The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-01-29
ORDERED To HAVANA.
BATTLESHIP MAINE HAS GONE.
High officials Declare 1t Is Only
Friendly Visit, with No Hostile
Intent-;FormidabIe Fleet Mt Key
West-What Dees Ii Mean?

Washington, Jan. 26. - The United
States government will be represented ia
the harbor of Havana by warship. The
decision TO send the United States ship
Maine was finally reached at a special
meeting at the White House yesterday
between the president, Secretary Long,
Assistant Secretary Day, Attorney Gen
eral McKenna and General Miles, and 1T
is a striking fact that with the exception
of the secretary of the navy and attorney
general, not a member of the cabinet
knew of the presidents intention to take
this radical action.
The commander of the Maine, Captain
Sigsbe, is favorite in the navy depart
ment For four years he was chief of the
photographic Office, and by his energy
brought the office to a high standard He
was lucky to get so important a ship "a
the Maine, but justified the departments
Judgment in the selection by running his
ship straight into dock in New York
harbor in order to avoid running down a
packed excursion boat. This was dis
play of quick judgment, nerve and pluck
that pleased the department so highly
that the captain was sent compliment
airy letter.
The Maine, which has been selected to
make the trip to Havana, is a battleship
of the second class, and is regarded as one
of the best ships in the new navy. She
was built at the Brooklyn navy yard and
is 3lS feet long, 81 feet beam, 2l.6 feet
mena draft, and 1852 tons displacement.
She has two l0-inch vertical turrets and
two military masts, and her motive pow
er is furnished by twin screws with triple
expansion engines having maximum
horsepower of 9293, capable of making
speed of l7.5 knots an hour. She carries
four l0-inch and six 6inch breech- loading
guns in her main battery, and seven g.
FOUNDER and eight l-pounder rapid-fire
guns and four Cuttings in her secondary
battery, and four Whitehead torpedoes.
While administration officials miss No
opportunity of declaring their belief of
peace, it may be noted as a matter of in
terest that the United States has assem-
bled at Key West the most formidable
fleet of warships that has got together in
our home waters in many years. 1t is
made up of the North Atlantic squadron
under command of Admiral Sicard on the
flagship New York; the first-class battle
ships Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts,; sec
ondclass battleships Maine and Texas;
cruisers Detroit and Montgomery; dis
patch boat Fern; and the torpedo boat
fiOtilla composed of the Cushing, Erics-
son, Dupont and Porter, which will be re-
inforced in a few days by the Foote.
The big protected cruiser Brooklyn, al
most equal to battleship, is fitting out
at the New York navy yard, and Captain
Cook, who commands the ship, was at
the navy department this morning. He
expects to sail the latter part of this week
to join Admiral Sicard's squadron. The
gunboat Nashville and the training ship
Essex are at Port Royal, S. c. within easy
call, and the entire navy may be said to
, be in a state of preparation that is graft
flying to the officials in view of the lin
tied resources placed in their hands by
congress.