The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-25
DOWN IN THE MAINE.



| t,aoslana, NJ, Maryland, 2I0 Massa
ehnsrtts. AT, Michigan, 1913; New Jer
soy. Mll New York ll2: North Caro-
| lNa, 2S0, ohio. ZIG, PENNSYLVANIA, 10
Rhode Island. 100; South Carolina, lo2
| irginia. A. Total I,4io.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt says In
this connection THAT Illinois leads the llsl
with ar commissioned officers and ~
Inctty officers and enlisted men.
Aside from the forces shown in the
alnvr list new hrigades are in process
of formation. which promise to swell
the total to much larger figures ut az
early day. The organization Of this
Auxiliary arm of the Naval service is I'M.
der the immediate direction Of lieutcn'
ant Gibbons. u. :. n, Whose energy
has accomplished much in securing State
organization, and in the harm0nizing Ui
the bodies into one compact force. c;ilh-
bic in emergency of cooperating will
the regular navy. In his last report Mr.
Roosevelt said that the State Naval
Militia, in the event Of sudden emer'
gency, could be utilized at once for man
ming the smaller national cruisers. 1t
could be depended upon mainly, he said
as Il second line of defence, and also
be used in placing mines and the estah'
lisllment of signal stations for coast
defense.
The appropriation of $4,000 made by
Congress to aid the work Of the Naval
Militia will be apportioned Hmons
States in a few days.
Thanks to the promptness and eff
cheney of the Chief of Engineers and the
Chief of Ordinance of the Army the
city Of Washington is now regarded
as being we'll nigh safe and secure from
attack by water. The fortified tions al
Fort Washington and Sheridan Point,
on the opposite side of the Potamac
are sufficiently advanced to be able to
repel an ordinary feet of invaders, and in
case of necessity they could be vastly
strengthened in a comparatively short
time. These defenses are considered
sufficient to keep all hostile vessels be-
yond the range OF gun shot of the nat
;onal capital.
Moreover, the river has been blocked
off and prepared for mines and torpe-
does ut a point below the Notifications
already mentioned, so that it is pr0ba-
BILE some of the ships OF an enemy would
be Blown out of the water before II
would he necessary to use the guns
at the forts.
The officers of the British battle ship
Hood to-day cabled from the island of
Crete expressing deep sympathy over
the disaster to the Maine.
FROM UNDERNEATH THE SHIP.
Washington. Feb. 24.-The Evening
Star has received the following telc-
gram from Charles NJ. Pepper, its staff
correspondent in Cuba:
Havana. Feb %, via Key West,
Fla, Feb. "A.
AT this writing divers are developing
important results. From examination
of the interior wreckage they have Sc
cured evidence which seems conclusive
that the explosion came from under
meath the ship.
Some of the smaller magazines may
have exploded. The main ten inch mag
azine did not explode. The condition of
the interior of the ship shows further
probability of the wreck having been
due to outside force.
THE further the investigation pro-
crosses the more untenable becomes
the theory which the Spanish govern
ment adduced to show accidental cause
1t is evident the Spanish ease will DE
based on the claim that a fire preceded
the explosion.
Captain Sampson and his colleagues
of the Naval Board may have outside
evidence offered regarding a torpedo
boat producing the explosion.
said one diver who had been engag-
ed in the work of getting bodies out
from under the hatch:
l.. ,F.,v 10 On fA
blew those poor fellows to eternity, the
United States should not
This was before Longs order prohib-
iting officers from talking. This diver
evidently thought the explosion was not
an accident. He had an experts capa-
city, and opportunity for judging.
THE Havana public is not permitted
to know the intensity of public sentiment
in the United States. Only meagre de-
tails are permitted to be known of what
happens in Washington. Congress is
watched with excessive anxiety by
palace officials, but the populace knows
nothing of what is liable TO happen.
Evidences of i'll feeling toward Amer
lean people and exultation over the
Maine disaster do not lessen. The Maine
inquiry dwarfs interest in Cuban poll
Tics DuL recent QeNelOpiHeHtS carry oAH-
cial confession of the failure of auton-
omy.
(Signed) "PEPPER.'
MAY NOT RAISE THE WRECK.
In view of the many expressions of
doubt concerning the possibility of rails
ing the wreck of the Maine the message
sent yesterday to the Navy Department
by Admiral Sicard may have some
weight. The Admiral reported that the
Court of Inquiry, which is on the spot
and has had the advantage of the opin-
ions of divers, had declared that the
most powerful appliances would be nee
essary to remove the wreck or raise the
snip. The last expression is taken to
mean that the court has so far not con
Guided that it would be impossible, to
again float the Maine, else the language
would seem to have been unnecessary;
an unwarranted snpposition in the case
of expensive cablegrams.
1t can be stated that up to this time
the Naval officials have given nc
thought to the relief of Admiral Sicarl
as Commander in Chief of the Naval
forcac on tho North Atlantic Stafion