The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-09
A Sub-Marine Nine.
Naval Officers Incline to This
Idea Now.

Naval Officers Incline to This
idea Now.
Haysna. via Key West, Fla, March
q Without adding unnecessarily to
the food Of surmises, coojeessrs and
prophecy concerning the finding of the
ooar. Of inqoiry.is5is feir to say that.
- mss.er Of fact, most Of the naval
officers here and at Key Wess incline
TO The opinion that the cour. will 6nd
that the disaster 70 .hs M.ine Was
causcd Sy che explosion Of 6ostioe
submarine nine uader sbs forward
porsside Of che ship. Opinions differ
40 10 whesher this mine vas made Of
high explosives, such % vet and dry
Run cotton or ordinary sun-posder
Opinions sgree, not only ~ to the
existence Of mines in the harbor. but
shat this one Vas laid purposely near
.be buoy where foreign var vessels
we're directsd to moor aud was fred
by fash from an electric. battery on
shore
Il is believed barely possible that
she explosion Of the mine vas the re-.
su!s Of the carelessoess or ignora6ce
Of Spanish oAicials in charge of the
uine ssetion keys. When testing the
ciroui., bus the latter suppositiou is
not felt to be probable Il is further
regarded as settled By the evidence
before the court, that the portside Of
tbe hull forward vas completely
sbloua to pieces. snd that the only ex.
plosios on the Maine. except Of iso!at.
ed osses Of fixed ammunition. was
that OF Two tbousand pounds of salut-
ing powder. stored forward and of
which 20 trace can be found.
These views are gathered from Of
6cers Who talk With great reserve. aud
only ,npon the assurance that their
identity will never be revealed. The
fact remains that only the members
sof the conrs of inquiry know all the
testimony elicited and no one is au-
thorised to make public matter 10 ad-
vance Of the fnal judgment.
A good deal Of surprise vas ex.
pressed By Americans here at learn
ing that Spanish divers wete to be
permitted 20 make an examination Of
she wreck Of the Maine. especially q.
Il was also said that American naval
officers here would give sach divers all
consistent facilities apd would throw no
obstacles IN the vsy Of thorough abb
marine inspection. Il was not at first
upderssood9 as Il came to be later. that
the Spanish search was to be entirely
Independent and that while it was be-
ing made the American Investigation
would proceed under Cspt.ia Sigsbes's
supervision As understood here the
Spanish request made Immediately after
the disaster for . jeins investigation
was promptly rsfoaed ). Washington,
but after cabinet eonsultstion, it was
agreed that the Spsnisrds had moral
ADD international right to diacover The
cause Of the wreck for themselves if
possible Therefore permission for sn
independent examination vas granted
on tho ground, as understood here. that
It could not be refused to friendly
power in her own harbor. That the
permissioo vas DOT aceorded Hotil
after the cour. Of inquiry had finished
its voSk here aud gone TO Key West
is regarded az significant. 1t opens q
vide Geld for speculation.
HAS NO OBJECTION.
Some assert that the court now has
no objection to a Spanish inquiry for
one Of two reasons: Either the court
has efficient evidence already Of ac-
cideus or walice-ovidsnce that cannot
be con,rover.ed by the Spsuiards-or
after dilligeos search. the mystery re-
mains .s deep as ever and the court does
20. think tbe Spanish will reacba conclu-
sion where tbe Americans have failed
OF course ali this refers principally to
inspection of parts of the ship other
than the hull Until the guos, decks.
engines aud debris Sf all kinds have
been removed and the mud has been
pumped from The bull it cannot be ex-
amiued thoroughly By any one. Some