Evening journal., 1898-02-17
sEoRETARY LoNo,s oPINIoN.
Thinks That the Explosion Was Caused
by Accident In the Magazine.

SECRETARY LONGS OPINION.
Thinks That the Explosion Was Caused
by Accident In the Magazine.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-After day
Of intense excitement at the navy de-
partment and elsewhere growing out of
the destruction Of the battleship Maine
in Havana harbor the situation, after
the exchange Of number Of cable
grams between Washington and Ha-
vana can be summed up in the words
Of Secretary Long, who when asked, as
he was about TO depart for the day,
whether he had reason to suspect that
the disaster was the work Of an enemy,
replied: II do not. In that / am in
/ huenced by the fact that Captain Sigs-
bee has not yet reported to the navy de-
I partment on the cause. He Is evidently
waiting TO write n full report So long
as he does not express himself / cer-
I tainly cannot. ! should think, from the
| indications, however, that there was an
aocident-that the magazine exploded.
| How that came about l do not know.
/ For the present, at least, no other war
/ ship viii be sent to Havana"
The appalling nature of the disaster
and the gravity of the situation that
/ would arise should investigation give
basis for the undercurrent Of suspicion
/ OF treachery and foul play that ran
/ through all minds had a SOLDERING effect
on public men OF all shades OF political
opinion. The fact stands forth and Is
little less than remarkable that not a
single resolution was introduced or a
single speech made in either house OF
congress bearing on the disaster. save
( one OF coincidence with the families Of
those killed. offered by Mr.. Boutele and
adopted by the house Of representatives.
Public men expressed their opinions
with reserve when approached for in
terviews, but everywhere there was a
demand for an Investigation and fun
details. in the light Of which the horror
may be Justly viewed. Secretary Long
undoubtedly summarized the general
opinion Of the majority OF the naval
experts in finding II impossible Just now
TO state the cause of the destruction of
the Maine.
The naval constructors, in the light
Of the dispatches thus far received. say
that II is by no means certain that the
Maine cannot be raised and again car
ry the fag They say that while she
Is a big ship, others as large have been
raised. and at Havana the new floating
drydoclk would receive her If she could
once be gotten above the water. Cap
tain Sigsbee evidently is taking an in
terest in the future Of the ship, for
he sent n telegram TO Commander For
syth al Key West, that was promptly
transmitted to Secretary Long, sug-
gesting that a lighthouse vessel or some
such small craft be stationed in Ha-
vana harbor on watch over the wreck.
The latter. even If beyond resurrection,
contains valuable ordnance and other
property that doubtless can be secured
/ by divers.
1t is said at the navy department
that this disaster Is the greatest Of the
kind in naval history since the sinking
OF the big British warship Victoria by
collision with the Camperdown in the
Mediterranean Off Malta. June. 1893. BY
that accident the British admiral COM
manding % officers and 1886 men lost
their lives. The Spanish legation was
early advised Of the horror by Captain
B Il General Blanco, who expressed his pro-
found regret and added that the occur
. renee was a chance accident the un-
3 doubted cause being the explosion OF
2 the boiler of the dynamo This was the
4 only specific cause assigned from ar
s official source during the day.
Senior du Bose, the Spanish charge
e d'affaires, called at the state depart
ment to express his profound regret
: and the entire Spanish STAFF left theh
Il cards at the navy department as 9
mark of personal coincidence. At all o.
s the foreign establishments there wat
- the deepest interest and sollcitude owe
e the affair and during the day En-
e hassador Cambon of France. Sir Julial
d Pauncefote Of the British embassy an,
q other foreign representatives called OF
:. the president or at the state depart
r ment 20 express their regrets.
e A Spanish official of long residenc
II at Havana stated that the hour Of tn
, accident was the one when excitemen
at Havana is at its height Up &
> midnight the theaters, cafes and club
Il are crowded and strangers find thei
p greatest interest in seeing the city a
p that time. For this reason, he said.
re was the time when naval officers usu
= ally secured their shore leave, III
d leave running from TO u o'clock. Thi
le he thought would account for the ali
sence of some of the officers from th
D. Maine and the consequent small deaf
ne list among the officers. At the sam
D. time, the leave to the sailors was usU
ne ally curtailed between s and 12 for III
co reason that the hours of excitement 6
e, Havana were those in which il was d.
ne sired the seamen should not partic
pate.
MADRID EXCITED.
'e. The Premier Informs the Queen OF q