The record-union., 1898-02-16
FRICHTFUL DISASTER
IN HAVANA HARb0R.

tdTy u the NAVY ISCClFCU luC loiio"
ing telegram from Captain Sigsbee:
Maine blown up in Havana harbor
at $40, and destroyed. Many wounded,
and, doubtless, many killed and drown
ed Wounded and others on board
Spanish man-of-war and Ward line
Key West for crew and few pieces Of
equipment still above water. No one
had other clothes than those upon him.
Public opinion should be suspended
until further report. All officers be-
lieved to be saved. Jenkins and Mer-
ish officers, including representatives
of General Blanco, now with me and
express sympathy.
(Signed.) "SIGSBEE."
The officers referred to in the above
dispatch are Lieutenant Friend W.
win r. Merritt From the wording of
the dispatch the Navy Department
thinks it possible that they We're on
shore at the time of the accident
The Secretary Of the Navy received
another dispatch from Key West at
The same time with the above, but it's
contents We're not for the public.
Orders for the lighthouse tenders were
at once sent to Key West in plain Ian
guage, thus avoiding the delay that
would have arisen from the use of il
cipher
Paymaster Charles w Littlefield, VINO
is given in the list of officers on the
Maine, has recently been replaced by
Paymagter Ryan. Littlefield is now in
Washington.
The Maine was built in New York in
1890 at a cost of 81, 5SS, 900. She had
a steel hull and a complement of S74
men.
Secretary Long received Captain
Sigsbee's dispatch but a few minutes be-
fore the Associated Press dispatches
We're handed him. He received the news
with apparent calm and his first act was
to comply with Captain Sigsbee's re-
quest that assistance be sent from Key
West. He wired Captain Forsythe at
Key West TO proceed with the naval
tender Fern to Havana harbor
Secretary Long then sent for Captain
Dickens, and the two discussed Cap
tain Sigsbee's brief telegram. No other
naval officers were present, and besides
the Secretary and Captain Dickens, the
naval colony here is ignorant of this dis
aster. the greatest which has befallen
the American navy since the disaster
in Aoia many years ago.
The Secretary is inclined to believe
that most of the officers of the Maine
were on shore at the time of the acct
dent, as it was still early in the night.
While neither the Secretary nor Cap
tain Dickens is inclined to discuss the
probable cause of the accident, several
suggestions were ventured. They be-
lieve that it may have been caused by
fire in the bunkers, heating the bulkhead
near a magazine, or that an accident
may have occurred while inspecting high
explosives for torpedoes. OF course,
this is mere speculation, and the Sec
tailed report from Captain Sigsbee.
Later the Secretary sent another tele
gram to Key West directing that the
tender Mangrove also be sent to Ha
vana
Commander Dickens, after carrying
out the instructions of Secretary Long
with regard to relief measures for the
survivors of the Maine, went at once
10 the White House, where the Presi-
dent was aroused and informed of the
disaster
President Mckinley received the news
y:
but said nothing further, except that
ne was thoroughly satisfied with the
measures adopted by the Navy De-
partment
Secretary Long retired at a. m.
and gave orders that all further dis
patches from Havana should be trans
mitted to Captain Dickens
1t is learned that Secretary Longs
second dispatch from Key West, which
was not given out, was merely from
Captain Forsythe. confirming the mes
sage Of Captain Sigsbee
Secretary Day received the following
dispatch from General Lee:
The Msine blew up at $40. The
explosion occurred well forward under
mems quarters, consequently many
were lest 1t is believed all officers
saved. bur jenkins and Merritt not ac-
counted for. Cause of explosion YET
to be investigated. Captain General