New Britain herald., 1923-02-15

h6tMeen America and spain, Tia
h0nr Mas a;sA p, IN, The Havana
cable offieR eiosed az , y, m, and
there Mas no possible way ie get fur
theF news that night, The Herald
got It's Washington Bureau on the
phone, and directed that every man
be hustled out on the story. John ID,
Long Was then the secretary OF the
Ragg, The word that the American
consulate in Havana had heen attack
"a was telenhOned TO him by the
iteTaid's Washington bureau, There
was a rapid telephone conference
with the state department and the
White House and about II o'clock a
wire Was sent 10 Rear Admiral Monts
gOmeFy sieaFd, commanding the
North Atlantic neet, then al anchor
on Dry faTlugas, 10 detaeh a vessel
of his command and send il 10 Ha-
Nana forthwith, the reason being that
an eminenily Trustworthy correspond
ent OF an important newspaper had
eabled the report OF an attack upon
the American consulate,
"After the lapse OF all these years
! eannot recall whether il Was lienten-
ant, now Rear Admiral n. II, Usher.
or lieutenant, now Rear Admiral AL
bert GleaVes, whose torpedo boat con-
Veyed the message from the Key West
Naval station 10 the flagship New
York, Whichever il was. the message
reached the admiral about midnight.
and directly thereafter q signal was
made for the commanding officer OF
the Maine to report on board.
Ordered To Proceed To Havana.
In conversation ! had with Cap
tain sigsbee some years later. he de-
seribed that midnight visit 10 the
his orders from Admiral ST.
card to proceed 10 Havana at once.
the admiral adding that he did not
know what conditions he would find
upon his arrival. He did not hamper
tho Names commander with any in
leaving all TO his discre-
ton,
Captain sigsbee returned to his
ship, gave the necessary orders for
spreading fires under the boilers and |
TO get under way as soon as possible |
Awnings were rolled up and sent be-
low, and awning stanchions which |
might have interfored with gun fire,
were removed. along with their ridge |
ropes. Guns were not loaded for un-
der the high discipline that is main
tanned In the navy, every one could
have been two or three minutes after
The ringing OF the gong. calling the
crew to general quarters which
means that upon the sounding of that
signal everyone jumps to his appoint
I'd place, the men detailed to the mag
izines springing to their stations and
sending UP ammunition for the guns.
he gun crews loading with equal
'elerity.
The Maine Underway.
Now with the Maine underway and
her way to the harbor where
Ter destruction was destined to in
olive two nations in war, let lis leave :
he doomed battleship for moment
nd take up the narrative from the
nglaterra Hotel in Havana.
1T was at an early hour in the
orenoon when messenger from the !
able office Knocked on the door of
1r Caldwel's room and handed him !
cablegram. II was from the Herald =
nd read: Rush story you buletined Q
II Cuban cane crop-we want it for I
lain section. v
Not having sent any bulletins on c
he Cuban cane crop. Mr.. Caldwell 7
called at once that this was a code
Message, and turning to his code book c
ound the first part of it conveyed the 7
dings that "A United States man-o'- t
ar has been ordered to Havana He C
as puzzled for a moment over the a
EST, for there was nothing in the o
ode book anyway resembling it. Then o
flashed upon him that the use of A
e words main section was employ Ii
to tell him the name of the vessel h
at had been ordered to Havana, Il
herwise the Maine. p