The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 21, 1898, Page 3

THE S FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1898 8 AND STATES CONGRESS WILL STAND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION Hot Heads May Be Held in Check by the Leaders. But Should the Sigsbee Exam- ination Show Treachery the People Could Not Longer Be Restrained. W YORK, Feb. 20—A Washington special to the Her- ald says: Congress stands with the administration in the deter- mination to await an official ex- planation of the cause of the Maine disaster before taking any action. There are a few hot-heads in both houses who understand little about the con- ditions with which the adminis- tration s to deal, and do not take the trouble to inform them- selves, but who are disposed to criticize the President for not moving faster. Some of them would not delay to make any investigation whatever, but would at once assume that the worst suspicions agalnst Spain are well founded ortunately these men are in the minority and the leaders in both houses e) ze that they must suspend © ® their judgment S‘ While the ration proposes to | f the court of in- | lating any opinion it may be impossible | gress from reaching a re that report is made liminary examination ordered | bee should seem to be igation by the officers | Maine should indicate that the | ion which sunk the ship came | the inside and was accidental this lusion would be generally accepted ¥ ress as settling the matter, and | the er would have little effect on the future policy of Congress in deal- | g with the Cuban question. Should board find evidences seeming to | show that the explosion came from outwside the ship, however, there is nn' question that Congress would respond | in some measure to popular Irritation | and would want an immediate and sat- | isfactory explanation from the Spanish | Government. The Maine affair may not be the | only factor in influencing Congress during the present week. It is the | expectation of the administration that | reports from Consul-General Lee and other consular officers in Cuba may be sent in response to the resolution | adopted by the houses. I am Informed | by the State Department officials that there will be very little pruning of these reports. Practically everything | that has been received by the depart- | t will be forwarded, except pos- v expressions of opinion by consuls, s being taken, however, in pre- | s the reports for transmission to | out of them the names and other tions of sources from which in- formation was obtained by consuls. There is much feeling over the De Lome incident, the Maine disaster and tenant-Commander Sobral’s inter- w bottled up in both houses of Con- gress, and it is not improbable that if thi pondence is sent in before any explanation of the Maine disaster | has been made, it will be made the ba- | sis of resolutions and speeches which | will be inspired as much by other af- | fairs as by the correspondence. However great the excitement in | Congress and out, it will be the policy of the leaders to hold both houses in check pending the final determination of the cause of the disaster of the Maine. In the House this policy will succeed, and though there may be some speeches during the debate in committee of the whole thers will be no action. In the Senate resolutions | of varfous kinds may be introduced, | @nd speeches may be made upon them. Will Thank the Queen. | MADRID, Feb. 20.—To-day the i Queen Regent gave a farewell audi- | PR PRV R 3 bs 8 53838288828888Si8888888983!3888888!i88&3%8B?88!8888889838889828888!888883’.‘338383833583233888888983838883833951 | ence to Senor Polo ¥ Bernabe, the new Minister to the United States. To-mor- row she will receive United States Min- ister Woodford, who will present Presi- nt McKinley" ispatch of thanks for in’s expressions of sympathy with United States in the misfortune the that befell the Maine. SENORA ISABELLA RUBIA A SPANISH PRISONER. Had Done Valiant Service for the Insurgents Since the War Began. HAVANA (via Key West), Feb. 20.— Senor Jose Congosto, the Secretary- General, is said to have asserted in a private interview that the Government expected to be able to “buy up several members of the New York junta.” It is generally believed, however, that the statement was made to quiet discon- tent here, arising from the military failures of General Blanco and Gen- eral Pando in the East. Senora Isabella Rubia,owner of many tobacco estates in the eastern part of the island, and an active insurgent, has been captured by the Spanish in the province of Pinar del Rio, and is now in the hospital. the province to join the insurgent cause. She accompanied one of the original Maceo expeditions to Cuba, then left the island, and, after a time, returned with an expedition from Key West. Rumors have reached here of the landing of an important expedition near the River Mariano, this province, but as yet the name of the vessel, or that of the leader of the party, disclosed. SR NEW FORTIFICATIONS WILL BE GARRISONED. Hurried Inspection of the Defense ‘Works at the Columbia’s Mouth. PORTLAND, Feb. 20.—General H. C. Merriam, commanding the Department of the Columbia, and Captain W. L. Fisk, United States Engineers, vester- day returned from a three days’ in- spection of new fortifications at Fort Stevens and Scarborough Head, at the mouth of the Columbia River. The or- ders for the trip came from Washing- ton early in the week and created con- siderable excitement in the Engineers’ office here, although for obvious reasons nothing was given out concerning them for publication. It is stated upon good authority that both fortifications wiil be fully garrisoned as sdon as the bar- racks are ready for occupancy, and that it was with a view to determining the number of men necessary that Gen- eral Merriam accompanied Captain Fisk on the trip. Five 10-inch rifles arrived in Portland yesterday for the fortifications at Scarborough Head, and will be shipped down the river within the next few days. They are twenty-seven feet long | and weigh 70,000 pounds each. e SRy o FOUR STATES TIED UP AND BURIED IN SNOW. Railway Traffic Suspended in Mich- igan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. CHICAGO, Feb. 20.—The States of Mich- igan, Wisconsin, Towa and Illinois are practically snowbound. An average snow- fall of two feet is reported from Illinois and Jowa points, while throughout Wis- consin and Northern Michigan the fall | was much heavier, In fact, the greatest of the season. A forty mile gale has pliled the snow into enormous drifts, com- pletely paralyzing street railway traffic and serfously interfering with the opera- tions of trains on the steam roads. Northern trains have been delayed in some instances fifteen hours, owing to the heavy drifts and steady fall of snow, which makes the use of snowplows un- availing. Raln and snow alternated In Chicago and vicinity. Not enough had fallen to-night, however, to interfere with railway traffic. Copyrighted, 189, by James Gordon Bennett. JACKSONVILLE, FLA,, Feb. 20.—Orders have been received here for the Florida Naval Reserves to be in active drill at once. ordered to survey local waters.and select eligible points for signal stations. Lieu- tenant Merrill and several other officers left here at daybreak to-day to do this duty at the mouth of the river. They will locate stations along the coast and at points where signals can be sent to warships off the coast. Pensacola companies have received the same orders. At the time of | the Maceo incursion, she induced half | Besides this they have been It is stated the Tampa and Key West to Havana. ILL ACT FIRMLY. TALES OF THE WOUNDED MEN Struggle for Life in the Hold of the Man-of- War. Seamen Fought Like Demons to Reach the Vessel’s Deck. No Searchlight Turned On by the Spanish Forts to Aid the Rescuers. Specfal Dispatch to The Call JACKSONVILLE, Fla.,, Feb. 20.—A special to the Times-Union and Citizen from Key West says: The following are the wounded in the Marine Hospi- tal here: G. J. Dressler of New York City, frac- | tured jaw, fractured kneecap, wound in | breast and back. on head, right arm burned, foot and | hand cut. Robert Hutchins (colored), New York, arms and face badly burned. Frank G. Thompson, Austin, Ill., dis- located ankle, arm cut, bruise on side. Carl Christenson, Sweden, right arm and leg bruised and burned, arms and head bruised and badly shaken up. ‘Willlam H. Thompson, New York City, back hurt, side bruised and both hands burned. George Worth, Brooklyn, bruised on leg and neck. Patrick Foley, Mount Vernon, N. Y., cut on nose, eyes and mouth. He is the most seriously hurt, and is in great | pain. | Martin Larsen, Philadelphia, was in the hospital when the explosion took place. He has had continued fever, but | Is now convalescing. The Marine Hospital men are the most seriously hurt, but none are in |danger of dying. They are cheerful and keeping up good spirits. The wounded at the United States Barracks Hospital could not be seen, but the commanding officer stated that none were danger- ously hurt. Among those seen were: William McNair of Pittsburg, who is slightly injured. George David, Island Malt, slightly injured in the back and hip. Louis Morinierem, Newtonville, Mass., uninjured. M. Lanahan, Louisville, Ky., unin- Jured. Thomas Melville, Brooklyn, unin- jured. He was on watch on the quar- terdeck and felt a shock, followed by an explosion, and was thrown eight feet into the air and forty feet from the ship into the water. He swam back to the Maine and climbed aboard again. He then saved the lives of men floating in the water. Edward McKay of Boston is unin- jured. He was on duty on the poop- deck, only heard the explosion, and was thrown from port to starboard side and saved his rifle and ammunition. M. Meehan, uninjured. K. Kushida, Japan, uninjured. F. Awo, Japan, slight scar on head and hands. ‘Westmore Harris, Charles City, Va., uninjured. Peter Larsen, New York, uninjured. A. Willey, Keyport, N. Y., uninjured. John Turpin, Long Branch, unin- Jjured. .’2!3822288835283888233&3”.32&828282!38933898933!33383828288885282888288&883828383&33538"8 FLORIDA NAVAL RESERVES READY FOR EMERGENCIES. Orders Issued for Active Drill at Once and the Selection of the Most Eligible Points for Signal Stations. N L R R R AR AR R R AR R R A SRR George Fox, Grand Rapids, Mich., cut | D. J. Topfin, New York City, unin- Jured. Harry McCann, Brooklyn, has a strained back. He was thrown over- board by the shock from the quarter- deck and immediately swam back to the ship and attempted to get the whaieboat outgwith the help. of Mel- ville, a comrade. Many of the men of the quarterdeck, who had lost their pres- ence of mind, were thrown overboard by McCann and Melville, who after- ward succeeded in manning the whale- boat, which sunk from the suction ot the ship going down. They were then rescued by the gig, and were afterward complimented by the Navigator and uf- ficers for bravery. Martin Riordan, a well-known diver of Key West, who served on the Maine, was saved. He has been recalled to Havana by Consul General Lee and Captain Sigsbee to complete the in- vestigation and dive under the ship to ascertain the true cause of th: disas- ter, which will be evidence in the inves- | tigation. M. Melville, Brooklyn, uninjured. Oscar Anderson of Sweden, slightly cut. g The remainder of the men at the bar- racks and at the hospital could not be seen nor their condition ascertained. The hairbreadth escapes told of by the survivors are almost miracles. Men | who were between decks fought for their lives like demons to reach the pdeck. The wounded who could not get | out met their deaths bravely. As the | water rushed into the ship the cries of | the wounded men could be heard call- | ing for aid. In a few minutes their | doom was sealed. No searchlight was | | thrown on the terrible scene, it is not | not known why, but a gentleman in the city, who was at Havana at the time, says that fifteen minutes after the | | explosion he was looking toward the | |.wreck and waiting for a searchlight to | be thrown on the ship, but none ap-| | peared, and the work of rescuing had to | | be done in the dark. MINES AND TORPEDOES IN HAVANA HARBOR. Infernal MachineQ Attnched to Main Cables Which Run Into Morro Castle. That Havana harbor, as well as the channel and entrance thereto, has a well .arranged and judiciously planted system of submarine dynamite mines and torpedoes has long been a fact so jell known to most of the visitors to that place, especially the officers of our navy who have been there in re- cent years, as to no longer need formal and exact proof as to just where the machines are planted. The details of the matter of position and arrangement | are of course known to but a few be- sides the higher officials in Havana, and those in Morro Castle, and those few are the members of the Torpedo Corps whose duties are to look after and operate the infernal machines. It has been sald that one of the first acts of Lieutenant Jenkins of the Maine on his arrival in the city was to make inquiry as to the mine and torpedo system of the harbor for the informa- tion of the Bureau of Naval Intelli- gence at Washington, of which he was the correspondent on board the Maine. He learned but little of importance, as might be surmised. Those who were willing to give him information knew little or nothing about the matter, and those who did know anything were very far from being willing to commu- nicate it. On the contrary, they would be very careful to reassure him and allay all suspicion as to the existence of the mines. The mines and torpedoes at the var- ious points across the entrance, along the channel and throughout the harbor itself are attached to main cables which run to a point near the landing at Morro Castle and on up into the oper- ating chamber in the castle. There on the table is an enlarged full detailed chart of the harbor, the channel and the entrance, on which are shown the main and small cables and every mine and torpedo with its own special num- ber connected therewith. On another table to which the separated wires of the cable run is a keyboard with keys numbered to correspond with the mine and torpedo numbers on the chart, and the wire from each one is carried to the key .correspondingly numbered. By pressing this key the electric circuit is closed, the spark flashes in the mine and the explosion follows, The current s generally supplied by a number of Grove or Benson cells. Any particular mine or. the cable can be fired at will. PASSENGERS STARTLED BY A LOUD REPORT Those on Board the Olivette Thought the City of Havana Had Been Blown Up. Copyrighted, 1%, by James Gordon Bennett. KEY WEST, Fla., Feb. 20.—John W. Sawyer, a prominent merchant of this city, who was & passenger on the Mail steamer Olivette from Havana last night, says that soon after leaving Ha- vana harbor yesterday at nooh, and when about ten of twelve miles out, passengers on the promenade deck heard a loud report like that of the discharge of a cannon. Looking back in the direction of Havana they saw a volume of smoke rising over Havana. The smoke was so dense and .rose to such height as to'cause a voluntary re- mark that the entire city had been blown up. Others thought that it must have been the discharge of one of the immense Krupp guns mounted on the beach outside of Morro Castle. What gave color to this belief ‘was the fact that notwithstanding the distance and | that the wind was from an opposite direction the report was distinctly heard on board the Olivette. { oners from belog killed,” LEGAL LIGHT 0N SPAIN'S STATUS Responsible Only in Case of an External Ex- plosion. Would Then Have to Answer, Though Not Particeps Criminis. If Fanatics Smuggled Bombs Aboard the Maine, the Fault Lay ‘With the Crew. Special Dispatch to The Call NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—A Boston spe- clal to the Herald says: Boston law- yers are generally of the opinion that the question of indemnity for the loss of the Maine, granting, of course, that Spain was not particeps criminis in her destruction, wiil turn largely on how far the Spanish Government was re- sponsible for her anchorage in the har- bor, and what the distribution of ex- plosions was near that anchorage. If the ship was placed in a position of hazard and her destruction resulted therefrom, Spain is responsible whether the explosion occurred by accident or was caused by a fanatic. John C. Ropes, the well-known military author, sald to-night: “I suppose no one seriously contends that the Maine was destroyed with the knowledge or the authority of the Spanish Government. If it was, then we must fight. No other procedure is possible. If, at the other extreme, the explosion was due to negligence or ac- cident on board the ship itself, Spain would of course have no responsibility whatever -for the affair. If a fanatic smuggled something aboard thatcaused the catastrophe,.I do not see how we could claim an indemnity. An insane act like that might be attempted any- where; we have to take our chances on that and use adequate vigilance in guarding vessels from invasion. “If, however, the violence to the Maine was external, and if her an- chorage placed her in peril and that anchorage was made under the direc- tions of the Spanish Government, then Spain, in my opinion, would be respon- sible for the loss of the vessel, whether it resulted from an accidental explosion or was caused by the hand of a fanatic. In that case the procedure would be an action to secure indemnity.” NEW YORK LAWYERS ON SPAIN'S RESPONSIBILITY. Accountable Only if It Is Shown That the Explosion Was From the Outside. NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—Eminent ju- rists who were seen to-day are of the opinion that indemnity is due the United States from Spain for the loss of the Maine if it can be shown that the Spanish authorities in Havana failed to take proper precautions to in- sure the safety of the American ship. These opinions are based upon the the- ory that the Maine was elther blown up by a submarine mine, accidentally exploded, or that she was destroyed by a fanatic. In either case it Is taken for granted that Spain gave no official sanction to any scheme for destroying the vessel. This view was enunciated to-day by Frederic R. Coudert, former- 1y counsel for the United States before the Bering Sea Commission, and a well-known authority on international law. “Spain should pay indemnity for the loss of the Maine,” Mr. Coudert sald, “provided the disaster is found to have been due to the negligence of the Span- ish officials. The vessel went to Ha- vana on a friendly visit, and was en- titled to full protection. It was proper that extraordinary precautions should be taken to insure her safety. It was well known that there were individuals belonging to the Spanish nation who had lll-feeling toward the United States. If any danger was known to exist in Havana harbor it was to be expected that Spain should inform the captain of the Maine of the fact and use every means to prevent any acgl- dent to the vessel. “If, on the other hand, a man with a basket of dynamite should have come on board the Maine and blown up the vessel the fault would have been plain- ly with the officers of the vessel. It is their duty to keep the strictest watch SPANISH NAVAL OFFICER MAKES A FEW BOASTS Says His Country Has Long Been Preparing for a Conflict. Will Reduce All of Our Seaport it | Cities to Ruins and Make the THE MAIL STEAMER OLIVETTE, Which Carried the Expert Divers Fro Money-Loving Yankee Sue for Peace. NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—A Ciudad Juar- ez, Mexico, special to the Herald says: Lieutenant Palmo of the Spanish navy passed through here to-day on his way to the City of Mexico. While walt- ing for the departure of the train, which was held for some time by cus- tom house requirements, your corres- pendent touched upon his mission to the City of Mexico, but his guarded replies elicited no information. Warming up over the Maine incident, he said: “We are being driven to war. The conflict cannot be postponed much longer, but I tell you we are better prepared to strike than the Yankees think. While Americans have occupied their time in talking we have been qui- etly preparing for a conflict, and, more- over, our diplomats have admirably succeeded in warding off suspicion. “Do you suppose it is for naught that we have recently purchased two crui- gers from Brazil and have made a lib- eral offer for the new Chilean warship just completed? And you may rest as- sured my visit to Mexico bodes no good tor the Yankees. “Our bureau of naval intelligence has comi)lete ‘plans and drawings of the fortifications = of all the principal American ports. There is not a port in the United States that is fortified suf- ficlently to withstand the successful en- try of one of our ships. An exception may be the city of New York, but you may be aware that we have a powerful cruiser there, and that we can well af- ford to lose it if the Yankees can afford to see their large city in ruins. The Sagasta Ministry has no oscillating plans. We have but one policy, and are pursuing its steadily. Americans, you know, are as little aware of what they will do ‘to-morrow as they are of what they must accomplish to-day.” I hinted that the disparity in popu- lation and our immense resources would be the prime factors in the is- sue. “Nothing of the kind,” he quickly re- plied. “We are not going to pursue a land conquest, as only in that case, I admit, we would be worsted. The 160,- 000 of our regular army is more than enough for our plan of campaign and to bring the Yankees to sue for peace. Yes, I know they are all talking of the large population they have, also the millions of men they can muster, but we have no intention of giving them a chance to use them. The Spaniard is a cunning and shrewd individual and does not propose to be led into a trap. “There will be no fighting on the American continent, you may depend on that. We have a splendid navy and some of the fastest auxiliary cruisers in the world. After we lay two or three of thelr largest cities in ruins this ought to bring the money loving Yankee to our terms.” “If not, what then?” ““Well, they will cross the ocean and try to land a force on our shores. Nothing better would suit me. On this very thing hinges ourplan of campaign. You know that at most 200,000 troops is all that any nation could under the most favorable circumstances trans- port in either directionacross theocean. This alone would require a large trans- port fleet, not to mention other aux- {liary transports, for arms, equipments and stores, which would be more than the entire available fleet of the United States could properly guard, and you may rest assured that the rapid-fire guns on our fleet cruisers would cripple them to- such an extent with such frightful casualties that what was left of them would make but a poor show- ing against a larger army of perfectly millions to draw upon within easy reach. “I tell you there would not be a Yank to tell the tale. Their millions count for nothing. The ocean is on our side and we know how to use it.” WARSHIP TO REPLACE THE DESTROYED MAINE. Cruiser Montgomery to Be Ordered to Havana Within a Few Days. NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—A Washing- ton special to the Herald says: No date has yet been named for the send- ing of any warship to Havana to re- place the Maine. It is the intention of the Navy Department, however, to send another vessel soon, and the cruiser Montgomery, which is now at Key West, will probably be sent as soon as the Fern returns. Should Captain Sigsbee or Consul General Lee deem it advisable, however, to have another warship at Havana in advance of the return of the Fern, the Montgomery will be ordered to sail im- mediately. Commander G. A. Con- verse {s the commanding officer of the Montgomery. He is considered one of the ablest officers in the navy, and it is on account of his fine qualities of command and his excellent discretion that his vessel will probably be select- ed to replace the Maine. The gunboat Nashville has also been considered as a suitable vessel to de- tail on this duty, and it is not yet defi- nitely decided that she will not be. Secreary Long, however, told me to- night that he thought the Montgom- ery would be selected. MOBILE AT THE MERCY OF A FOREIGN FOE. Modern Guns for Fort Morgan Have Not Yet Been Placed in Position. NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—A Mobile (Ala.) special to the Herald says: Mo- bile Bay is practically defenseless against naval attacks. Fort Morgan, the only post at the entrance, has been undergoing a modernizing process for the past seven months and, it is under- stood, the works have been put into good shape and ready for guns. Civ- ilians are not allowed on shore there, and the men engaged in the work are not communicative. There are, how= ever, no modern guns there. Two five-inch rifles with their car- riages arrived here a month ago for the fort, but are not yet mounted and can- not be for several weeks, even if the mounting were expedited. The only protection the harbor could be given! would be by the use of anchored tor=. pedoes. Fort Morgan is open to bombard« ment from war vessels stationed in the: Gulf and is defenseless against modern guns. Mobile is situated thirty miles distant and is reached by a ship chan- nel through a bay twenty-three feet deep. The city could easily be protect- ed from direct naval attack by placing' an obstruction in the ichannel. It has, however, no defense against an ate tack by land. (e CASTS A SUSPICIQM ) UPON THE CUBANS. NEW YORK, Feb. 20.—A Hartford, Conn., special to the Herald says: Gene eral Arthur L. Goodrich, formerly quar- termaster-general of this State, re- turned from Havana late last night. He was in that city at the time of the Maine explosion, and had a number of conferences with the officers there. He is thoroughly convinced that the bat- tle-ship was destroyed by a torpedo placed by Cubans to create feeling in America against Spain. He says the chief engineer of the Maine told him he felt the whole vessel rise as though lifted by a .orpedo. A large plece of mortar was found on the deck on a neighboring vessel. This mortar was in the bed under the magazine, and so drilled soldlers, on their own ground, besides a population of nearly twenty over everybody who comes on board. “I cannot believe that Spain would have officially perpetrated an outrage: so flendish as the blowing up of the Maine, even if an Investigation should show that the vessel was intentionally destroyed. The destruction of the Maine, by accident or by the act of irresponsibie Individuals, would not justify a declaration of war. Carnot, for instance, was assassinated by an Italian, yet France did not blame Italy. Italian subjects were killed by a mob several years ago at New Orleans. Italy was justified in demanding an in- demnity, which she received, because the men when slain were in charge of officers of the law who should have made every effort to vr:fmt the pris- B o o to the. Spanish authorities. would necessitate an entire Department, P90V PPPVPPPP V000000000000 P06CSS » Copyrighted, 1598, by James Gordon Bennett. & : HAVANA, Feb. 20.—Although the Spanish authorities are anxious to take partin any investigation of the Maine in order to clear themselves of all blame in the matter, | have just learned of another important reason why the: were anxious to send their own divers into the Maine. tain Sigsbee’s cabin are several copies of the Navy Depart- ment’s Signal Code and secret cipher, with a key to both. It is obvious that at this time they would be of great value This explains Captain Sigsbee’s determined stand in the matter, full particulars of which were cabled you, and which at the time, appeared to be a trivial matter. LRPCROAVOPIRRDVQCACOOOAVCOOOGG0GODIVOGGGA must have been thrown inhto the air by, an explosion under the magazine. PR R R R R R R R R RO R R R R R R R R R R R R R T 2 SIGSBEE IS GUARDING UNCLE SAM'S SECRETS v In Cap- If they fell into their hands it change of both by the Navy PPPVPVPR9PPPPPPVPPP090 9099099090092 0900090909