The news & observer., 1898-01-25
A BATTLE-SHIP
SENT TO CUBA.
Continued from list page.)

The commander of the Maine, Capt.
Sigsbee, is a favoriue in the Navy De-
partment. For four years he was chief
of the hydraulic office, and by HIS ener-
gy brought the office up to high stand
ard. He was lucky to get so important
a ship as the Maine, considering his ac-
tual rank, which is that of command
er, but Immediately he justified the de-
partments judgment in the selection by
running his ship straight into dock IN
New York harbOr to avoid running down
a pached excursion boat. This was
display of quick Judgment, nerve ana
pluck that pleased the department 50
highly that the captain was sent cOif
plimentary letter. His officers are also
a good lot, including Lieutenant Coh-
mander Richard Wainwright, heuten-
ant G. +. Holman, john Hood ana ~.
w. Yungen, Lieutenants JunOr sraIeSj
G. w. Blow, J. 7. Blandin, Il. W. Jeh-
kins; Cadets J. II. Holden, w. 4. Guy
erius, Anon Bronson and ID. i. BOYD,
Jr.: Surgeons l.. q. Heneberger; Pay
master. G. w. Littlefeld; Chief Engineer
G. p. Howell, Assistant Engineers j. K.
Morris and ID. Il. Merritt; Cadet En-
gineers, Pope Washington and Arthur
Crenshaw; Chaplain, J. p. Chidwick
and Lieutenant of Marines, "A. w.
Catlin.
The Maine is a battleship of the sec
ond-class. and is regarded as one of the
best ships in the navy. She was built
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and is 31S
feet long, 81 feet broad, 21.6 mean
draught and 66S2 tons displacement.
She has two ten-inch vertical tWrets
and two military maSts, and her motive
power is furnished by twin screw vertl-
cal triple expansion engines, having Il
maximum horse power of 9,293, capable
Of making Il speed of 17.40 knots. she
carries four ten-mch and six 6-lnch
breech loading guns in her main battery,
and seven six FOUNDER and eight one
FOUNDER rapid fire guns, and four Cat
ling,s in her secondary battery, and four
Whitehead tOrpedoes.
While administration officials miss no
opportunity of declaring confidence in
the promise of the maintenance Of
peace. it may be noted as u matter of in
terest that the United States now has
assembled near Key West, the most
formidable feet of war ships that has
been gotten together in our home waters
Tor many years. 1t is made up of the
North Atlantic squadron, under COM
mand of Admiral Sicard, flagship, New
: ork; fiIISt-class battleShips Iowa, IN
Diana. Massachusetts; second-claSs hat
tleShips Maine and Texas; cruisers De
troit and Montgomery; disuatch boat
Fern, and the torpedo boat flOtilla, com
posed of the Gushing, Ericsson, Dupont
and Porter, which will be re-enforced in
a few days by the Foote. The big pro-
tected cruiser Brooklyn, almost equal to
a battleship herself, is fitting out at the
New York Navy Yard. Captain Cook,
who commands the ship, was at the
Navy. Department this morning, and eX-
poets to sail the latter part of this
week TO join Admiral Sicarl's squadron.
The gt4hboat Nashville and the train
ing shin Essex are at Port Royal, s.
c., within easy CALL and the entire navy
may be said to be in Il state of pre-
paredness that is gratifying to the Off
Cials in view of the limited resources
placed in their hands by Congress.
The first iffti1nati6n the members of
the Senate Committee on Foreign Re
lations had of the orders to the Maine
wgus given in the Associated Press bulle-
tin. They received the information with
evident satisfaction.
Senator Foraker was particularly
pleased to hear the news. He said he
wished the Texas and the other vessels
of the squadron would be ordered to
follow the Maine.
Senator Cullom: II am glad to hear
- hn Fol III
by other vessels"
Senator Teller said he would IKE to
see the harbor of Havana filled with
American ships.
Senator Daniel: 81 am glad to hear of
it. 1t ought to have been done two
years ago"
There was qualification expressed
among members of the House Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs, especially by
Messrs Smith and Pearson, Republicans,
who had expressed some unrest at the
non-action of the committee or the
House in the matter of Cuba.
OFFSET TO GERAIANY'S SHIPS.
New York. Jan. 24.-At the head
quarters of the Cuban Junta in this city,
there was some surprise expressed at the
explanation given by the State Depart
ment for the dispatching of the battle
ship Maine to Havana.
As far as hostilities were concerned, it
was affirmed by Delegate Palma and
others that the conditions of affairs to-
day vas precisely the same as when
the war broke out. The interpretations
generally put at the Junta on the State
Depa ttments actions was that it might
be an offset to the action of Germany in
sending two warships to Havana. \
ORDERS CAME SUDDENLY.
Key West, Fla, Jan. 24.-At $50
this morning the United States fleet, in
cluding the Maine, sailed from this port.
The announced destination was Tortu-