The World from New York, New York • Page 2

THE WORLD: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1898. BLANCO REPORTS TO SPAIN THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. i 1 1 SECTIONAL VIEW OF MAINE FROM OFFICIAL DESIGN. Showing the Position of the Powder Magazine when the SECOND Explosion Occurred. Was the First Explosion UNDER or in the Ship? The Location of the Crew's Quarters Shows Why Lives Were Lost There, While the Officers, Whose Quarters Are Aft, Nearly All Escaped Fatal Injury.

TRACED FROMGOVERNMENT DRA WINGS A BROOKL NA VY YARD VA CONS TRUC TOR FRANCIS TBOWL.eS MAGAZINES the Spanish are responsible for the Maine's destruction the most vigorous action will be taken. A despatch to The Wprld from Galveston says tho Commanders ot the battle-ship Texas and the cruiser Nashville were ordered by the Navy Department to leave Galvestori at once. It Is presumed thnt their orders are to steam directly to Havana or to Join Admiral Slcard's fleet oft the Dry Tortugas. The Spanish cruiser Vlzcaya has not arrived In this port. Capt.

Paul Boynton told a World reporter last night that he would Ilka nothing better than to blow her up. He believes the Spanish destroyed the Maine. Consul-General Lee cables officially that the number of victims Is 260. Lleuts. Merrltt and Jenkins are still missing.

Havana is all excitement. Business is suspended and the theatres closed. Blanco has cabled to Spain that the destruction of the Maine was an accident. In the United States the war fever has grown violently as a result of the loss of the Maine. SAYS.

ALL 18 CONJECTURE IN HAVRNfl. Havana Trembling with Diye Make for the Description of Eye-Witnesses. (Special to The World.) HAVANA, Feb. cause of the disaster to tho United States battle-ship Maine Is undetermined. It if not known whether It resulted from a bomb or torpedo, an explosion In the magazine or the carelessness of officers.

All is conjecture, uncertainty, excitement. It Is known that 553 lives were lost, and that the great white ship lies atjJie bottom of Havana harbor. Some were blown to pieces. The greater number were drowned like rats In a trap, Many explanations have been advanced as to the cause ot the disaster. Speculation has gone hand In hand with horror over the catastrophe.

The latest theory Is that several of the signal rockets became Ignited In some way, and the consequent detonation exploded the magazine. It Is now known that there was steam In only two boilers other than that used for the dummy engine. There were Whltehead torpedoes aboard, but they had dummy Heads. There were no lamps near tha magazine. These facts dispose ot the explanations previously advanced.

The cause of the blowing up of the ship will not be known until divers go 'down-and examine tho wreck. If their Investigation shows that the Indenture In the null la'inward, the conclusion that the magazine was exploded by a bomb or torpedo placed beneath the vessel IB Inevitable. If tho Indention Is outward, It will Indicate that tho first explosion was In tho magazine. This will determined within twenty-four hours. The slightly wounded and unharmed survivors are now being transported In ambulances by the Spanish Sanitary Corps from the hospitals, tho cruisers San Ambrosia and Alphonse XIII.

and the City of Washington to tha Plant Line which will arrive In Key West to-night. The lighthouse tender requested by Cnpt. Plgsbeo has not yet arrived. It Is expected every hour. It will transport the wounded, who will be accompanied by seventeen officers.

Is trembling. with excitement over tho disaster. The streets are with people In a fever to know how the news affects the people of the States. Tho explosion of the Maine was witnessed by many people on the City of Washington, anchored about JOO feet distant. It was at 9.25 lost night that a shot was It might have come from anywhere.

There was an Interval of ten seconds. The City of Washington leaped her There was a volcano of nre. Boats, bodies, huge guns, pieces 'of armor, rigging and spars shot Into the air amid the names and fell In frightful shower. The explosion raised these things up. The Maine plunged diagonally for- 'ward, settling slowly In the startled waters.

The night air was and rent the shrieks of tortured men. "J3od help us! God help us!" The cries pierced the dense smoke, piercing eSra of on the Washington, whll the debris from the shattered 'tell about them. Search lights were thrown on the broken, dismantled Maine. All who saw fhe explosion knew that 'the vessel was The common Impulse was to lower boats. Two of those on the Washington were broken to pieces by the debris.

The boats from the City of Washington, the Spanish cruise ''Mpbpnso and the Machlna did all they could. Twenty-four officers ou (twenty-six are known to be saved. Fifty-nine sailors were rescued. Some Jem, were horribly mangled. i Spanish medical corps set to work removing the wounded to San Um Hospital.

wound.od men displayed magnificent courago and fortitude Yes," said one sailor, "but do you think I'll stand It?" His logs ar Shattered and he was In horrible Nearly all the officers were in the mess room. Those who were below no further than the middle super-structure on deck. Those who wore In-th mess Had to clamber through water and wreckage waist deep. Abou 'twenty men In the quarter watch were almost blown to pieces, The explosion was In the forward magazine. The mal.n magazine amldshlp not explode, few of the sailors escaped.

The water rushed over them and they were drowned almost Immediately. SpantardB seem genuinely sorry. Blanco and the palace official express great sorrow. SYLVESTER SCOVEL. CAPT.

SIGSBBE'S'OFFICUL REPORT, ntimates in a Suppressed Despatch to Long that the Disaster Was Due to an Now Investigating and Not Prepared to Speak Authoritatively. (Special to The World.) WASHINGTON, Feb. suppressed cable despatch re.ceive.1 by Secretary Long from Capt. Sigsbee announced the Captain's conclusion, after a hasty examination, that the disaster to the Maine was not caused by iccident. He expressed the belief that whether the explosion originated from without or within, it was made possible by an enemy.

He requested that this intimation of his suspicions be considered confidential until he could conduct a more extended investigation. This despatch was laid before the President, at whose suggestion Assistant Secretary Day cabled Consul- General Lee to make whatever examination was possible himself and render assistance to Capt. Sigsbee. In the same despatch Capt. Sigsbee said that not more than one hour prior to the explosion the magazines and boilers had been carefully inspected, thus, in his judgment, precluding the possibility of accident.

HAVANA, Feb. Sigsbee, interviewed this evening by the correspondent of the Associated Press with reference to the cause of the explosion, I cannot yet determine the cause, but cbmpetent investigators will whether the explo- ion was produced from an interior or exterior cause. 1 cannot say anything until after such an irivesti- ation has been made. I will not and cannot conscientiously anticipate the decision, nor do I wish to nake any unjust estimate of the reason for the disaster." CONSUL GENERAL LEE flSKS FOR A COURT OF INQUIRY. Profound Sorrow Expressed, Business Suspended and Theatres Closed.

Dead Number 260. WASHINGTON, Feb. following cablegram was received by tha State Department from Consul-Genoral Lee at 9.16 to-night: "Havana, Feb. 16, 1808. "Profound sorrow expressed by Government and municipal authorities, Consuls of foreign nations, organized bodies of all sorts and citizens erally.

I "Flags at halfvnast on Governor-General's palace, on shipping In bor and In city. Business suspended, theatres closed. "Dead number about 2GO. "Officers quarters being In rear and seamen's forward where the explcn slon took place accounts for greater proportional loss of sailors. Funeral to-morrow at 3 P.

M. Officers Merrltt and Jenkins still missing. "SuppoHC yon tUnt' naval court of Inquiry be held to certain the online of explosion. "Hope our people will repress excitement and calmly await decision. "LEB." I (V Secretorr Iiontr Condition ot the Maine Deposition ot tue Wounded, Feb.

Secretary Long was with the Preslden afternoon the following detailed despatch from Oapt. Sigsbee, com the Maine, waa brought to him: pe sending wrecking vessel at once. submerged, except debris; mostly work for dlvera now, missing. Little hope tor their safety. SPANISH OFFICER IN OUBA MAKES A STARTLING PREDICTION, A Spanish resident of thla city, a man ot responsible position, received'a few days ago a letter from a lieutenant in the Spanish army In Cuba.

This letter was written in Havana, is dated Jan. 28, 1898, and one section of it reads as follows: "Tho visit of tho battle-ship Maine has created a very bad feeling among us; it tastes like 'burned horn' in the mouths ot the "Though they conceal their anger, the storm is near the surface. "It Is certain that before long that will happen which will astonish the whole world." HEARD OF A PLOT TO I BLOW UP THE MAINE: Dr. C. E.

Pendleton Hears of the Disaster.Upon His. Arrival on a Steamer from Key West and Hastens to Washington. E. Pendleton.orrlved here yesterday on the Mallory liner Ijampasae. from ey West, and departed for Washington on an early afternoon train.

As soon heard news of the Maine disaster he became greatly excited and said he haa rgent business at the White House. A few weeks ojjo Or. Pendleton was In Havana. While there he was In con. ant communication with the New York newspaper correspondents.

He left "hoeorTy part of tills month and sailed from Key West on the Lampasas on CAPT. ZALINSKI SAYS A TORPEDO WAS USED. The Inventor of the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun, and a Famous Authority, Says a Torpedo Was Placed Below the Water Line and Directly Under One of the Magazines. Capt. Edmund L.

Znllnskl, U. retired, Inventor of tho famous pneumatic dynamite torpedo gun, and known as America's explosive expert, was asked by a World reporter last night to give his views of tho loss of the Maine. "Of course," said he, "we cannot make anything definite out of the matter upon tho Information now in hand. My opinion la that the explosion was caused by an incendiary. I am sure that no Spanish official was concerned either directly or indirectly.

It was probably the act of irresponsible tanatics. Some tho people there hold Novth Americans, as they call us, responsible for all their troubles. "It would not have been very difficult for parties so disposed to havo brought about the catastrophe, and that without implying negligence on the part of the officers of the Maine. "The harbor Is with small boats plying about, and there is no way of preventing them from plying in a peaceful harbor. "My idea is that a torpedo -was placed below the water line and directly under one of the magazines.

"The force of the primary explosion might have burst through the plates', and the explotlon pt the contents ot the magazine followed. 1 "I have said only recently that there was great danger ot such a happening should one ot our vessels.lie in Havana Harbor. We are bitterly hated by some of the unreasoning Spanish, but I reiterate that the Government could have had nothing to do with it. It may bave been the work ot one man or a number of men. "It proper'precautions are not taken the same catastrophe might befall the Vlzcaya, the Spanish warship now expected here.

Some irresponsible Cuban sympathizers may be spurred on by this mishap to wreck the visitor. No doubt proper precautions will be taken to avert such a happening, which would naturally be charged to our account, no matter who was guilty. "This unfortunate event should not form a determining element in the policy to be pursued as to Spain and Cuba." "All others went down on board or near the Maine. "Total lost or missing, .253. "With several exceptions, no officer nor man has more than part of a suit of clothing, and that is wet with harbor water.

"Officers saved are uninjured. Damage was In compartments of crew; "Ward steamer leaves for Mexico at 2 this afternoon. "Am preparing: to telegraph list of Injured and saved. "Olivette leavea for Key; West at 1 P. M.

Will send by her to Key West the officers saved, except myself' and Wainwrlgnt, Holland, Henneberger, Ray and turn over three uninjured boats to captain of post, with, request for safe disposal. "Will send all Injured men to hospital at Havana. (Signed) "SIGSBPB." MR. M'KINLEY SENDS SYMPATHY. WASHINGTON, Feb.

Long, (or the President, lias sent this telegram to Oapt. Sigsbee; "Bigsbee, U. 8, S. Maine, Havana: "The President directs mo to express for himself and th.e people ot the United States hla profound sympathy with au4 crew ot Maine; and desires'that no expense'bo spared in providing for'tUe survivors OFFICIAL LIST OF THE SAVED. Cuift.

brelle, the Nnnioii of anil Men to WnnhlnutOM. WASHINGTON, Feb. Capt. Slgsljee hasjreported, in answer to a oa ble message inquiry, that the following officers and men were saved from the Maine; Capt. C.

D. Sigsbee, Walnwrlght, Lteut. F. Holman, Lieut, J. Hood, Lieut, C.

W. Jungen, Lieut, Blow, Lieut. J. Blandenj Chaplain J. P.

Chidwlck, Passed Assistant Engineer F. Bowers Assistant Engineer J. R. Morris, Naval Cadet Holden and Naval Cada W. T.

Naval Cadets, Bronson, P. Washington, Boyd Boatswain, F. E. Larkln. Gunner, Hill.

Carpenter, J. H. Him, Pay master's Clerk, B. McCarthy. Men-t-Reden Lareen, Hallberg, Bullock, Melville, Willis, Galpin, Kuan Ida, Noppln, Turpln, Harris, Jertson, Holland, Herbert, McDevlt Foley, Hutohins, Schwartz, Richards, Ftynne, "Dressier, DavU MIohelBon, Sohman, Fox.

Wilbur, Waters. Anderson, Christiansen, Kiehler 3 Allen, F. Cab.111, Kane, Jernee, 0, A. Smith, G. Shea, Harness, 3 HeKrop, Bloomer, Johnson, Bergman, 'Mattlson, 'A, Johnson, Holtzer McQlnniB, -HallQn, Senetch, At McK Rau, McNalr, IT saWJto Qapt, BigsbjKi Wajrffiyiaw man to aband9 With Ion, uur.1,8 was constantly In the company of Capt.

HosweU, Who oeou. legate room No. 25. Just who the Captain was or the nature of his mission no no seemed to know. The crow spolio of him an vtho detective.

It was shortly after noon yesterday when the Lampasas was docked. Before he had bee i alongside, the pier a minute a Hcore of newsboys were gangway, the fate ot ihe Maine at the top of their that they are crying?" asked Pendleton, who was standing at the trance to the saloon. "Something has happened to the Maine," answered a "What?" shouted tho Doctor, excitedly. In a minute a copy of The World need In'his hunOs. He read the headlines hurriedly, simply a word nd there.

But he grasped tho situation as If by intuition. The paper fell from his hands. He dropped on his knees, and, rasing nd looking upward, ho said in a choking voice; "My Qodl Why did I not send them word before?" Dr Pondloton rushed on the pier and ordered a carriage. He piled luggnte nto the coach-ana with Capt. HosweU The story of Dr, Pendleton, according to one of the passengers on the 'nr Fendle'ton had been In Havana a few days only when the etory ot the Maine' having her guns levelled on Morro Castle began to be circulated ana dis- ussea b'y the frequenters of the pafea.

The rumor naturally The sympathizers with the Insurgents were open In thelr'boasts that the United States had at last awakened to the gravity of the situation and was ready act upon the slightest provocation, On the other hand, the Spaniards were by no means reticent In their threats nd defiance 'They did not hesitate to say that If the Americans wore not areful their fate would be a matter of history a very few days. Dr Pendleton paid little attention to these rumors and personal opinions. One day while talking wltn a friend, he. mentioned the fact that the 'Maine's were levelled'on Morro Castle. Tho man, who was a Spaniard; and wc-U posted on the plans of tho Spaniards, simply laughed.

Pendleton asked him he thought about It. Why" don't you know?" he replied; "If tho Maine ever attempted to level her on Morro she would go up in the air like a balloon. We aro prepared for everything arid anything. Tho first warlike move on the part ot this. American attle'-ahln will be mot wlth'dotermlndd and decisive action by.

our people, euowBto wlrqn mulcr uiul ujrouml tile Maine la Mow Uer to Uoll whenever wo olioo.o." time pehdloton-thought little of the statement. It was only whon he rned ot the dlBOStw to tho battleship that tho terrible truth dawned on him. Theao stories of plot to blow up tho Malno were so prevalent about Havana hot DeoDlo began to regard them ns the InVenUon of Spanish boasters. mhn important (information which Dr, Pondloton evidently Intends to lay before AdmTnlstraUon will undoubtedly supply missing links In the Govern." chain of information. form you that the American ship Maine In this harbor blew up by an undoubtedly chanced accident, believed to result from an explosion of the boiler ot the dynamo, Immediately following the ao- oldent all the disposable, elements of'tha capital hastened to fhe spot to extend every aid possible, Those Included tho force the marine nre brigade and all the Generals In among them my chief start.

TJiere have deaths and wpundod." I have sent an to offer every assistance to the North American Consul that ha may wish for, I will forward further details as they become of to the Condolence 'by Do WASHINGTON, Fob- nows ot the Maine disaster wUs received at Spanish Legation with general ex- ot Profpun4 atvd con- dolenoe. In flenorxl'i Boic, the Spanish Affaires, waived a from Oap.t,-Qe'n. Blanco which fit HftVMio, at 8 o'cAoek ft rwfl vitftVlJ Uki till "BLANCO." fl ColiTln Ouu WWW y.W,|,, All WW.iS&M!Ww£.