The San Francisco call., 1909-02-14

the Maine IN the harbor of Ha-
vAna Since popular and sympa-
rbstio interest in that momenrous
4: event continues. a few words from
one OF the survivors may be of inter-
eat at this time.
Not long after the event I yielded TO
Argument and narrated the principal
points OF interest in the history Of the
vessel
II was argued that I alone knew
every link IN the chain Of circumstances
leading uP 70 her loss and following
thereafter, and that I should present
the facts while they were fresh in my
memory.
Moreover, It was plain that unless I
wrote the mystery surrounding tho
event would be deepened by fictitious
assumptions and announcements. felt
that Il was not proper for me- in my
Position % attempt dramatic style, Sc
! wrote a simple narrative. but vir-
tuGlly exhaustive OF the subject az
viewed ~ that time
Ny sole object was historical as-
eurGcy. AS q result Of writing in that
calm spirit can now reread my story
without wishing TO recall any of its
parts. Apart from that narrative \
have rarely touched publicly on the
subject OF the Maine.
Records Of the Court
The published records Of the court
81 49,
the Maine are voluminous and largely
very technical Neither my story nor
che records OF the court could reach
directly more than a small proper
t3on OF our people
- Many OF the newspaper accounts
were rather horid, though more at
traotive than the real thing. It is not
strange. therefore, that I have been
asked 70 clear UP doubts or unoer-
-tainties IN the Individual mind. In
the main the hundreds OF questions
that have been asked me relate to very
Few points, and TO these I will conhne
ny remarks herein.
Were you, yourself, on board the
Maine when she was blown upr'
When did you write your first dis
patch to the government"
rs It true, as the spanIards reported.
that most Of the Names officers were
cut of the shipT
was sitting IN my cabin and had
sust finished writing a letter when the
ship went to pieces. In about fifteen
minutes. when she was resting on the
bottom Of the harbor, she was aban-
doned By the few survivors who had
not been blown out OF her.
We went to the Ward liner the City
OF Washington (American). There I
wrote the dispatch a few minutes later
gay. so minutes after the explosion. or
about ten minutes after 10 D. N. It
reached the newspapers Of our eastern
Etates about o'clock a M through the
navy department.
President Mckinley at first thought
that was on shore The spirit in
which the dispatch was written Is
given IN my earlier narrative, and is
confirmed by ths evidence OF my subse-
auent dispatches. I should have no
dimoulty whatever IN proving my
state OF mind. The people of the
United States understood and acted ao-
eordingly, SO we viii let that pass.
Sending the Word
= The dispatch was taken ashore. at
my request, by Mr.. George Bronson
Rae. then a press correspondent. It
was written on a sheet OF Ward Line
paper. On shore Mr.. Rae transcribed
81 TO a regular form and then sent It
forward.
Many months later he visited me at
New York and presented me with the
original draft, which 7 stnl have. The
latter shows clearly a striving for form
OF expression and economy OF words
the effect Of long naval training.
Soon after the destruction Of the
Maine It was published, from Spanish
sources, and with reiteration, that most
oz her officers were on shore or dining
on board the City of Washington at
the time OF the explosion. II true. the
story would tend TO show a lack of
discipline. The story is still given
some credence IN the United States.
Knowing that many Spanish officers
were cognizant Of the facts, was first
unable to account for the persistence
Of the report It came to me grad
ually that some OF the Spaniards had
q seeming basis for the belief that
considerable number OF the officers
were on shore. The spaniards were
regulations were very strict at Havana.
To reach the small passenger boats
At night It was necessary to go to the
Nachina landing and pass through
gate guarded by a sentry. The dreaded
American newspaperman OF the time
and place was regarded with rather an
evil eye by tho spaniards, but he was