The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-06


scene was tue most remarkable OF It's
kind in history Never before had
warship, the pride Of a nation, been
raised from the dead to be again
buried with the same honors that are
paid to the mighty ones Of the earth.
On one Of the ships that waited with
st.lled engines for the sig0nl that
would send the battered and wsted
hulk to its native element there were ,
carried in Theoretically sealed collins, 4
covered by the flag for which they
bad died, the whitened bones Of the
h5fiave men of the battered ships COM
pany. They too were going home to
rest. After fourteen years imprison-
ment in the watery coffin these men ,
who lost their lives that the island
republic might be free were at last
to be laid in the halowed soil Of the
national cemetery at Arlington
Her Last Voyage.
The Maine and its eacorting fotilla
passed out of Havana harbor at $40
o'clock this afternoon. The flag and
flower covered hulk was preceded by
the gray cruisers Birmingham and
North Caloline. Between these vessels,
attached to the wreck by twin steel
hawsers that had been made fast to
improyised butts" was the big tug
| C5ceola On either side were the
little revenue cutters and gunboats
that comprise the Cuban navy. Behind,
striuging out in irregular formation,
came many excursion craft and small
steamers bearing local Americans and
Cubans to pay their last tribute Of re-
spect to the battered old ship that
had been more powerful in death than
in life.
Slowly the procession steamed
north-westward until the landmarks at
the entrance of the harbor were hull
down and only shadowy objects in the
waning sunlight. avery craft in the
line had it's ensign at half staff and
most of them were draped in Grape AS
the Maine passed out of the harbor
the forts saluted, and the salute ma
tional one--was answered by the guns
of the American cruisers. The tribute
seemed to have a depressing effect on
every one. There was no sound on
the various boats. Depression that
seemed to be felt by all subdued even
the volatile Cuban sailors. 1t was
real funeral and ono whose solemnity
can hardly. ever be forgotten by those
who took part in it,
The Last Signal
Suddenly a signal officer on the for
ward structure of the Birmingham
cleft the air with p colored flag. There
was a quick answer, and then in obedi-
ence to the program arranged hours
before the various craft took up the
positions that had been assigned to
them. A launch put off to the Maine,
carrying officers and men. At the
same time the crews of the Warships
went to quarters, while the marine
guard took position in fun dress uni
form and with their pieces at the
carry. The ships band on the Biz
bingham struck up the American ma
| t.onSl anthem, it's strains echoing and
|reechoing across the eXpanse of water
The flag on the Maine, in the hands
of a signal officer, began to move. 1t
announced to the waiting fotiila that
everything was ready that the time
had arrived when the Maine was to
disappear forever its mission accom-
plshed There was a shadowy puff
of vapor, so faint that it was almost
indiscernible, from the forward gun
of the Birmingham, and it's booming
had hardly penetrated the ears of the
spectators when the guns of the North
Carolina and the Cuban warships be-
gan to roar out the last salute.
1t was one of the most wonderful
naval pictures ever witnessed. The
sun was far over on the western hori-
zon, brilliant fiery ball whose rays
were picked up and reflected by the
long sweeping waves, Pale in the Grim
son light were the great flag that
covered the Maine and it's pail of
flowers. The warships with their men
at quarters looked gray and ghostly.
The Maine Goes Down.
! 1t was just $500 Havana time-5:5O
J eastern standard time-when the bat
| tered hulk was seen to tremble and
: SILVER as the flood gate arranged for