling
among the Spanish That feeling grows
ProctOr's Visit Instructive
| Senator Proctor's visit has been an in
| structive one Thorgh he declined TO be in
| terviewed on political subjects, some points
| may be given. He has been getting I'D
| before daylight of mornings and travelling
| over the country to see for himself. His
| impressions are therefore not based mere
| ly on what can be seen or heard In Ha-
| vana. 1t may safely be said the senator is
satisfied that the horrors of the concen-
| trado policy have not been exaggerated or
| the suffering Of the people oyerstated He
| has learned also that the decentralization
| of Spanish authority could not be greater
while, from military standpoint the
| inability of Spain to end the insurrection
demonstrates itself. 1t is probable that
| when lac comes to talk to the President
or to his colleagues in the Senate, he will
declare the opinion that the failure of
autonomy and of everything else has
| brought matters a point for American
| Intervention. This is independent of The
Maine incident
Easiest Way is TO Fight.
In view of all he has learned, L should
not be surprised if Mr.. Proctor tells his as
sociates that if Spain insists fighting,
| the easiest way of solving the Cuban situ-
alton is to crafty her. Col. NJ. NJ. Parker
| who has accompanied the senator in all
| his Journeys. will return convinced that