Evening Star Newspaper, February 17, 1898, Page 1

(= THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Ferreylvania Avenue, Cor. llth St., by The Evening Star Newspaper Company S. H. EAUFFMANN, Pres't. New York Ofice, 49 Potter Buildiay, ‘The Evening Star ts served to subscribers in the i “IT m thelr own ; at 10 cents or 44 cents per Jopies at the 2 certs each. By mail—anywhere in the ed States cr Canada—postage prepald—50 cents nth dn Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with tage added. $3.00. at the Po.t Gffice at Washington, D. C.. nd-class mal matter.) iptions must be pald in advance. ‘tising made known en application. INQUIRY ORDERED Naval Beard gate ff i] =. = = [—¥} i——7 a = ss s eS PROMINE ? ie at Scene of Wreck They Will Conve in a Few Days. THEOSIES ABCUT THE ACCIDENT Bradfor d Says Maine's Coa: Was of Good Quality. ee ACH SiGSBEE oe vy Department received a disp nerning from Admiral Stcurd, % rom- North Atlantic squadron, giv- il of the court of inquiry to in- the Maine disaster, as fellow apson, president of the court; Chadwick, Lieut. | Commander Commander Marix. n, the presid-nt of the commander of the battle ship at the Tortugas; Capt. Chad- mmander of w York, at West: Lieut. Commander Schroeder ecutive officer of th= batile ship Mass- now at the Tortugas; Liet Marix is executive officer of He was formerly with the as ex2cutive officer before the detail at a Wainwright, who ieved him. Wilt Take Several Days. Samps: ecurt, is lewa, now wick is Key the It is believed that under the most favor- eireumstarces this investigation can- for several d: Arrange- net ade rrents must be made for the proper work- ing of the diving outfits and the board of inquiry must determine upon a line of netion. Besides. Lieut. Commander Marix, who will be a member of the court of nquiry, has just been released from duty the Billings court-martial in this left Washington at 11 o'clock train for Key West, and he is to be assigned to duty as judge adv ate of the court. Probably the board will be conveyed from Havana to Key West by the Olivette or one of the light house tenders, as it is again stated today at the Navy Department has no inten- tion of sending another man-of-war to Havana immediately. General fear 1s expressed by the older fucers of the Navy Department that the destruction of the Maine had been so com- plete, at least in the forward portion of the ship, where the explosion ts believed to have occurred, that {t would be perhaps unpessible to find sufficient evidence in wreck of the hull to be able to de- with certainty the cause of the dis- The reports coming frum Havana printed this morning descriptive of t currence of the wreck yesterday strengthen these dcubts. The fallen smokestack, the nee of the big turret guns, t ing of the decks forward, Gicate that Ted L er. disappear- > overturn- all seem to tn- an enormous destruction has low. ceeu Sunk by Internal Exp ay bi has yet a sion. id, however, that nothing Jeveloped in the news from Ha Wana as to the appearance of the wreck or in the conflicting stories of the sur- vivers to change the opinion of the ma- dcrity 0” the officers stationed in the Navy Depart that the Maine sunk as the an juternal explosion. As to n of this explosion there fs still a ference of opinion, but the coal cory today finds very many more other theory. 1 on the supposition that Ss combustion in one of the ch in the Maine are separated magazine forward by a single iron part ignited the magazine caused the destruction of the vessel. Proofs of similar fires on other vessels of t ¥¥ are being produced in profusion the Navy Department today It is said that on the battle ship Indiana 5 seven fires have occurred in bunkers. The Philadelphia has St one within the past year, in the case of the flagship of the Atisntie squadron, the New York. artment Giscontinuance of the use the maga- in the center of the ship because of Zer from this cause and because it was ject to a high degree of heat by radia- tion from the furnaces. Character of Coal Supplied. In connection with the theory of spon- taneous combustion the character of the ©o. the Indiana assumed some This is supplied at present to bureau of equipment, and the head of bureau, Captain Royal Bradford, this & asserted positively that coal was he very best. He produced the quarter- report ri tly the 1 supplied t importance. morn of by ex stat of the Maine's coal sur At the end the quality of the coal. of December the vessel had fifty-two tons | bad, how oal cnly i in her bunker; ontas and Th New River coal lford said that Pocahontas ts er follows next and is set down at are semi-bttuminous osely approaching that h navigation coal, the lity ¢ © celebrated Brilish naval standard. In the opinion of Captain Bradford, neither of these coals is particularly sub- ect to spontaneous combustion. Maine has been in the Gulf of Mexico, how- ever, she probably has consumed a good part of this coal and has replenished her stock from the naval store at the Key West station. The coal U © taken on was an- } tion than a pile of stones. ard naval coal and is rated at 100. | uired by regulations to show | the was made | in } rise to sunset at half mast until further or- No. D. ©. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1898-FOURTEEN PA GES. CAPTAIN ISBEE From a Photogra thracite, which, no more subject to spi ‘The Maine took on in December, and in January, left for she leaded up 1| tons more. coal at Key West is kept | bebind a picket fence. very mu sed | to any evil-minded person who might de sire to conceal a bomb thercin, something which could enly be effected with great difficulty after the coal was stored in the bunke ‘ In spite of the British ref ons upon the discipline on American warships, the | officers here not he e to say tha | in the matter of careful Inspection of the | coal bunkers, the magazines and the like, our navy is second to none in the world. But these obscure fires arising from spon- tancous combustion are very difficult ef de- tection. Such fires have been known t smolder undiscovered in piles ef coal a } the Washington navy yard here for many days before breaking « and this, too. notwithstanding the fact that the piles arc visited almost ly. Aboard ship the tak- | ing of the temperature of the magazine daily is one of the precautions to guard against such fire Custom on the Maine. In the case of the Maine this observa- tion was usually taken at 9 o'clock in the morning, so that.it was entirely possibl: for a bunker fire to have developed suffi cient heat during the twelve hours tha elapsed before the explosion to have ignitec the ammunition. Whi! used for the 10-inch guns is difficult to ig- | nite without a detonator, still the applica tion of heat in excess of C00 degrees for some time will cause the explosion which the application of a match fail te bring about. ‘Trying to Reach Sigshee. Secretary Long is making repr forts to obtain from Captain S' accurate data respecting the wounded than has heretofore graphed. Half a n mes sent to the captain on subject, but | nothing on the subject has yet been re-| ceived from him by the Navy Department, | would ted ef- pee more ad on. have been | this nor had it able to hear from Key West, owing to the unfavorable weather conditions, and the wires in the south are said to be in trouble, which the naval ont | K is the re for the delay in| further advices, thot | haustion ef Captain Si; i officers af ye 3 Wo { offer some explanation. Board Hax Ample Authority. board has ample au- > mest searching inves- uses of the disaster. | Mangrove perted ar- st evening. The former | apparatus, and uy includes at leas be ary sear upon to re- they, moreover, will of the court of in- ar, and as they are bottom of a warship of the type of the Maine they are not likely { to be led into the misiake of supposing the { outlet hole or pipe from the interior to be a torpedo hole. Flags Ordered ‘The adjutant general of the army today telegraphed the commanding generais of all the military departments as follows: “As appropriate honors to the deceased in the recent disaster to the battleship Maine, the President directs that flags at all army headquarters ary posts and on army buildings be di ed from sun- port the exact facts be su to order: quiry in every par familiar with the nt Half-Mast. ders.” Divers Offer Their Services. A number of telegrams have been re- cetved at the Navy D>partment from per- in the diving business, of- fering their s in the effort to recover valuables that ar> in the sunken ship, and to assist in ascertaining the causes which led to the explosion. Secretary Long r, already taken the initiative meitter, and is in correspond-=ce eral wrecking companies, inviting the with propositi om them to undertake ine work. It not likely, nowever, that any j of the offers will be accepted until som2 report is received from Admiral Sicard, transmitting the report of the beard of in- quiry whicn ke has appointed to determine Since the | destined for the Main2. the exact situation rzspecting the possi- bility of saving any portion of the vessel. When the cruiser Detroit sailed for the south February 5 she carried a few men The names of these men are: W. R. Hines, first-class ap- Frentice; Eppa Lovett, seaman; E. J. Noble, third class gunner’s mate, and Geo. T. Starr, seaman. The commanding officer of th2 Detroit telegraphed the Navy De- INH 2 ‘Taken on F the Brown powder | s | expre' STATE ROOM ard the Mu today athe BLANCO that the men named are Detroit. EB REGR Alealde of Hay ence on Captain Gen Senor Du B: Joins in ne an Condol- Disasier. today cabled to rnish le; M a- tion, piving of the in- sular ¢ sing to the Presid of the United States pro- feund sorrew over the catastrophe to the Meine and the s of life to Americans. At the san » the alcalde, or mayor of Havana, resolutions 0. the mt lity expressing to the Pri cent the grief of the authorities and, the people of Havana. Senor Du Bose pr ches to Assistant ed the disz y who laid them before President MeKini 1 Blanco’s dispatch was as fol t today’s ion of the insular gov- ernment urd presideney it was re- solved to express through your exceilency & respectful and feeling manifestation of condolence to the President of the United States for the resulted in Maine, c: terrible catastrophe wh he destruction of the crui: using the death of a large num- ber of citize nd s of that nation. In accordan with resolution, I re- atest your excelle ay the Presi- cent of the United to accept the e which I send, deploring as I do ho: ie port should witness a great misfortune for the American gned. BLANCO.” The dispatch from the alcalde was as fol- low The runicip ing resolutior “The catastrophe to the Maine has found echo in every heart. The clty of :na offers to the American people the sion of its grief and claims the sad privilege of caring for the wounded and giving burial to the dead. The munici- pality requests you to express to the Presi- dent of the United States the grief which is felt through the city of H : “(Signed.) MARQUIS ESTEBAR, lealde of F . the information re- lity has sed the follow- pa i aN The foregoing is all ceived at the Spanish legation up to noon, nor Du Bose has heard nothing in re- rd to the M rid cable relative to the a. It w expected that this battle ship would arrive in New York today or to- morrow and would remain two or three vs before proceeding to Havana. The legation is also without information concerning the reported note of Spain clos- ing the De Lome incident. WILL NOT REPLACE THE MAINE. j Seeretary Long So Advised by Both Lee and Signhee. Secretary Long said today about 11 e’clock that he had not ordered another warship to Havana, and had no intention of doing sc at presen “Both Consul Gen- eral Lee and Capt. Si, ec,”’ said he, “ad- vised against sendirg a warship there, and I see no reason for acting against their ad- vice. We already have 2. number of smail vessels in the harbor of Havana, and no more are needed so far as I can percetve. It may be deemed advisable to replace the Maine in that port in the course of time, but L see no reason for doing so at the bresent time.” FEARS WERE NEEDLESS, Washingtonians for Whom There Wes Apprehension. The Navy Department has been besieged with inquiries today by the relatives and friends of those sailors and marines suppos- ed to have been stationed on the wrecked battle ship Maine. Among the complement of men assigned to the Maine are several Washingtonians, and it is to these that most of the inquiries refer. William L. Gartrell, formerly of 1238 8th street northwest, was reported among the missing, but his brother, Mr. G. M. Gart- rell, living at 126 G street, this morning received a telegram from him, dated Key West, stating am saved.” Mr. Gartrell Was a fireman on the Maine. He has been a seaman in the navy about six years. At the home of Mr. Joseph B. Much, 4018 7th street southeast, all was appre- hension, as he was supposed to have been one of the crew of the sunken ship. His mother, who is a widow, had not up to a lute hour heard anything from him. He belonged on the Texas, but wrote his tother early in February that he expected to be transferred to the Maine. A press dispatch to The Star says that the man was not*transferred to the Maine. Charles H. Newton is another Washing- tenian who was on the Texas, and whose friends feared he had been transferred to. the Maine. His family, living at 604 ith Three etreet southeast, heard nothing from him today, and were greatly worried. As fust as the news is Teceived at the Navy Department affecting the members of the crew, who were residents of Wash- irgton cr whose familles reside here, those interested are immediately notified. MR. MITCHELL'S THEORY. Planted a Torpedo Near the Maine Early in the Evening. Representative Murray Mitchell of N Yerk, who was one of the President's visi- tors today, has an inieresting theory of the Maine catastrophe. He says that in- ications point to the Maine having been wrecked by a terpedo frém underneath. “This torpedo,” said Representative Mit- chell to a Star reporter, “eould have been dropped a good while before the explosion by any person sailing alogg in an iy nificant craft, even a lugger. The passing of the craft at 7 or 8 o'clock would not have excited even notice. The persons in the vessel, handling the torpedo, would have found it easy to calculate the direction in which the Maine would swing, and the dis- tence from their knowledge of the tic and winds. Any with a knowledg of the sea and the tides could-even iocate the anchor of the Maine from the mov: ment of the vessel. The torpedo could have been dropped overboard, with an anchor attached, after this calculation. In the course of time the Maine would swing around in the direction calculated upon the torpedo would be touched and the ex- plosion follow. Of course the torpedo wou! flcat above the anchor to whigh it was at- tached and near enough to the surface to be touched by the Maine.” Some On man SUGG TION TO SICARD. Seeretary Long Names List of Officers to Investigate Disaster. The Secrets ot the Navy today tele 1 to 1 rd, commanding North ntment of Atlantic the ileet, suggesting the following-named ofli- ‘Sas a board to investigate the cause of he accident to the Maine: Capt. William mpson, cormmanding the lowa; Capt. ch I. Chadwick, commanding the Ne Yerk, and Lieut. Com jer Adolph Ma- rix, judge advocate. Acting under instructions from Washing- ton, these officers will proceed immediately to Havana to make their investigation. They will probably make the trip on a man-of-war, DR. HUBB! of High Power Guns Sa It Was n Torpedo. Dr. W. W. Hubbell, the inventor of the high-power steel guns, and an expert in ex- plosives, says: “Considering the facts—that it was in the night time; that tne crew and officers had retired; that the explosion occurred nearest the bow of the vessel; that she sank from the explosive effects; that gun cotton was stored near by or over the place of rupture and of explcsion—placing all these facts together, it appears to me that a submarine torpedo was exploded under the fore part of the battleship Maine in-Havana harbor and that the concussion upward exploded the cotton, the two together destroying the vessel and the sleeping crew.” EVIDENCE OF A TORPEDO. ‘S VIEWs. Inventor From Key West Discredited at Navy Department. Rumor A rumor from Key West this morning sa The divers who have been working about the bottom of the Maine's wreck have discovered an eight-inch percussion hole in a plate. Adiniral Manterola has summoned Cap- tain Sigsbee to appear before Military Judge Peral to make the necessary depo tions, All proofs of the torpedo work will he removed. Another man-of-war is expected here to- night. President McKinley's attention was call- ed to the Key West rumor early this morning, having been sent to him by The Star. The President read the. dispatch with deep interest, and said that it was the first of that kind he had received. Of course, he had nothing else to say. With him at the time was Senator Quuy of Pennsylvania. Senator Burrows visited the President on business. When he heard of the telegram he said that while it might be of great im- portance, the Spanish government would have to be proven to be connected in some way with the explosion before any action could be taken by this country. “If 1 should go over to England,” said Senator Burrows, “and kill Queen Victoria or blow up the House of Parliament the United States government could not be accused of committing the crime.” Discredited at Navy Department. The Navy Department absolutely dis- credits the story coming from Key West that divers have found an cight-inch per- cussion hole in the bottom of the Maine. Secretary Long says that there !s no such thing as a percussion hole; that there is no eght-inch torpedo, and there is no other way in which such a hole could be ac- counted for. It 1s, of course, possible that a sheli explodirg inside of the ship pierced & hole of that kind in the outer skin, but that would be readily revealed by the character of the angle, and whether or not the skin was bulged in or out around the puncture. It is more likely if there is any hole at all of the kind that it ts sim- ply the outlet of one @fy:the numerous Pieces from the inside ofthe Maine. Secretary Long positively denies that Capt. Sigsbee has in any: suppressed tele- gram expressed the opinien thmt a torpedo caused the disaster, or that it cam2 from an external cause. ‘The-eaptein said, on the contrary, that he cowkd: net venture to express an opinion. AT THE WHITE HBSUSE. A Different Atmosphere Frem Thatet Yesterdag. The air of suppressed exéitement at the White House yesterday was:not observ- able today. No official mews: was appar- ently received by tne Presidest for hours after he went to his office, amd none was given out, as was the case yesterday, when the informal cabinet sessien was in pro- gress, and when Secretary: Long was re- celving dispatches from Havana. ae President went to hisioflice before 10 o’clock, but ther ‘pass! backward or forward, of messengers, Deas: ing telegrams. The steady tramp of the congressman and his offiee-seeking con- stiluent was all that was heard. The old game of otlice-hunting was.again resumed. The Maine disaster has: yet become an “incident,” but. : goon. Men have to fill offices, and ot! have to get jira Diateeisor them. President has 0 listen hese m. ‘keep this part of the ‘government tm ne well as up to a lato-hour in the afternoon. General’ Gary “was the on! cost ometal to see the reagan and te talked on department business. onep a Sssistant secretaryof state, ran. ‘bes few minutes, but had nothing to give out. He did not rema® long enough for a con- ference of importance. News from Havana was eagerly sought for by the visitors, by White House at- taches and a corps of newspaper men. Dead to Be Buried at Havana, Numeros inquiri e being received at the Navy Department from the friends of the seamen on the Maine, asking whether the bodies of the drowned will be brought to this country for interment. The general reply is that it is not likely the remains will be shipped here. The department, it is . under ordinary conditions might brin, the body of an officer or sailor who 4 abroad to a port of th ted Sta even after it reaches here there money available for transportation land to a place of burial. In the present extraordinary occasion there zl reasons for not fetching ‘0 the United States. The a number of the bodics tes, but no is ov are more or les ble, and,- beside is doubtful y any merchant steamer could be induced to bring t The strongest reason against he howev 0 gro’ . It is prot said a naval officer today, that the bodic of the men will be buried in the cemetery at Havana at the expe e of the erm- ment. CARING FOR THE DEAD. The Remains Not Likely to Be + Brought Hom The Navy Department has received many inquiries: from the relatives and friends of the mez lost on the Maine, asking whether their 1 ha el and if they, will be br e for buriai. 1 re not likely remains will be s country. even if they a recovered. It t under ordir, off 1 that the y con¢ a ot an cer or abe even their ot he fol of the gled, and it is ques be identified even I bly tix hodic most dead ger to fected distr likely be t Letter From Capt. Sigsbee. The wife of Captain S: who rv band announcing that he had ped uninjured in the clothes in which he left his cabin at the time of the explo- sion; that he was well and very bus son-in-law, Ensign Kittelle, who ds on duty at the Navy Department, says that the message was sent to reassure his family, and, as Captain Sigsbee naturally is exceed- ingly busy, no further private advices are expected from him until he has an oppor- tunity to communicate by letter. Capt. De La Casa’s Regrets. "The Spanish authorities still continue to express abhorrence aud sympathy at the disaster. Acting Secretary Meiklejohn to- received the following telegram: SAN FRANCISCO. Cal., February 17.— ‘ept assurance Cordial sympathy rrible calamity Maine. (Signed) “Capt. C. De LA CASA, “Military Attache, Sparish Legation.” oe FOR OFFICE. Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate. The President today sent to the Senate these nominations: George H. Lyman of Massachusetts, to be collector of customs, district of Boston and Charlestown, Mass. John T. Williams of North Carolina, to be consul at Sierre Leone, Africa. To be assistant surgeons marine hospital service: H. B. Parker of Delaware, J. F. Anderson of Virginia, L. L. Lumsden ot Virginia, M. M. Foster of Pennsylvania and R. H. Von Ezdorf of the Disirict of Columbia. Navy—Capt. H. C. Cochran, to be -najor, First Lieut. L. Karmany, to be captain, and Second Lieut. W. C. Dawson, to be first lieutenant, all in the marine corps. ee MOVEMENTS OF WARSHIPS, Unusual Interest Manifested in Them Since Maine Disaster. The movements of our warships are be- ing closely watched at the present time, but nothing was reported at the Navy De- partment of special significance in connec- tion. with th> Maine disaster. The gunboat Machias, which was re- cently crdered home from the Chinese sta- tien, sailed from Gibraltar yesterday for Madeira on her’ way to New York, thus disproving the report that she had be2n ordered to join Admiral Howell's fleet at Lisbon, Portugal. That fleet consists of the San Francisco, Helena and Bancroft, and they are the only American naval ves- s2ls now in European waters. The big armored cruiser Brooklyn, re- cently ordered to cruise in the West In- dies, arrived at St. Thomas yesterday. Her future movements are not stat2d, but the belief is expressed that she will soon join Admiral Sicard’s fleet at Key West. ‘The cruiser Montgomery left Santo Do- mingo yesterday for Key West. She has just concluded visits to Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba. The torpedo boat Cushing left Key West yesterday for Tortugas with dispatches for Admiral Sicard. : ‘The gunboat Vicksburg, which is cruis- ing in the West Indies, arrived at St. Kitts yesterday. GENERAL CURRENCY BILL. A Subconimittee Appointed to Draft the Measure. The House banking and currency commit- tee has finished the hearing accorded the four members of the committee who are authors of currency measures. A subcom- mittee, consisting of Messrs. James T. Mc- Cleary of Minnesota, chairman; George W. Prince of Ilinois and John Murray Mitchell of New York, was appointed to draft the general currency measure to be pushed at this session, and will begin its labors. The subcommittee will hold daily sessions till the bil is framed, and it is expected the committee will be able to report to the House in about a fortnight. ————-_o-____ TERRIBLE FIRE DAMP EXPLOSION. Thirty-Seven Bodies ‘Taken Out of a Prussian Colliery. BOCHUM, Prussia, February 17.—A terri- ble explosion of fire damp occurred in the Vereinigte Carolinenglueck colliery at Hamm early this morning. Thirty-seven bodies have been recovered. In addition many miners have been seri- ously injured. It ts believed that ‘fifty per- sons have perished. SE. Personal Mention. Pension Evans is confined to his home with malaria. Charles H. Maginnis, a special agent of the general land office, has resigned to take effect March 31, £ Surviving Officers of the Maine Dis- credit the Torpedo Theory. ——_>__ MEN SAY IT WAS TORPEDO Jose M. Mann of New York Describes the Disaster, eee WAS ON CITY OF WASHINGTON Battle Ship Sank Three Minutes After Second Explosion. ~. THE WORK OF RESCUE See KEY WEST February 7.—The Associated Pr dan opport the correspondent here has nity to question a number 's and men who were aboard ine at the time of the ex- , and it i is the opinion of all of them the explosion was due to some interior cause, and not the result of the explosion of a torpedo on the outside. Jose sl. Menn of New York, a passenger on board the City of Washington of the i line, which was moored near the bat- » ship Maine on Tuesday night at the time the disaster to the battle ship, in describ- S the catastrophe today, said: “While we were conversing in the cabin at about twenty minutes past 9 on Tue: day night a loud report startled the com- ny. They rushed to the port holes and saw an immense flash shoot up in the air with a terrific report. Debris of all kinds ard large number of bodies were thrown upward. It was at first thought that the Maine was being fired upon, but afterward, as the City of Washington was struck by what turned out to be falling debris, and © careened, it was thought she was be- ing fired upon. A second explosion took place, and following it we heard groans and cries of ‘Help!’ ‘Help!’ The boats of the City of Washington and those of the Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII were hurried- ly launched and went to the rescue. I went in one of the boats of the City of Wash- ington, and the scenes I witnessed were heartreading beyond description, “Two of the small boats on board the City of Washington were stove in by de- Lris from the Maine. The battle ship sank even with the water in about three min- utes after the explosion.” Steamer Turned Into Hospital. “The City of Washington was converted into a veritable hespital. Many of the rescued men were hrought on board almost nude, and the passengers gave them cloth- irg, ete. The officers of the City of Wash- ington did all in their power to make tie rescued men comfortable. About half an hour after the explosion Consul General Lee, the civil governor of Havana and Captain General Blanco's chiet of staff came on board. General Lee re- mained with us all night. “The affair caused the utmost excitement in Havana. Seven bod! S were picked up If you want to buy, sel* exchange anything, Preperty or rent rooms, want a situation or want help, it will pay you to announce the fact in the advertising columns of The Star. They are closely studied by more than three times as many people as read any other paper. or lease ‘Seon of those tn hospitals, or who are seriously hurt: - Patrick J. Foley, apprentice; probably fatal, Carl Christians n, first-class fireman, George Fox, landsman. Robert Hutchinson G. J. Dr landsman, Apprentice ler The last four will recover. No others are confined te bed in the marine or garrison hospitals. Th were some curious escapes from death when the Maine biew up. e men were doing punishment watch on the port quarterdeck when the sion occurred. They all escaped unhurt. WOUNDED DOING W Officers m the rped Heats Ex- perlence Rough Weather. KEY WEST, Fia., Fet y 17.—The re- Ports upon the Maine's wounded today are favorable. sible care is being - stowed upon them, and beta well and in- juread eling better after a night's rest. Now it is the officers and men not con- nected with the Maine who show sigt exhaustion. Commender rsyth of the Laval station here as been on duiy ever since the first news of the disaster was re- ceived here, and the officers and men on the torpedo boats Cushing and Ericsson have been under a great strain, which 12 cne wio has not traveled on these “eion- gated coffins” can appreciat Fortunately, the threatened norther did not develop, so the tri the Tortu aS Were not so bad. after a@ few accidents, the discovery will be made that the Florida channel between Key West and Cuba is cne of the roughest 4 mcst rous r small boats in the world. E men say it is worse than the English channel, the gulf m meeting the tide and wind, and is always a treacherous sea. Taese fects account for the frequent delays of the beats in the eighty-mile passages tween this port Havana, and opinion is growing stronger here that torpedo t are not fu for outside cruising. ts A co: ed list of those who arrive here on the Olivette last night is being made up by the marine hospital surgeons aim being to classif “painfully” and * FIRE PREC them into eriously” wounded. EDED EXPLOS One of Maine Survivors Awaxcned by Cry of the Wateh. DN. HAVANA, February 16.—(Delayed tn transm ion)—There are twenty-nine of the injured men of the Maine red the military hos Dr. Manos has given direc be cared for in the } pital. Many physicia in attendance upon thé vision of Dr. Bernar, assisted by Dr. Char! Sister Mary Walter‘ Pritish Nurses’ Assoc lati The wounded many ladies, Six Jcseph Kane, Al Bergman, G. Fox, ¢ car Anderson, will Key West today on > Oliv Charles A. Smith, who is suffering broken leg and burns about LW very sick man, and it is feared he m die. The other sufferers are comparatively well. Heard Cry of Fire. Thomas Waters, Martin Webster and Thomas Smith are at the military hospital of Alyhonzo XII, Webster says he was sleeping below when he was awakened by cries of fire, and shortly afterward there Was an explosion. Waters, who was om duty in the engine room, was thrown six feet into the air and fell on an awning of the Maine and thence rolled into the water, from w e he was miraculously Capt. Sigsbee, Lieut. Helman, saved, master Roy, Surgeon Henneberger, Chap! Chad- wick, Engineer Newell, Cadets Holden and Cluverius, Gunner's Mate Bullock and a seaman named Anthony are Hotel Inglatraria. ‘The evening papers (Wednesday), except- ing La Discussion, printed teading editor- jals and sentimental declaraticns of sym- pethy with the Maine survivors. The flags topping at the in the harhor yesterday though horribly mangled. “The explosion occurred forward of the midships section of the Maine. Later reports today from the wounded of the Maine show them to be doing well, ex- cept in the case of Patrick Foley, an ap- prentice, whose skull is fractured. It is feared Foley will die. ‘The officers from the Maine here are at the hotels and are quartered with army or navy officers and the seamen and oth=rs have been provided for at the barracks, or have been sent to the cruiser New York. Enlisted Men Talk Freely. The men, including the petty officers of the Maine, talk more freely than the corn- missioned officers, and are almost unani- mous in insisting that the explosion was caused by a large torpedo planted befor2 the Maine arrived at Havana. The naval men here say that would be possible, but it is net Likely. The anchor- age of the Maine was designated by a buoy and the location of the buoy was fixed by the harbor officials. It is added that any official perfectly posted as to currents and tides might plant a torpedo at night so that, under certain conditions of tide, it would be under the fcrward part of the Maine as she swung to her moorings. Once planted, it is further stated here, such a terpedo could be exploded from the shore or from a boat at any time fixed upon by those in the secret. All this, however, is regarded as being unlikely to occur, and as being almost im- Possible to occur without the collusion of Spanish officials. The Maire, according to the report ceived here, Was epiii open forwar fore, it is added, it is ditecult io see such a result could be attained by pedo from the outside, and therefore 3 pointed out that the explosion seems have come from within, although the keys | of the gazines were in the hands of Cap- tain Sigsbee. Temperature in Magazine 59. When the keys of the magazines were de- livered to Captain Sigsbee the temperature of the forward magazine was 59, and it is said that no high explosives were s:oreu there, which wou!d scem to meke the m, tery more dense Fears are expressed here that th: civers will not be able to throw ligh cause of the dises: 2 part of the Maine ts practiaily ia a Why the main mzgazire, which was £: with high explosives and easily affer ad were identified, cd by concussion, did net go up is anotacr arystery, as had the after magazine cx- Pploded ro ore on beard could possibly have escaped death. As this dispatch is sent, no news of im- portance has been received here from Ha- vana or from the fleet. ‘The following is the official st from the do over all the public buildings and ships are half-masted out of respect for the dead. CHANGE THE SWORD HAND. Madrid Newspaper Extends Sympathy to Spain's Friends, MADRID, February 17.—The disaster to the United States battle ship Maine is sin- cerely lamented by the press and public here. and especially by th> Spanish vili- cials, whose regret is mingied wit hensions lest the accident augment Ameri- can hostility. The queen regent was visi- biy affected, and displayed emocion end Pleasure at the friendly conduct of the FS h sailors and authorities at Havana. Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, the Unitud States minister, is receiving private as well as official expressions of sympathy, and the government is confident that “the able policy of President McKinley and the good serse of the majority of Americans will maintain peace.” MADRID, February 17.—El Liberal, com- menting today on the loss of the Maine, says: “Such a catastrophe to humanity claims irdefcasible rights and the rancours of pol- ities are silenced. Every great calamity brings home to the two peoples, divided though they be by animosity and rivairy, that they belong to one and the same fam- ily. Our noble-hearted nation, seeing the victim: of the Maine, forbears to think of its differences with the United States. Tcrorrow it will return to the defense of its rights against all. But, for today, it feels only sincere and loyal compassion for the immense misfortune. Happy in- Geed were the Spaniards whe, by saving the lives pf the crew cf the Maine at the risk of their own, w us enabled to prove the sentiments of al! Spaniards ana the traditions cf Spain. In concle: El Libera? ot know what may We are prepared for any cv Gay, let us pats the sword w we have been forced to keep dravn to the left hand and let us stretch out the right hand, not te these who insult us, but to thore who recp. a, remark We happen tomorrow. But, to- ‘The Imparcial say: the po s+sce of ihis frightful disaster we way relate ith out exp-essions cf s neere ard reauine for the crew of the Ss SYMPATHY. Newspapers Compltment thr President om His Couservative Cours. TONTON, Tebruary —The Prn-e and Princess of Wales have i oche Tllew- ing message to the United Siaies embassy “The Prince and Princess cf Wa'es re- quest ihe cherge d'afiaircs to convsy to the President and to the Secretary Navy the expression of their acident which has