New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-18
SUCH IS THE BELIEF OF THE SURVIVORS
WHO REACHED KEY WEST

SIGH IS THE BE1lEP OF THE SURVIVORS
WHO REACHED KEY WEST.
Kew West Feb. 1.-THE Associated Press cor
RESPONDENT here has had opportunity 10 ques-
ZION A number Of the officers and men who
aboard the warship Maine at the time OF the
explosion. and II is the opinion OF all Of them
that the explosion was due 70 some Interior
cause and not the result OF the explosion of a
to-redO the outside.
REGARDING the explosion the officers Of tho
Maine are reticent They are evidently under
orders 70 keep quiet on the subject. SOM Of the
mon insist thet the explosion caused by
large torpedo planted before the Maine arrived
q, Havana The navGi men here say that
would he possible. but is not likely. The an
chorage for the Maine was designated by a
buov. and the location Of the buoy fixed
bv the harbor officials. II is added that any
official perfectly posted as TO currents and tides
might plant a torpedo at night 50 that. under
certain con jitions Of tide. il would be under the
forward part q the Maine as she swung TO her
mornings once planted it is further stated
here such torpedo could be exploded from the
shoro or from boa, al any time fixed upon by
those IT, the secret All this, however. is regard
&c rs being unlikely 20 occur, ard as being al
mos. irnros-ihlo 70 occur without the collision
q Spanish officials.
The Maine. according 70 the reports received
hove. was split open forward; therefore it Is
added il is difficult 20 see how such a result
could ha attoined ny torpedo from the outside.
and therefore it Is pointed out that the explosion
seems 10 have come from within, although the
KEYS Of The waraz.nes were in the hands OF
Captain Sig bee al j.. m
When the koys Of the magazines were deliv-
cred 20 Captain Sigsbee the temperature of the
forward magazinos was 30 and il is said that
no hi-h explosives we're stored there. which
wcuII seem o. make the mystery more dense
Fears ara expressed here that the divers VIII
no, Ne able 20 throw light the cause Of the
disaster. since the forward part of the Maine
sc practically in atoms. Why the main maya
ziue which was nlled with high explosives and
easily aftcc,.d 10y conclusion. did not explode IS
another mystery. and mercy well, since. had
the after magazine exploded, no one on board
could possibly have escaped death.
lieutenant OF the Maine. whose name is
wi,hseld at his request. asked today re-
garding the dispatch from Havana saying that
a diver had discovered mole apparently made
Iy a torpedo In the hull Of the Maine. He said:
Why not make the hole 500 feet, or 5000
feet One story is as likely as the other
IT, short, the OF the explosion is COM
pletely shrouded in mystery and the demolition
Of the battle-ship is so complete mat II is prob
afie that the secret Of the disaster may never
De known.
The anthracite coal here for the supply Of
the United States warships is being overhauled,
in search for Internal machines. 1t is pointed
out however that the Maine took her coal on
board here a week ago and that II is not likely
that the mechanism Of any Internal instrument
would delay action so long.