The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-02-26
WILL BE READY FOR 1T.
If War Should Come We Are
Well Prepared.
President Mckinley Says No Luty Has
Been Negiected-More Evidence
OF Trenchery Produced by
the Divers.

Washington, Feb. 2f.--"I do not pro-
pose To do anything at all TO precipi-
tate war with Spain. Up TO the present
do not think war is either necessary
or inevitable. | would be lax in my
duty. however, if did not prepare for
the future. The situation is grave, and
the policy Of the administration will be
determined almost entirely by the
course of events from time TO time
There is no necessity of alarming the
people, but congress must be ready TO
assist the administration without maxi
ing too many inquiries rs To the course
of current events"
To senator who called upon him in
order 10 ask some serious questions as
10 the policy of the administration
President Mckinley, with the utmost
frankness, uttered the above words
There is now no doubt of the fact that
the government of the United States is
actually preparing for war with Spain
1t does not follow that war will come,
but the activity in both the war and
navy departments is too unmistakable
TO be concealed.
Havana tvia Key West, Fla.). Feb. "a
The situation, which may be changed
AT any moment by fresh discoveries,
may be summed up, when this dispatch
is sent Wednesday afternoon. substan-
tally as follows: The divers having
discovered cases of brown hexagonal
powder for the ten-inch guns unex-
ploded. and believing also that Others
unexploded will be found In the ten
inch magazine on the starboard side
forward, the conviction grows that this
magazine did not blow up. If this be
so. and many have insisted from the
first that il is. the further conviction is
forced that the explosion which
wrecked the Maine came from the out
side on the port bow. AS previously
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 confident that Gen. Blanco and the
other high Spanish officials had no
knowledge, direct or indirect. OF the
conception or execution of plot 10
blow up the Maine. If such a plot ex-
listed, but they believe the junior Span
ish officers, who from the nature OF
things are more conversant with mod
ern explosives than their elders and
supcriors were AT the bottom of the dis
aster, If there were any outside agency.
1t is pointed out that il would not be
impossible TO plant n mine of wet and
dry gun cotton near where IA foreign
war vessel was directed 10 anchor. such
n mine communicating with an electric
battery on shore. II is regarded as an
interesting point that the Maine. for
the first time during her stay in the
harbor. lay AT the particular spot where
she was at the time OF the catastrophe,
and it is said though not officially vcri-
fed. that the Maine was the first for
eign vessel moorcd TO this particular
buoy since the troubles in Cuba grew
acute.
One thing seems certain If the Maine
was blown up by an outside agency,
the agent was "A mine and not tor
pedo, MS no torpedo could have pro-
duccd such tremendous results.
The explosion continues the main
lean. II is useless 10 deny thar many
believe in an outside agency. These as
Ecrt that even n cursory examination of
the wreck shows conclusiveiy that the
disaster could not have originated from.
within. II was generally conceded that
neither the boilers. the electric wires
Eor spontaneous combustion could,
from the very condition of things, be re-
sponsible.
Havana, Feb. 24.-The United States
court of inquiry into the loss OF the
Maine met at ten o'clock Wednesday
morning and examined DR.. Honerberg-
er. Paymastcr Ray and Chief Engineer
Howell, OF the battle ship. There was a
recess ordered at noon, and IL lasted
until 1880 p. m. Several witnesses whose
names are not now obtainable were ex-
amined during the afternoon. Another
visit was made TO the wreck by Capt.
Sampson, president Of the court The
captain says he has no idea OF the
length Of time the court will remain i'm
session here. IL all depends upon the
testimony. and new features requiring
further investigation may develop at
any time Capt. Sampson added that,
sooner or later, every survivor of the
Maine will be examined by the court.
which seems TO imply that sessions for
that purpose will be held at Key West.
A large quantity OF clothing has been
taken from the wreck and after il has
been dsinfectcd il will be given TO the
reconccntrndos. The bodies of the
missing officers. Lieut.. Jenkins and As
sistant Engineer Merritt. have not been
recovered. The divers reached the
formers room. but il was found that his
body was not there. Thus far the
sharks have given no trouble, but the
vultures hive left scarcely anything
but the skeletons OF three men who
were entangled in the debris very near
the surface Of the water. The bodies
were not noticed by any one until the
foul birds had completed their CHASTITY
work. From the hand of one Chaplain
Chadwick removed deeply chased gold
ring for purposes of Identification.