Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-02-24
The Maine Disaster.


Our readers are doubtless anxious to
know what developments have taken
place with reference to the great naval
disaster which we reported last week
as having occurred in the harbor at
Habana, Cuba.
Our account was strictly correct,
and gave in brief about all that is
known. There were killed outright
of the crew 1853. and 6 have since died.
OF these two were officers. The vessel
lies in the mud at the bottom of the
harbor heap of ruins, worthless ex-
cept as Junk. On last Friday Congress
appropriated 100000 to have her
raised and ascertain the cause of the
disaster. Divers began on Monday,
and they may possibly bring to light
some important facts, but until the
vessel is raised it is believed the real
facts will not be known. Public opin-
ion has been suspended till the real
cause has been made manifest, but
some jingoes are blaming the whole
on Spain or Spanish emissaries. There
is no fact on which to ground such a
suspicion as yet save that there has
been and still is quite a bitter feeling
toward us on the part of many Span
Iiards on account of our relations tC
the Cuban cause. The bodies which
have been recovered have been burieC
in Habana as appears from the follow
ing dispatch from Capt. Sigsbee:
HABANA, Feb. II, 1898
SECRETARY OF NAVY,
Washington, ID. G.
Nineteen of the Names dead wer'
buried this afternoon with great civil
ecclesiastical, military and naval cere
monies, and with all tie resources Q
lHabana brought into requisition. Th'
; Spanish Government, under express
directions of General Glance, thu
Bishop of Habana, General Parred'
: and Admiral Manterola, and the Mayo
of Habana, took complete charge of al
arrangements. The bodies were frs
laid in state in the building of the t.
government of Habana, where the,
8 were covered with floral and other EN-
, blems suitable to occasion, which wer
presented by officials and other per
sons of Habana of all shades of politi
: cal opinion. They were escorted to tn
cemetery by Representatives of all tn
I military, naval and civil organizations
and foreign consular officers, an
through a vast concourse of peopl
{ spreading over roofs.
: But the most of the bodies wer
, blown into shreds. A dispatch states
t The explosion SO disjointed an
8 twisted the ship that her remains no,
! appear like a pile of wreck. All tn
upper deck structure. turrets, ant
! guns, are in a heap and one boiler ha
e been blown out Of its place. The fore
y mast and bowel the Maine have col
= lapsed, apa now only the end of he
maiifftnast remains above water. Shark
9 are said to be swimming in the neigh
t borhood of the wreck and yulture
: sailing around overhead. No perso
q is allowed to come nearer than on
hundred yards of the wreck.
}. 1t is an undoubted fact that belle
l. in foul play is thickening, and imps
i thence is exhibited to get at facts. TIL
! higher officials continue to hold to th
accident theory and to seize on a
arguments to sustain it. 1t is to b
hoped, of couse. their views may tur
out to be correct, but they are not he'll
by many of those capable of formin
J, reasonable opinion. In confdenti'
conversation various naval Officer
4 criticised what they styled the to
!, prone disposition of Secretary Long
:, reach favorable conclusions.
n This class of thinkers was much Ell
r. couraged by the outspoksn remarks
J. Mr.. Chas. II Cram o at the departmer
# a few days ago. MIR. Cramps firm hs
i built for the government large nun
Der of the new men of-war, and /
ought to know as much as any on
about them. He said the talk of spol
d taneous combustion in the coal bunl
l. ers W as rot He further said: TT
h Maine did not go to the bottom
Havana harbor by accident"
A correspondent of the New You
Herald at Havana learns on the higl
est authority that the barbor
a Havana is filled with submarine min
and torpedoes placed there about thr'
ago.
Neither Spanish nor Cuban dive
will be employed. The divers ha'
N recovered the cipher code book, I'll
~ log of the Maine and many official al
private papers.
The wounded are doing well.