The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-15
TWO DISTINCT PHASES.
One the Destruction 81 the Maine, the
other Intervention.

New York, March IA dispatch Ia
The Tribune from Havana says.
The two distinct phases Of the Cuban
question arc now before the American
people. one is whether the Maine In.
curry shall become a diplomatic incident
between the two governments, subject
20 the usual course when an intorna.
tional dispute arises over facts. The
other phase Is the military and political
condition OF the island with reference TO
Intervention. Captain Sampson, and
his associates, by prolonging the inyes.
tigation for weeks, might find much
further cumulative evidence OF an ex.
ternal explosion. The comparatively
narrow space In which the divers are
now working continues 70 furnish proofs
Of an explosion from without, but this
leading fact was established two weeks
ago. The clearing away Of the debris
has added little 10 the knowledge first
obtained. The belief that the Maine
was blown mp bya torpedo is held by
experts who have watched the progress
Of the inquiry This brings the naval
court TO the most diillcult part OF its
task Under Admiral Sicard's instruc.
lions, the board is 10 report what per.
sons, not connected with the navy, are
responsible tor the loss OF the Maine.
With what l. conclusive evidence 20 the
minds Of the members that the loss was
due TO foul play, they arc still without
conclusive proof Of the identity Of the
conspimtors. That the explosion was
not the work Of fanatic is well estab.
lishod. Beyond this the board may not
be able to 90, because the cooperation Of
the Spanish government cannot be- had
so long as Spain holds to the theory Of
an accident.
Since Captain Pearl, the president Of
the Spanish board, gave uut his inter.
view, that is accepted ~ the Spanish Of.
fetal Wow No help can be- expected
from the authorities In discovering the
conspiutors while they are claiming
there could have been mo- conspiracy, be-.
cause the Maine explosion was due 10
mysterious accident.
An analysis Of Captain Pearls theory
need not bc given hero. IL Is enough
that If his scheme Of raising the hull by
means Of the floating dock were feasible.
months would pass before final report
could be- made The mud at the bottom
has not prevented the American divers
from making an examination Of portions
" the wreck which the board thought
necessary. The pcrfuuctory labors Of
the Spanish divers have not prevented
them from finding unoxplodcd ammu.
milton in parts " the ship where an in.
tornal explosion could hardly have loft
g intact They have also discovered
that the tuuct was blown from port 10
starhoard along with other incidental
evidence Of an external explosion. New.
erthcless, no admission Of the possibility
of foul play will come from the Spanish
board. The matter as now presented is
that the American court, while probably
not feeling justified in indicating sus.
picion as TO the parties to the conspiracy,
have sittcd the evidence which its mem.
bers aru rady to submit to the world in
support Of the claim that the Maine was
destroyed by foul play, when that evi.
dence shall be made public can be judged
better In Washington than In Havana.