Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-02-23
THE SPAN|ARDS MUST WAIT.
MAINE EXPLOSION INQUIRY.
The United States Authorities Will
Make the Initial InvestigatiOn-
Request Respectfully Declined
Captain sigsbee VIII Direct the
Operations.

washington. feD. 2U.-Secretary Long
and Assistant Secretary Day OF the state
department, had an interview with the
president yesterday lasting nearly All
hour. Mr.. Day read a cablegram from
Consul General Lee at Havana transmit
ting request from the Spanish outhori-
mitted to join with our people in making
an investigation into the cause of the dis
aster TO the Maine.
The matter was discussed at considera-
BILE length and the conclusion reached,
and Lee will be so notified, that while this
government is willing to afford the Span
ish authorities all reasonable facilities for
conducting the investigation, yet it is
thought best that the first inquiry shall
be made by our own commissioners. The
request Of the Spanish authorities, there
fore, will be respectfully declined.
The apparent difficulty of sending down
divers to the Maine was relieved, If not
entirely removed, by the statement by
Senor Dubosc of the Spanish legation,
that complete and harmonious under,
standing between Captain Sigsbee and the
authorities at Havana had been reached
on the matter Of divers. and that the
Spanish authorities viewed the Maine as
part of the sovereign territory of the
United States the same as the United
States legation situated in foreign terri
tory.
The waters of Havana harbor are, of
course, Spanish territory and some con-
fusion has been aroused by the idea that
this jurisdiction over the waters attached
also to the wreck in its present helpless
condition at the bottom of the bay.
Captain Sigsbee will be recognized as
the one to direct the operations and to
send down the government divers for
such inspection as he sees proper to make.
Senior DubOsc feels assured, however,
that Sigsbee will extend equal facilities
to the Spanish divers SO that the inspec-
tions may proceed together.
Expert Opinion.
Washington, Feb. 2O-The opinion of
one of the leading experts in the use of
high explosives, Professor Agler of the
ordnance bureau, was today asked as to
the cause of the explosion of the Maine.
As to the question OF the cause OF the
Name explosion, we know that no tor
pedo such as is known to modern war
fare can OF itself cause an explosion OF
the character OF That on board the Maine.
we Know OF no instances where the eX'
plOsion of torpedo mine under a ships
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