The Washington herald., 1908-02-16

While a trumpeter sounded the clear
vibrant tones Of taps" an assemblage
that filed the Metropolitan Methodist
/ Episcopal Church to the doors, stood in
silence at precisely 9.l5 o'clock last night
/ in commoration OF the tenth anniversary
OF the hour and minute Of the battle ship
Names destruction in the harbor Of Ha-
yana
On the platform stood Rear Admiral
Charles D. sigsbee, captain of the de-
stroyed ship. and Miss Cla-a Barton. one
of the founders and The former head of
the American Red Cross Society, and who
was in Tavana al the time Of the disaster.
About these central figures were Gen
Andrew S. Burt, who presided during the
exercises; Representative Langley. Of
KENTUCKY; Judge William c. Deracey of
the Juvenile Court; Col. John McElroy, Of
the c. =. r: Chaplain c. C. Pierce. L.
s. A, an dothers prominent in the Army
and Navy Union. and the kindred organ
izations under the auspices of which the
memorial meeting had been planned and
consummated
Women Dressed ia White.
Below the platform Oh either side were
groups Of members of the Womans Re
I lief Corps. under the leadership of Mrs.
Isabel Worrel Ball. dressed in white. and
bearing large flags The United States
/ Engineer Corps Band occupied a posi-
ton in front Of the platform. and the
/ FIRST few rows Of pews were filed by
blue-uniformed marines and sailors. who
came voluntarily % honor the memory
/ of their dead brothers in the service
The principal address OF the evening
was by Admiral Sigsbee. who relates in
simple effective. and matter-of-fact Eng
/ lish the thrilling incidents Of the catas-
trophe that was tine direct ultimate cause
/ of the war with Spain.
II is ten years. almost 70 the hour.
/ said Admiral Sgsble. when that ter
ritle explosion sent the battle ship Maine
to the bottom Of Havana Harbor The
/ incidents have almost been forgotten.
I Our government was not AT ali anxious
I to send the Maine 20 Havana and IT was
only after the earnest solicitations Of the
! American residents there who had be
come disturbed by. the many riots and
cases of violence. that the ship was or
dered to go TO the Cuban capital
when the Maine sailed into the hsr-
bor Of Havana. she was met by pilot
and other officials. aud We were extended
/ every courtesy and consideration. We
/ knew the Spanish did not Ike 10 have us
/ there, and that they resented il. and, con-
/ sequCntly. when we found their courtesy
/ was purely official and native. and that
/ they had no intention Of extending the
! social amenities, we were punctilli0Us and
/ entered upon no social relations with the
/ Cubans. The officers were allowed TO go
/ ashore. but none of the men were per-
mitted 20 leave the ship. This was 10
/ prevent any possibility of trouble between
/ the Spanish sailors and our men, The
/ men 0f the Maine took their enforced de-
! privation Of shore leave with excellent
grace, and behaved beautifully, though it
was a great hardship.
Miss Barton Was There.
"On February Is. 1898, we had some
! women aboard ship visiting, among them
/ Miss Barton. They left the ship late in
the afternoon. Night came on thick.
humid, and gloomy. The men were piped
below early. and 7 was sitting in my
cabin when taps were sounded at about
/ 91G O'Clock. In the peculiar stiffness of
/ that night, the tones of the bugle seemed
to leap back from the hills and the
trumpeter appeared TO wait and catch the
/ echoes as they came. was writing some
4 letters. Just outside of my door was
| Sergeant Anthony, my orderly.
! Then came the explosion 1t was an
! immense roar. followed by a rushing
! tearing sound In my part of the ship
/ the shock was not what il was farther
/ forward, of course, the explosion occur
ring well forward under the coming
] tower. and q little to the port side. The
/ ship heeled decidedly to port and fearing
! she was about to so under, ] tried to
make my way out through the ports. But
! as her movement ceased. I turned and
made my way through the passages
Admiral Sigsbee then described the con-
/ ditiOns on deck and told of the work
/ done TO rescue the wounded and drowning
/ from the water lie said the first order
/ he gave was to post sentries. and that
] 1UlitlUdllUFt " dtilA lAEIl tEklul lEu AAltl q
were no men TO do sentry duty and no
/ ship forward TO guard Admiral Sigsbee
said everything was done in a quiet.
orderly manner, and that the only shout
/ ed command that night was his. when he
/ called: Keep silence, everybody, I think
/ | hear our mems voices in the water"
Last to leave the Ship.
Admiral Sigsbee, in touching upon the
! incident of his leaving the sinking ship
! last. merely said: you have all heard it
4 said that ] left the ship last. wish to
/ say that is merely a naval regulation. and
i that you will never see it missed in the
/ United States navy.
! The speaker broached the question of
/ the election of soldiers and sailors In uni
| form from places of amusement, and said
such things happened because the people
running such places had not kept pace
with the development Of the character of
/ the men I'm the service.
/ The admiral said the Old-time sailor was
a different man altogether from the men
now forming the bigger part Of the en-
( listed naval force.
The exercises opened with America"
Continued on page =. column 4.