The record-union., 1898-03-03


such as wet and dry gun cotton. or or
binary gunpowder. Opinions agree. not
only as 10 the existence of mines in the
harbor. but also that this one was laid
purposely near the buoy, where foreign
vessels were directed TO moor, and was
fired from an electric battery on shore.
1t is barely possible that the explo-
sion of the mine was the result of care
leSSness or ignorance of Spanish officers
in charge of the mine station keys,
when testing their circuit, but the lat
ter supposition is not felt to be prob
able.
1t is further regarded as settled by
the evidence before the court that the
port side of the huh forward was COM
pletely blown to pieces, and that the
only explosion on the Maine, except of
isolated cases of fixed ammunition, was
that Of 2000 pounds of saluting powder,
stored forward, and of which no trace
can ne found
These views are gathered from Off
GERS who talk with great reserve, and
only upon the assurance that their
identity will never be revealed. The
fact remains that only the members of
the court of inquiry know all the testi-
mony elected. and no one is authorized
to make public matters in advance of
the final Judgment.
A good deal of surprise was express
ed by Americans here at learning that
the Spanish divers We're TO be permitted
to make an examination Of the wreck
Of the Maine, especially as 1t was also
said that American naval officers would
a si-+e
and would throw no obstacles in the
! way Of thorough submarine inSpec-
ton. 1t was not at first understood,
as It came to be later, that the Spanish
search was to be entirely Independent,
and while it was being made the Amer
lean investigation would proceed under
Captain Sigsbee's supervision. AS I'M
derstood here, the Spanish request,
made Immediately after the disaster,
for joint investigation was promptly
refused at Washington, but after a
Cabinet consultation it was agreed that
the Spaniards had q moral and inter-
national right to discover the cause of
the wreck for themselves if possible
Therefore, permission for an independ-
emf examination was granted on the
ground, as understood here. that it
could not be refused to friendly powes
in her own harbor
That the permission was not accord
ed until after the court of inquiry had
finished its work here and gone to Key
West is regarded as significant. 1t
opens wide field for speculation. Soma
assert that the court now has no OBJ
jectiols to a Spanish inquiry. for one
of TWO reasons: Either the court has
sufficient evidence already of accident,
or malice-evidence that cannot be con-
troverted by the Spansh--or, after q
diliSent search the mystery remains as
deep as ever. and the court does not
think the Spanish viii reach a conclu-
sion here the Americans have failed
OF course all this refers principally to
inspection of parts of the ship other
than the huh. Until the guns decks,
engines and debris of all kinds have
been removed, and the mud has been
pumped from the hull, it cannot be ex-
arined thoroughly by any one. Some
good authorities think it viii be neces-
sary 10 build a cofferdam around the
wreck, piles being driven, etc.
That any important testimony before
the court has found it's way to the pub
nesses have told certain corresponds
ents OF alleged testimony. but in every
case investigation has shown their
stories to be wildly improbable and con-
troverted by known facts or else abso-
lutely Irrelevant. Some Of the CORE
spondents have tried to extract lnfer-
nation from members of the court or
from naval witnesses by putting what
{ efra -, i
hypothetic interrogatories. But the
questiorers were not experts in naval
architecture, and the questioned We're
And so the results We're unsatisfactory.
Probably the court knew before it left
Havana for Key West whether the 10
inch magazine on the starboard for
ward did or did not explode. but the
members gave no sign. and the divers.
when they talk at all, contradict each
other. Doubtless even the contractors
for the removal Of the inner debris
and the raising Of the hull do not fully
appreciate the difficulties to be en-
countered. Certainly, the tug Right
Arm has been Of little value thus far.
her Captain not having sufficient au-
thority until Monday to employ the
necessary help or to hire the needed
lighters.
While criticising the naval divers for
their slowness, It must be remembered
that theirs is grim, dangerous and diff
cult work. In muddy, foul water,
through a mass of riveted steel bent
iron. shattered gratings and ladders.
over upturned matches, scattered am
munitiOn, guns, chests, machinery and
electric wires, they must make or cut
their intricate way They must exer-
else great care, lest their air tubes
win be severed by sharp projections.
Already many have had bad falls in
the uncertain light and difficult pas
sages.
Nothing need be retracted, however.
from the former statement that all
the haste possible is greatly 10 he de-
sired. The huge weight Of the wreck
causes it to sink daily deeper into the
soft mud of the harbor, making the
task Of raising ii the moro herculean
While no outsider is allowed on the
wreck, the patrol lines are not so rigid
as formerly, ant the boats Of visitors
are allowed to sail quite close to the
mass Of debris.
The question is frequently asked:
Are Americans in danger in Havana -
The only truthful answer given by a
weil-informed resident or American Of
fetal or layman is: we think not: we
don't know" OF course Spanish OH
Gals who will talk on the subject depre-
cate any idea Of danger. but they are as
much in the dark as the rest.
A well-informed Cuban OF high social
position. and on good terms with the
Government. said to the correspondent
of the Associated Press: of course in
the low dives and saloons there are