The age-herald., 1898-02-26
SUBMARINE MINE DID IT

Major James c. Long, a naval expert, now in the employ of the United States government, is in the city on a visit to relatives. He was seen yesterday by an Age-Herald reporter, and in regard to the Maine disaster said "The theory that the battleship Maine was blown up by acci- dent is absurd one If you have ever seen the discipline on board a United States man-of-war you can realize how utterly impossible it is for the magazine of a ship to blow up accidentally.
 Tn the first place the approaches to the magazine are very intrcately made and strongly fortified At least one officer of the ship Is at all times on guard to pre- vent all entrance to the magazines. Be- sides this in every magazine and coal bun ker there is an automatic device that rings a bell in the captains cabin whenever the heat exceeds a contain temperature and ample time is given to put out any fire.
 spaniards Placed a Mine
 "Thc Maine was expected to arrive at Havana at a certain time. The willy Span iards sunk mine at favorable point and awaited her arrival. It is customary for the captain of the port to designate the anchorage of all vessels, and after some delay the Maine was anchored over the de- sired spot.
 q do not believe that the mine was ex- ploded through the order of the Spanish government for tGhey were not prepared for the war which would certainly follow. But somebody, who was into the secret evidently thought otherwise and the wreck in the Havana harbor now tells the tale of his Spanish enthusiasm. I believe that the hatred to the United States was. brought to climax by the DeLome inci- dent.
 rr1,a +er,sJ1o q anoa oe done Inv the exDlosion could not have been caused by a floating torpedo which could at most contain only about 100 pounds of explosives It must have been a submarine mine which could have contained ton of dynatmite as easily not
 of the goyernrne mt expects to raise the Maine they had better be in a hurry about it. The harbor of Havana IS almost en- tirely land-locked and as there is little or no tide in those waters, the bottom of the barhor is filled with mud. The dispatches say that the weight of the wreck is slowly forcing the ship downward and unless something is done at once the whole thing will be lost.
 CIassmate of Sigsbee
 "I was a class-mate of Capt. Sigsbee's at the United States Naval academy, at An napolis, in 1S59-60, and knew him quite well as a cadet. When the war broke out l resigned and entered the confederate navy. Sigsbee remained in the federal navy, and has gradually risen from midshipman to A captain At the academy Sigsbee was noted for his fondness for drawing. lie would neglect his other studies to indulge his tastes for mechanical and artistic draw ing. This talent afterward was of much service to him, enabling him to remain for A number of years in the hydrographical department of the navy. He made some very important deep-sea explorations, and did much to improve the effectiveness Of his department.
 rather a dark complexion, making him LOOK somewhat like Spaniard. l think that the court of inquiry now being held in Havana will exonerate him from all blame in the unfortunate affair, and there will be no court-martial in his case"
 In the onfederate Navy
 Mai. Longs career has been an interest ing one. After he resigned from the united States navy he obtained a berth as m1d- shipman in the confederate navy, ana was on the famous confederate ram Merrlmac on her evertful cruise around Hampton Roads. as q ndshipman. He assisted in the destruction of the Congress and other federal ships, and also in that greatest of naval duels between the Merrimac and the Monitor
 Mai Long's description of the fight is vivid one By the way he added "I want you young southerners to remember that we whipped that Yankee gunboat. You may have gained other impressions than this from the histories, but the fact fs that we whipped the little craft decid- edly and drove her from Hampton Roads"
 To the Aibemarlc
 After the Merrimac was blown up Maj. Long was transferred to the Albermarle and was master on that vessel when blown up by the torpedo of the Cushing. After this he was a blockade runner on the Iowa, which ran between Havana and the southern ports.
 Maj. Long is now government engineer, assisting in the construction of the Henne- pin canal, connecting the illinois river at f1ennepin with the Mississippi at Rock Island. He has been on visit to Capt. William A. Walker and other relatives in this city, and leaves this morning for his station in Illinois.