New-York tribune., 1912-03-16
MAINE TO SINK TODAY
TO HER LASTING REST
Roses on Its Decks Will Float
When BattIeShip DlSap-
pears Forever.
HER DEAD LYING IN STATE
After the Ceremony Thirty four
Coffins Will Be Brought Home
by the Cruiser North
Carolina.
HER DEAD LYING IN STATE

Havana, March l5.-The hulk of the
old battleship Maine will be sent to its
last resting place at the bottom of the
sea three miles off the Cuban coast to-
morrow afternoon. Roses from her deck
will dot the waters as she sinks. Taps"
will be sounded, and the cruiser North
Carolina will point her Prov northward
to bring home the last Of the bodies Of
! the men who met death when the Maine
was blown up I'm Havana Harbor on the
night of February IS. 1898.
The nnal arrangements for the burial
of the Maine were made this afternoon.
| when. shortly after sundown. the hulk
was drawn through a breach in the cof-
| fcrdam by the navy tug OsCeola. and
| securely moorcd to its outer wall The
! operation of getting the vessel outside
| the dam was effected without the slight
est difficulty
| At p. m. the public was admitted 10
view tn, thirty four plain collins con-
tanning the remains OF slXty-fVe MEM
bcrs of the crew of the Maine, which lay
in state in the Municipal Council cham
Der of the palace, converted for the pur-
pose into an imposing mortuary chapel
The walls were draped with black, and
at the upper end of the chamber a gilded
altar hlazcd with innumerable wax
candles I'm tall silver stands. The caskets
were ranged round the walls of the room,
covered with black and draped with
Cuban and American ensigns.
Numerous floral offerings were laid on
the coftins, including wreaths from the
City of Havana, the Cuban navy. the
Spanish war veterans and various So
cieties. The guard of honor was com
| posed of Cuban artillerymen and mem
bers of the Havana camp of the Spanish
American War veterans.
4 vast concourse passed through the
| hall during the afternoon and evening 10
pav their last tributes 10 the dead sail
ors. The lying in state will continue
during the night and until 10 O'Clock to-
morrow morning, when the caskets. each
h, rne on the shoulders Of six Cuban
eoIdiers or sailors. will be carried to the
Caballeria wharf between lines Of cuban
soldiers presenting arms. Al the head
of this procession will be PRESIDENT
Gomez and the members of his Cabinet
Minister Beaupre the members OF the
automatic corps and of the supreme
Court officials of the national and mu-
nicipal governments and officers OF the
Cuban army, navy and rurales,
AT the wharf Mayor de Cardenas will
formally present the bodies 10 Brigadier
General w. H. Bixby, chief of the en-
gineer corps Of the United states army,
who will make response. After this
,,,ere will be a funeral Grafton delivered
hv Father Chadwick, who was chaplain or
tho Maine az the time of the disaster.
These ceremonies are expected TO end
nv noon. and the caskets then VIII be
TRANSPORTED to the United states cruiser
North Carolina, which with the scout
cruiser birmingham, is expected to ar
rive here early in the morning.
At . o'clock the hulk Oh tne Maine WIFI
| b., Iaken in tow by the tug Osceola and.
escorted by the North Carolina, the Bir-
r,,ngham. four Cuban gunboats and a
prcat fleet of other craft, will be con-
veyed 10 sea three miles off the Cuban
coast. where her sea cocks Will be opened
and the vessel sent TO the bottom.
>,-.L ,s covarpor Eoss issued
nrocIamation to-day directing that flags
on all public buildings in the state he as
played at half staff from noon until sunset
tomorrow, during which time the battle
shin Maine is to be sunk Off the coast OF