The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-05
10 ExONERATE slGSBEE.
That Is Expected to Be the Verdict
Of the Naval Court.
no MISTAKE HAS BEEN POSSIBLE.
y 1rverything Goes 30 show That the
IxplosIon Was Due 10 Some
i External Agency.

e{ New YORK, March IN uispatrn 10 tue
Tribune from Havana snys: The leading
facts OF the Maine disaster are all lp the
possession OF thu naval board. The divers
have continued their work during The ABB
sencc OF The board at Key West They have
discovered nothing TO change the evidences
8 first gathered, which showed, apparently.
that the explosion was external Ihoir
examination this week has extended along
side the plates and they have penetrated
forward well into the bow. All they find
Is merely confirmatory OF what was pre-
yiously discovered.
Captain sampson aud hls assistants were
especially anxious 10 await further WORK
By the divers 10 determine whether or not
mistakes had been made in any manner
Nothing has been found to Indicate any
mistake. on the contrary, The more thor
oughly The hull Ii examined the more con-
yincing appear the original evidences OF
EXPLOSION from without How long The
boaro VIII cake to formulate its conciu-
sions ON this point can be better Judged III
& Washington than In Havana,
Notwithstanding the pernisson given
by the United States government for span
ISL divers to examine the wreck. he IN
NcstlRnliUn ny inc Slniiitn autnOFiNitS VI
the condition o. the ship az VI lies in the
wafer proceeds slowly. They seem TO ne
tn no hurry 70 learn the facts abpus the
hull magazines and other matters which
were the first TO engage the attention OF
the naval board The government hss
however, taken considerable testimony OF
persons who were Ia tho harb0r on the
night OF the explosion. II gives much
weight TO the testimony of those who say
they sRw the flames Issuing from the |
Maine before the ship was wrecked by an |
explosion.
The understanding in Havana Is that |
the naval board will be emphatic In exon !
Grating Captain Sigshee and the officers |
OF the Maine from the Implication OF neg
ligence. lack of discipline OF responsibility |
for the disaster. II has been almost for- |
gotten that until the board reports on tat |
subject Captain Sigsbec Is nominaly under |
q cloud-that is the Inquiry must deter |
nine whether or not the commander Of tho |
Maine WAS In any way responsible Tor her |
loss The secrecy with which the invests |
cation has been conducted has not pre-
vented the testimony on this subject from
becoming known
The beard will re able to 90 further ana
show not olily that there was no accident |
thst could have Been prevented, but also
no basis for aociteni How far II VIII so
In the assertion OF positive proof that the
present speculative Qnesiioil.
Tho prevalent Impression IS that the
board has evidence %, the doed, without
the means Of finding ont who committed
1t 1t Is incumbent upon the spanish GOV
eminent TO md thai out.
The denial credited 20 Senior DuHosc in |
Washington that mines DO not exist in |
Havana harbor does not receive the |
weight that would he given TO the ofheinl |
declaration from Captain Blaneos on the |
same subject It 10 the purpose 10 COM
rat the finding of the naval board. but not |
sgressivey8 The Spanish attitude seems |
he that am accident was probable and |
Mat the United Statea is not justified IA |
making demand for reparation When thn |
proof Of foul play Is not postum, The as. |
sumption would be that The two govern
ments, after'the evidence, will be unable to |
agree on their conclusions There has boon |
nothing In the nature OF iont lnvestgn- |
ton. From the present outlook Madrid |
and Washington are the places whore the |
cause Of the explosion viii be- determined |
The wreck promises to remain IN the !
harhor for an Indefinite period The wreck |
ing companies win be able 10 raise tho I
guns OF the Maine. The huh Is AN nsset |
OF no Value to any government
The temper of the Spanish classes to- |
ward the United States is In no Mlsc dem. |
pnstrafiye
The Visoayn has caused M outpouring |
OF the loyal spirit, though Il wax not OK |
het'y spontaneous. for the demonstration |
was arranged Ia advance Apparently n |
large portion OF the population arc graft. |
He'd To see the Nizcaya anchored moi far
from the wreck az the Maine They he |
lieve that with tho other warshlns which
are TO come and with the torpedo flotIlla
Havana and the ports of Cuba are safe
from an American fleet.