The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-20
DESTRUCTION OF The
BATTLESH|P MAINE.

least chance to save her, and has not
Yet even abandonsd the hope of rails
ing the Inflated Victoria, sunk in coll
lision with the Camperdown off the
coast Of Syria several years ago.
Commander Francis Dickens the
Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, and
present emergency, said: The Maine
must be taken to an American port, If
there is enough of her bones holding
together to warrant removal, and in all
likelihood that will be done. If the
explosion We're more disastrous than is
now thought to be the case; if the hull
is SO wrecked as to be beyond repair,
then as much of the material as can be
secured will be brought home and
placed in a new Maine. 1t is to be re-
membered that great advances have
been made in shipbuilding since the
Maine was designed, and a finer ship
to bear her name could be built to-
day but it would take time, and if any
considerable portion of the ship is good,
with modernized battery and improve
ments in rebuilding the destroyed por-
tons magnificent vessel can be quick
ly secured
Chief Engineer Melville has decided
build the Maine. Even suppose this
costs 81 ,000,0 COO" said he, "a new ship
equal to the Maine would cost nearly
$4,000 The repairs could be made
and the ship put in service again in a
year at the furtherest To build a new
ship like her would take at least three
years. With regard to the practicable
ity of raising the vessel. it is to be re-
marked that large vessels have been
raised which were at sea. where they
Were exposed to waves, while the Maine
is in a perfectly quiet harbor, one end
resting in the mud and part of the
other end above water. The Maine IS
ina shallow spot, as protected as mill
pond, and she is only 5000 ton ship.
The British armor-clad Howe, of over
10000 tons, was raised off Ferrol,
Spain. in the open ocean, and H. NJ. S.
Sultan, of over $500 tons, was raised
safely after she sank in Comino Chan
nell"
Orders have been issued for the en-
listment of 800 men for the navy to fill
tho yacapciac oaucad by tho deSt rllc-
ton of the battleship Maine and to
complete the legal quota. The new
men will be sent to receiving ships,
whence they will be sent to ships in
commission, wherever needed.
Commander in Chief Street of the
Union Veterans Union has offered to
the President the services of 10000
men of the union for the defense of the
country. They could be ready for
action in forty-eight hours.
The officials of the War Department
are annoyed at the circulation of ru-
mors that seem to connect any activity
now observable at the sea coast de-
lenses with the Maine disaster. The
attention of Acting Secretary Meikle-
eral stories coming from widely sep
arated parts of the country He prompt
ly declared that this movement had no
with the Maine affair There
had been increases in the garrisons of
the posts But this had been going
on for six months, and only marked
a step in the development of the scheme
of coast defense planned by the Forti-
fcation Board some time ago. Said Mr..
Meiklejohn:
1T is following out the policy of the
department which has been pursued
ever since the Ordnance Department
turned over to the engineers the mod
ern guns which they had manufactured.
When these are placed in the coast
have them carefully protected, and this
work has been going on for six months.
Guns have been sent to the Delaware
Notifications, Finney Point, Fort
Moultrie and other defenses on the At
lantic Coast. Congress has been aware
of this and the department has called
its attention to the need of at least
two additional regiments of artillery
to man these posts and take care Of
their guns as fast as they are in
stalled"
The letter of Assistant Secretary
Meiklejohn is now before Congress and
has been printed Meanwhile, in the
absence Of specific legislation, the de-
partment is making the best possible
distribution of its small forces to carry
out its policy