The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-30
THE AMERICAN
SPANISH WAR
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SPANISH WAR
Continued from first pagcJ
holes under water in the hull-were rove
and kept standing. The purport Of my
own orders and instructions was that we
should consider the Maine in position
requiring n well-sustained routine both by
night and by day.
THE CATASTROPHE.
Capt. Sigsbee says that until the night
of the explosion nothing whatever de-
veloped to show that there was any spe-
cial need for extreme vigilance, yet every
sentence of his story shows that he was
on the alert for just such an accident.
Il did not expect she would be blown
up. either from interior or exterior causes.
although precautions were taken in both
directions Nevertheless, / believed that
she could be blown up from the outside,
provided sufficient number of persons
of evil disposition, and with the cOnyen-
fences at hand. We're free to conspirc for
the purpose. 1t was necessary to trust
the Spanish authorities in great degree for
protection from without
Capt. Sigsbee says that he was writing
a letter to his wife at 'Taps'-lo min
ntes after . o'clock, and had laid down his
pen to listen to the notes of the bugle,
WHICH were SlnSUiaTly Dedutllul III tHc up
pressivc stiffness of the night. The
marine buglar Newton. he says, was
very fine one, and given to adding flour
ishcs and fanciful effects. He seemed to be
doing his best that fateful night, and
Capt Sigsbee remarked that the echoes
floated back to the ship with singular dis
tnctness. repeating the strains of the
bugle fully and exactly. \ half hour
later, Newton was dead. The Captain
had completed and was inclosing his let
ter in an envelope when the explosion
came.
or this awful moment, Capt. Sigsbee
says: TO me, in my position, well aft,
and within the superstructure, it was
bursting, rending and crashing sound or
roar of immense volume; largely metallic
in character. 1t was followed by sue
cessiOn of heavy, OminOus, metallic sounds,
probably caused by the OverturninS of the
central superstructure and by falling
debris. There was trembling and lurch-
ing motion of the vessel. Il list to port, and
a movement of subsistence. The electric
lights. of which there were eight Tin the
Captains cabin where ] was sitting, went
out. Then there was intense blackncSs
and smoke. The situation could not be
mistaken-the Maine was blown up and
sinking"
The Captain CROPPED his way out, and in
the passageway came in violent contact
derby, who reported that the ship
was sinking. Anthony did not
salute. the Captain says, and had
he done so it could not have been
seen in the pitch dark of the passageway.
Capt. Sigsbce says that dramatic effect
could not have added anything to the
hcroism displayed by Anthony. who did
his whole duty at great personal risk, at
time when he might have evaded the
great danger without question. HE hung
near me with unfagging zeal and watch
| fulness that night until the ship was aban-
doned," writes the Captain.
He says that he has often been asked
if he believed that the Maine was blown
up from the outside. and that his answer
to this is that his first order on reaching
the deck was to post sentries about the
ship. Il knew that the Maine had been
blown up, and l believe that she had been
blown up from the outside. There
was the sound of many voices from the
shore, suggestive Of cheers"
Lieut.. Holman related in last weeks
National Tribune how the officers left the
Maine. Capt. Sigsbee last. OF this sad
chapter in the life of the ship he loved the
| Captain says: 1T was a hard blow to be
obliged to leave the Maine; none of us de-
sired to leave while any part of her poop
remained above water. We waited until
satisfied that she was resting on the bot
tom of the harbor Lieut. Commander
| wainwright then whispered to me that he
thought the forward J0-inch magazine had
been thrown up into the burning material
amidships and might explode at any time
with further disastrous effects. He was
then directed to get everybody into the
boats. which was done. Virtual
Iy, all left last The fine conduct Of