The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-27

and both vessels viii remain attached
to the North Atlantic squadron It is
also stated at the Navy Department
that the Montgomery will be ordered
to drop down to Key West from Tampa,
where she landed Captain Crowain-
shield, but has not as yet received any
orders TO proceed to Havana, and il is
not decided yet when the orders will
issue, if at all.
The attention of naval officers has
been strongly attracted to the state
ment made by representatives of the
Spanish Government to the effect that
there were no mines or torpedoes of
any kind in Havana harbor 1t can be
said that this statement exactly agrees
with the Inquiries that have been IN
der way for many months by agents OF
our Government. SO far they have
been Unable to find the slightest exist
ence Of any plan of defense in the har-
Dor by means Of mines or torpadoes,
much less TO locate them as has been
reported in some quarters.
Officials Of the Navy Department say
the effect of this statement, If K is
to be accepted as conclusive on that
point, is almost certain to negative the
supposition that the disaster resulted
from other than accidental causes, as
the almost unanimous testimony CT ex-
perts here, based on the history of tor
pedo work. is to the effect that no singh
torpedo of any known type could have
caused the terrific wreck of the Maine.
In pursuit of details some of the ord
nance officers, acting upon the theory
that the large lO-inch magazine for
ward was not exploded, have been look
ing into the contents of the smaller and
adjoining 6-inch magazine. They fii.d
that, allowing for the amount of DOW
der that was probably consumed IN
practice drills by tha Maine before she
arrived in Havana harbor. there was
certainly no less than 5000 pounds OF
powder il this magazine, an amount
sufficient to have caused enormous de-
struction, had it been exploded at ona
time.
Colonel Haywood. commandant Of the
marines. acting under orders from the
Navy Department, is preparing to send
ali the marines at Key West, survivors
of the Maine who are able to travel. TO
New York, where they viii be placed
on the ship Vermont, there to be held
for further assignment. They will 90
/ by steamer to New York The sailors
at Key West will be disposed Of in
similar fashion.
! The Government authorities were 10
day placed in possession Of the infor-
nation by Senior Duboisie. Charge
d Affairea OF the Spanish Legation that
no mines exist inside or outside OF Ha-
vana harbor This information rezis.h-
| ed Senior Dubosie after midnight last
night ard was communicated to the
! Asso eiated Press in a brief and explicit
! statement It can be stated that This
! statement was made not as matter
of opinion or personal conviction on he
! part Of Senior Dubosie. but as a conciu-
/ sion of fact ascertained from those
whose official position makes them Ia
/ miliar with every circumstances son-
nected with Havana harbor Until this
| information was in the possession Of the
Charge d'Affaires, he had no personal
knowledge of the facts.
1t was suggested to him early yes
terday by representative Of the Asso-
ciated Press that n many quarters pcs
| tive statements We're being made that
mines existed within Havana harbor,
and in the vicinity of the Maine. Tn
for a direct statement bearing on this
point. with view to clearing up any
misappre hension that might exist.
In view of this request. Senior Dubosie
set on foot an inquiry by cable. Nat
urally the inquiry was distasteful to the
Charge G'Affaires and to the Spanish
authorities, as they deeply resent an
even implied imputation that the catas-
trophe could be due to minss or other
( external influences. But for the pur.
/ pose of giving the one essential state
ment of fact in the knowledge of those
/ having the only direct information on
the subject, the official statement was
secured and made public by Senior Dc
! bosie. 1t is not, however, as explained
at the Legation, a statement of tie
! Spanish Government for the Govern
ment has not felt called upon to gepcl
linsinuations which. from its standpoint.
grossly r, feet upon its honor. The bur
pose Of Senior Dubosie was to make the
statement as one of fact. established
from the best official authorities. and
not to nlal1e it as q Government ut,
teraace, which he regarded as unneces
sary. AS a statement of fact, however,
| il is iiyen by Senior Dubosie with The
greatest positiveness, and from sources
Of Spanish information whose authority
is not open to question he says.
When seen to-day Senior Dubosie had
no details to add to his statement.
With emphasis he expressed his indig-
nation that he should feel 1t to be his
duty to repel the insinuations and
statements that Havana harbor was
mined. which are inspired by those anx-
ious to stir passion and resentment be-
tween the two nations. He consid-
cred such suggestions an insult to
Spain, and without deignirg to answer
them, he submitted as bare fact that
there We're no mines or submarine de-
lenses of any character in or about
Havana harbor
When the attention of Philip Algar.
expert Of the Bureau OF Ordnance was
called 10 Senior Dubosie's statement ms.
said: The statement IL important as
representing the position taken bv the
/ Spanish officials who have absolute
knowledge of whether or not Havana
harbor vas mined 1t is of course
| Inherently improbable that such mines
existed, since Il is not customary to
plant torpedces in the harbcr at All es
pecially rot in harbors constantly oe-
cupied by friendly vessels. Should It
be possible TO prove Senior Dubcsie's
statement to be true, the whole theory
Of the Names destruction by a tor
pedo Will become untenable. in INV
opinion. But the only proper course
now to be pursued is to await patiently
the report Of the board Of Investigation
and to accept their findings as conc'u
sive. II 1t was an accident, its cauqs
nay be asoertained ard repetition
can be guarded against IL LII, mod