Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-16
THE "MAINE" AT HAVANA.
Capt. Sigsbee Tells of the Inflated
Warship's Reception I'm the
Hnrbor.

HI command OF the Maine At aa-
vana, 1 had but one wish, which was to
be friendly to the Spanish authorities,
as required by my orders. took pleas
ure in carrying out my orders in this
respect. The first Spanish officer to
come on board was naval lieutenant
| who represented the captain OF the
port. His bearing was both dignified
and polite (Which, by the way, is in
| variably the rule with Spanish naval of
| ficers), but 1 thought he looked en-
barrassed and even Inundated in car
| rying out his duty. greatly regretted
that such should be the case, and did
| all that could to make him feel at ease.
After the arrival of the second
Spanish lieutenant, who seemed to take
matters more philosophically, and of n
German lieutenant, the naval officer
| who had arrived first appeared TO lose
his embarrassment. 1 made all the
VISITS required of me by usage, and was
everywhere received with courtesy. Ii
is hardly to the point whether there
was any great amount of actual
friendliness for US beneath the surface.
The Spanish officials on every hand gave
us absolutely all the courtesy to which
we were entitled by usage, and they
&
which is characteristic of their nation
accepteuTt as genuine.
1t is not essential to enter here into
the details of usage in connection with
salutes. 1t is enough to say that con-
vention required the Maine to salute
the Spanish national flag and also to sa-
lutte Admiral Manterola But such SIP
Iutes are given only when it is known
that they will be returned. / therefore
deem it prudent 10 determine this point.
although the visit of Spanish officer
TO the ship would ordinarily be thought
sufficiently convincing. In the course
of conversation with the Spanish naval
| officer who was the first to visit the
Maine, said: II am about to give my
self the honor of saluting your ma
tional flag, from which battery will the
salute be returned ?" He replied:
From the Cabani." With that assur-
ance both salutes were fired and re-
turned. The salute TO the Spanish adj
miral was returned by his flagship, the
Alfonso XII.
Shortly after the arrival of the Maine,
| sent my aid, Naval Cadet q. ii. Holden,
ashore to report to Gen. Lee, and an
nounce that / would soon follow
promptly gave orders that no officers
or men of the vessel should 60 ashore,
unless by my express order. j desired
first to test the public feeling, private
and official, with reference to the
Names visit. l made my visit to Adj
miral Manterola in full dress, with
| cooked hat, epaulets, etc. / landed at
the Machina, the man-of-war landing,
which is virtually at the Spanish adj
miralS residence. There was a crowd
assembled, but only of moderate size.
There was no demonstration of any
kind; the crowd closed in about me
slightly / thought the people stolid
and snlien, 50 far Is could gather from
/ an occasional glance, but / took very
little notice of anybody. On my return,
however, 1 noted carefully the bearing
of the various groups of Spanish SOL
diers that j had passed. They saluted
Inc, as a rule, but with so much express
sion yof apathy that the salute really
went for nothing. They made no
demonstration against me, however,
not even by look.
The same day made myo-isit to Gen.
Lee, and arranged with him for my visit
to the acting captain and goVernor-gen-
eral, who at that time was Gen. Par
RADIO, Capt. Gen. Blanco being absent on
a tour of the island. 1t is customary
in the case of high officials 10 make the
visit at an appointed Tina. When 1
made my visit, on January %, accom-
panied by Gen. Lee. there seemed at
fist TO be probability of embarrass-
ment. We called at the palace of Gen.
Blanco at the appointed time, and APP
parently nobody at the palace knew
anything about our appointment. The
ever-present American newspaper man
relieved the situation; he ascertained
that Gen. Parade was in residence
across the way, where he was expect
ing us. We promptly repaired the mis-
take. and were received by Gen Parade
with great courtesy. Heohad table
spread with refreshments for our bene-
mt. All of my official visits were re-
turned promptly. Gen. PARADE re-
turned my Eisit in person, and was
given the salute of a captain and gov
ernor-general; that is to say, of the gov
ernor Of a colony-17 guns, the same
salute which is prescribed for the gov
ernor of one of the United States.
All visits were made without fric-e
ton and with courtesy on both sides.
and apparently with all the freedom of
conversation and action usually oh
served.-Capt. Charles d. Sigsbee, in
Century.
Women Under the Black Flag.
In the old DAYS, when piracy -four