The Washburn leader., 1898-03-12

some of these steps border very close.
| ly OH war, although they are regarded
as the movements just preliminary to
actual hostilities, and as amounting to
threats that force will follow If repar.
alton is not made.
st. Paul, March 1.-New York Her
AIDS special cable to the Pioneer Press
says:
Eager as is the waiting public for a
definite announcement of the con-
clusions reached by the naval court of
| inquiry into the Maine disaster, it may
as well be stated now that the sus-
pehse which pervades the entire coun-
try, ard. indeed. the whole civilized
world, must be endured probably for
several weeks longer.
The president and cabinet may, per-
haps, be made cognizant Of the courts
conclusions at somewhat earlier date,
but its findings may not be made pub
lie before the latter part Of March, and
announcement may be delayed even
later. To-day marks the end Of the
first weeks sessions of the court. New
er in the history of similar proceedings
have such precautions been taken to
guard the facts from public scrutiny.
Never have officers remained more
consistently rcticent under the orders
of their chief Nevertheless, your cor
respondent has passed MANY hours
aboard the Mangrove during the week
and is in Il position to give an accurate
| synopsis of the situation os it is to
day. The first and most obvious con
clusion is that already stated. namely.
that the courts report must not be eN-
pected soon. The second and most im-
portant conclusion, one which many
conservative observers have reached.
is that with the end of the first weeks
work the probability is
| More Remote Than Ever
that the court can ever attribute the
Maine disaster to accident and interi-
or causes. The weeks work has hard
ly been one that makes for peace.
Just in proportion as that fact has be-
come palmer in the light of testimony
taken the evident purpose of the court
of inquiry to make haste slowly has
forced itself upon those who have
watched it's course. Had it been possi-
BILE early in the investigation. with
reasonable certainty. to say that the
Maine calamity was Il misfortune only
and not crime the continued sup
preston of that conclusion would have
served the interests neither of the
United States nor Spain.
| On the contrary. had the facts tend
ed to show an accidental origin of the
explosion, all peace-loving. sober
minded people would have rej0iced to
see even partially lifted the dark cloud
that now menaceS both nations. and
| the conservative press of America
would have welcomed an opportunity
| to relax the dangerous tension that
now prevails. 1t was in the hope of
such early assurance that the cor
| respondent watched the first weeks
proceedings Of the court. That hope
has almost vanished. The testimony
thus IA: adduced points overwhelming
~ to an opposite conclusion. That is
| why the government is moving so de-
liberately. The navy department needs
the time and will make good use Of it.
Dissatisfied With Divers.
| 1t has been persiStently rumOred
that the naval court is not wholly sat
isfied with the work doiic or the report
made by the divers up to the present
time. l am inclined to believe some
such feeling existed. and that it is
partially responsible for the naval
courts contemplated retarn to Havana
i'll time to observe the work of the
more efficient wrecking apparatus
now en- route from New York
Martin Rioplan. hitherto attached to
the fleet. has been returned to Key
West in deep disgrace and will proba
bly, be court martialcd. The crime of
which he stands accused is no less than
that of pilfering from sea chests OF
the dead soldiers and appropriating to
himself various things of value. which
it was his duty to bring to the surface
and deliver to the proper authorities.
One seaman's chest in the berth deck,
! it is said. contained! savings aEgre-
eating more than S1.OW. The diver
had been under suspicion He was
watched by other divers while at work
and the SusEicions. it is alleged. We're
verified. His quarters wrrc searched
and many trinkets and articles Of
value are said to have been discovered.
Loyal Spaniards to Il man still refuse
to entertain for a moment the Suspi-
cion that the Maine was the victim of
foul play or of any other than acct
dental causes. Many of them scout as
ridiculous statements that the harbO-
is filled with submarine mines. Ha-
vana remains quiet, Quierer than us,l-
al: abnorn,ally quiet for carnival time.
DISSATISFIED WITH THE COURT.
Charged I'm Some Quarters That the
investigation In Being PurpOxcly
Delayed.
Havana. March 1.--Many Americans
and some Spaniar.ls here insist that
the investigation into the Maine dis
aster has thus far been superficial and
barren of vital results. They claim
that. though nearly two weeks have
passed no knowledge has been gained
as to the condition of the forward part
OF the hull or as to whether the six
OF ten-inch ammunition magazines for
ward to the starboard exploded. They
insist. moreover. that expert divers
with enough experience to make draw
ifgs of the condition of things subma-
rine might have been at work Il week
ago and might have settled the Iues-
tion as to the magazines at least ere
this. Those who hold these views de-
mand that the hull forward should be
raised without further loss Of time
and before it has sunk too deep III
forty feet of soft mud. There are
some who go so far as to charge the
United States government with adopt
ing the Spanish policy of delay until
the disaster shall be partially forgotten
or discounted. Many Spanish official
entertain thiS ODiniOn and are very