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?ouble Bottom Driven in and Upward io Water Line. Tba Six-Iacb Magazine Seems to Have Been Exploded by the initial Blast. The Other Magazines Were Not Exploded. New York, Feb. 25 -A dispatch to The Herald from Habana say3 : There ia- DO longer any reason to doubt thai the explosion which ?reeked the. Maine came from underneath the vessel and that her magasines bad notli? ing to do with the initial explosion and played a mach setal!er part in the general disaster than was at first sop : The evidence that bas served toc?n? vin$e tee boar? was obtained by Ea sign Fowelson, an officer attached- to ifce Fere. Mr. Rowelson was form ely in tba construction oorps aod took a two years' ' special coarse io the Glasgow school of I aeva? architect ore. He is therefore a eompetebt witness. What he discov? ered was t hst the forward part of the grer?e, with ita ribs ?od plates was ^ove upwardso fay that parts,.,of the shat ts red doable bottom show pat of water tad io places section* of the ; green paie ted outer bali are visible. Corroborative of ewide^^^?iii;.;by jfiastgo Powelsoo aod of eqo/l stgnlfi-. canjeeaod importance is the. result of the close examination m aie by the J- What they found indicated vthat the explosion came from a point beneath the keel. A plumb (ice: drop - ped from a point jost forward .of the soon ic g tower would have laid the lead exactly on che ?pot where the explosion coeurred that drove keel, plates aod ribs aimee* to the surface. The main force of the explosion seems to have been exoeedly slight: on the port Bide of tbs vessel. This is consistent with the facts hitherto as Collectively, these now indicate that the contests of the reserve six-tn?b nugastne were noi exploded fey the io stiel blast and there was ooeppiosioo io either of the other two, Io the reserve seagastne was stowed 2,500 pou ods of nowder in copper tank?, each of which eoettioed 200 poonda. Seven of the tanks have been found by the divers, all in crashed ?nd shape? less masses It :' is important to note that in the six inch aod ten-inch tanks recovered the excelsior need for pack? ing the charges shows no injury from fine? or gases. The powder stowed in the six-inch reservoir magazine was for sainting snrposes oo4y. The magazine itself ap? pears to have been utterly destroyed, -only a few tracee being left to show the point where it was once located. The ender part of the ten-io ob mag asioe te wholly inaccessible to divers. Io the upper part is tightly wedged a mast of powder cylinders, too heavy for divers to extricate, bot appa re ot ly containing exploded charges of pow? der. The Dow torpedo tobe of the Maine bas been located in the wreck. It lies io the debris forward submerged several feet coder water The hoi! te now,embe?ded io the mod ta the depth of eight feet. The divers ?ink to their arm pits in-the mod and wave the greatest difficosty ia prosecut? ing their work. Those engaged in the forward part of the ship are under the obarge of Gaoner Charles Morgan, an eficer especially detailed from the flag ship New York for that parp?se and who baa the reputation of being the most efficient of his rack. Said that the Haine Cannot be Floated and Re built. New York. Feb. 25-MThe Mail sud Exprese this evening prints the following dated st Habana to day : The United States board of inquiry continued to-day taking (he testi? mony of the divers wbp have been working in the wreck of the Maine. Those who were sent here from the battleship Iowa and croiser New York were examined. While, of coarse, the members of the court will sot talk for publication, I sm informed on the highest anthon ty tbs! the evidence of Diver Morgan as to the condition of the Maine chows almost beyond possibility of a doubt, in the opoion of my informant, the that Maine was blown up by an outside agency. .Furthermore, Morgan s report was verified by the other American divers who descended to day The court will finish its work here to-morrow, and proceed at once to Key West to take the testimony bf the survivors there. It has also been decided not to return to Habana, all ?he information as to the cause of the disaster obtainable here having alresdy been secured It is believed that a decision bas been practically reached The witnesses yet to be examined will hardly change the verdict : The court bas decided against any attempt to raise the ruined battleship. The members are convinced that it would be useless as she could never be kept afloat, and the Spanish authori? ties here will be informed that if they wish the wreck removed from the harbor they must attend to the work themselves. This decision gives s better idea of the terrible havoc wrought in the Maine than columns of description could do. The Merritt Wrecking company, it was announced to day, wanted $2, 000,000 to raise the wreck The company's representatives made this demand after visiting the condi? tion of the ship. The wreckers to day turned their attention to saving the great guns. These, at least, can be recovered in sufficiently good cou dition to warrant the eScrt Twenty unknown bodies of the crew were recovered from the wreck by the divers at noon to day. The bodies were frightfully burned and mangled and it may be impossible to identify some of them -? ? i- ' Ready for War. Work Bushed in League Is* land Navy Yard. Philadelphia, Feb. 27.-League Is? land navy yard literally swarmed with visitors to-day in consequence of the re? port from Washington that the crui? sers Colombia and Minneapolis, the double turreted monitor Miaotooomoh and the ram Katahdin, had been or? dered to go into commission with dis? patch. Both croisera have skeleton crews aboard, while the mooitor has been lying at her dook for several years and the Katahdio since last win? ter, . None of the oaval official? at the yard would say , anythiog relating to tba future .movements of the vessels, but from workmen it was learned the oom mission orders bad been issued. This was borne out by the. fact that ali day ar large force of mon io thc construction and repair departments were actively at work on the Miaotooomoh aod the Katahdio. Visitors were kept off these boats aod onlr those having friends among the officers and crews of the cruisers were allowed on board. The. repairs to the monitor are. all of s minor nature and will be completed by next Tuesday. Over 20 men bavo already been detailed for her, and ic is said her full complement of 150. will be made up as rapidly as possible. ? large force of men were busy oo the Katahdio, improving her ventilating apparatus and fitttiog her with steam pipes. This work will only take a few lays. Suoday work at League Island is very unusual, and to-day's activity is takes to indicate that the navy iepartmaot intends to get the vessels here ready for sailing at a. moment's lotice. Late this afternoon, steam was gotten op on the mooitor for the purpose )f testing her boilers and machinery [n one of the lofts nearly 100 men were it work on small spars aod boat fittings 3 ve ry th tog is shipshape oo the Minne? apolis aod Columbia, and beyond fili? ng up their complement of officers and nen and taking oo coal aod provisions lotbiog remains to be done. This will jonsome about five dsys at the most, tod theo beth vessels will be ready for ictive service. The work of en list io g men will coc? inee until orders to stop have been 'eceived from Washington Capt Ca? tey, the commander, said be did not toow for what vessel the meo now 5eing enlisted are wanted. The roster va*, simply being filled up and he did lot know how'many' meo ware wanted >r where the recruits would be assign id. English Opinion on War. / -- Waking Up in London to Pos? sibilities of War. London, Feb. 26.-Sensational dis jatcbes purportiog to represent alarm ?sh utterances of Presideot McKinley, Secretary Long and other officials are beginning to affect publio ooinion oo this side of the Atlantic and create the impression that possibly there may be ;rotb in the reports which i.liege that the loss of the Maine was not doe to to accident as at first believed here. Although war between the Uoited States and Spain is still regarded as im? probable, the disposition in the city is ,o regard the apprehension respecting Saba aa altogether exaggerated, The Statist points out that this is "a grave nistake, as apart from sentiment, the asteria! losses inflicted upon Ameri? taos by the aoarcby io Cuba most not )e belittled.1' The Statist believes, iowever, that Presideot McKinley is { itoog enough to resist the pressure, aod socgratalates him upon the "5rm states Ban hke qualities which the immediate espoosibilities of his position have de reloped," and upon the honorable aod tobie principles which he eonociated at i Philadelphia when be quoted Washing? on. "At the same time," continues rhe Statist, "we realise that the Pres dent cannot afford to quarrel with his lopporters if the latter press war " The Saturday Rsview is of the opin? en that the affair is gravely threaten og and comments upon xtbe silence of he court of ioqairy into the lons of he Maine as being "ominous/' ae in ne "nervous aoxiety of President Mc? Kinley and bis minister? to avoid a upture with Spain they would ob? viously have hastened to publish any biog which wonld help to stop the sooths of Senators Mason and Allen i?ho, with (he assistance of oertaio jewepapers, are yelling for instant war n the beat jingo style." Proceeding Che Saturday Review remarks: "Seo etary Sherman having been silenced >y the simple process of sot allowiog bim to know anything, the executive has lately kept his secrets admirably, bot it is shrewdly suspected that the pacific position of President McKinley is largely owing to the reports of bis ? aval advisers to the effect that America. is not in oondition to go to war with Spain with any certainty of an immediate acid overwhelming suo jes*. The Spanish fleet is not to be despised, and .South American repub? lics have not displayed the love for their northern sister which Mr. Blaioe tried to ? os ci ll. Bot all this will oot prevent the jingoes from forcing the President's band it a scrap of evidenoe implicating the Cuban authorities be? comes public " The Spectator is certain that the United States government, "whether moved by information from Europe, or being only desirous of peace, is aoz* ions to avoid war Still, apart from ibe loss of the Matoe, The Spectator thinks that the harrowing consular re? ports from Cuba may so fire the Amer ioans that they will insist upon their government ending such miseries within Amerioan waters. The Spectator then proceeds to re? peat the reported war preparations in the United States, and concludes :j "Bat grave persons everywhere in tbV Union are waiting for evidenoe and fire not inoiioed for war unless the honor and poiioy of tba Connery ready require it." Advices received here from Madrid show that while the revolutionary organs such as SI Pais are shrieking c enunciations sod threats, responsible ctewspapers have adopted a conciliatory attitude Activity Amid Calmness. Every day that passes in this pe? riod of anxious waiting: for the ver? dict of the inquest apon the rained talk of the Maine reveals to the American people cause for congratu? lation in the condact of the adminis? tr?t iou President McKinley is ficed with tremendous responsibili ties, bat he preserves the placidity of clear eyed statesmanship, regardless alike of sensational war cries and misinformed criticism. He applies to the problem that confronts him tlhat sound old maxim of Davy Crockett-"be sure you're right, then go ahead " The three departments ot the gov? ernment upon whose co operation the Chief Executive must most rely in the threatened crisis are also ex amples of combined discretion and activity. The Department of State manages its affairs with an alertness and vigor, with a promptness and dignity, that are characteristic and itt harmony with all the traditions of our diplomacy. The Department of the Navy, without revealing its plans, horns with those preparations which are a part of that policy which is guided by the doctrine that the best way to maintain peace is to be pre pared for war Its shipyards and its ordnance factories are filled with life and busy with toil, and its ships in commission are being increased in number to the foll strength of its resources. The Department of War is in communication with'military post in the country, its plans for the transportation of troops have been perfected with marvelous celerity, and its examination into the reserve force of the citizen soldiery has been conducted with thoroughness, and hits met with a response that is an io spiring testimonial of the loyalty of the militia in every State to the cause of National honor. It will be en? abled, by the creation of two new regiments of. artillery-there should be ten new regiments-to place all of its veteran artillerymen in the coast fortifications, thus giving op portunity to distribute the new re emits for tbeir necessary training in caring for and io operating the cost? ly and de?G&te machinery of great gems. All of these movements and doings, of which probably not one tenth part is known to the public, being very properly concealed from American eyes where Spanish eyes can see also, are a splendid illustration of that quality of hustle so distinctive of American energy, and of that re? serve force which only displays its strength in an emergency It may be that all these preparations will not be tested by the dire calamity of ac tual war But the words of diplo macy are made more effective when it is seen that behind them rises an uplifted arm, strong and ready to strike.-Maii and Express. Gen. Hampton on Spain. -. The Course the South Should Pursue in Even!; of War. Gen. Wade Hampton, one of the few surviving lieutenant generals of the Confedracy, consented lo day for the first time to give his views on the Maine disaster and the threatened war with Spain ' I cannot express an opinion on the cause of the Maine tragedy." said the distinguished ex-confederate cav? alry leader, "as that is a matter which will be determined by experts and di vers But as to what course the United States should pursue should the disaster prove to be due to Span ish treachery or to the fanatical ha? tred of the United States on the part of some individual Spaniard, I do not hesitate to say that we should de maud a heavy indemnity and enforce the collection of it at the muzzle of the guns "Here again another contingency arises It is whether or not ?pain would choose to pay or go to war. In the latter event there is not much doubt as to the outcome There is one fact that should not be lost sight of however, at this point and it is that Spain has a navy as large or slightly larger than the United States, though I doubt if'it would fight as well as ours Once war is declared we all know that its issue will bc de? termined on the sea. Spain will be unable to invade the United States and likewise we unable to invade Spaiu. There could therefore be but little land fighting except that the Spanish fleet might shell a few of our more exposed seaports. We in turn would take possession of Cuba and tb* war would ultimately end on ac? count of Spain's inability to contin? ue it " Gen. Hampton was asked if he would offer his services to the gov eminent but declined to answer From his subsequent conversation the inference could be drawn that he would not. He would advise, he ! said, that the men of Hoe south stay at home and let the north furnish the troops "We are," said he, "just recover? ing 'from a terrific struggle which depopulated our section of the coun? try, and another war would give us another back set. If it becomes ne? cessary our citizens should take arms to defeird their seaports, but not otherwise." * When asked what disposition should be made of Cuba. Gen. Hampton expressed a et rou g dis? approval of annexation. "We have enough bad voters in this country now," said he, without taking in any more It would be weil for the United States to exercise a protecto? rate over both Coba and Hawaii, but I am nnalteraby opposed to annexa? tion." The most surprising part of Gen Hampton's talk was the low esteem in which he held Gen Nelson A. Miles "Heisa big beaded fool; a vain peacock kind of a fellow," was the way Gen Hampton characterized him 4,Miles," he said, "has lately written a nook telling of bis cam? paigns on the frontier and his wars against the Indians, but there is noth? ing in it except, vainglorious praise for himself "-The State. PREPARING FOR WAR. . i__ Great Activity at Watervliet Arsenal. Albany, N. Y., Feb. 28 -The ac? tivity at the Watervliet arsenal and gun foundry continued to-day. Since the Mame disaster there bas been a hush of anxious suspense about the plaee It was learned at the gnu foundry to? day thai 12 mortars have have bean boxed and are ready for shipment as soon as oars arrive to convey them to their destination, Sandy Hook. It is understood part of the shipment will be will be made to morrow morning. Twenty machinists, who>e oames ap? pear on the eligible civil list, were no tified Saturday by tho secretary of the iooal civil service board to re? port at the gunsbop tomorrow ready t? go to work. It is the intention of the authorities to put the men to work on parts of rifles which are in a fair way to completion. The master mechanic, Alfred Chris tiansen, an expert on the building of rifles of large calibre, and who baa su? perintended the manufacture of rifles at the arsenal for the past eight years, will leave tomorrow ostensibly for Washington at the order? of the war department, bat in reality for the forts and coaet defenses where the guos which have been sect from the Watervleit ar? senal are boated. He will make a thor? ough examination of the huge pieces of ordeaooe. Would Bay Warships. Bill to Give Secretary of Navy $20,000,000 to Buy Ships. Waehiogton, Feb. 28 -Representa? tive Bromwell (Kep.) of Ohio, to-dsy introduced in the house the following resolution : "That the secretary of the navy be, and he is, hereby authorized whenever in his judgmeut it shall become expedi? ent for the be&t interests of the coun? try to do so, to secure options upon and ooocummate thc purchase of such battleships, cruisers, raun, torpedo boat* or other form of naval veasels as are ot the most modero type aod ready for immediate use ; together with the necessary armament aod equipment for the same as io hu judgmeut are necessary to place the naval strength of tbe couotry- upoo a proper footing for immediate boctilities with any for eigu power with wbicb the same may bc threatened ; and that for the pur? pose of consummating such purchase there is hereby appropriated tbe sum of ?20.000,000 to be immediately avail? able." Thc resolution was referred to the r.avai comusittee. Mr Brem well said h? introduced the i exclusion to cali the attention of the naval committee f" thc necessity of providing such a uuutiugent fund in i toe naval appropriation bill. If the committee does not iociude such a pro vision io thc bill wbeo it io reported he will offer it as an amendment in the bouse. NO DEFINITE NEWS. Th* Naval Department Claims Ignorance as to the Cause Just as Dense as the Right of the Accident. Key West," Fla., Feb. 28 -The board of ioqairy, which bas charge of the investigation into the cause of the Maioe disaster asd which has been meeting in Havana, resumed its session here to-day. ? number of the surviving officers and men of the Maine were examined, but were giveo strict instructions to preserve secrecy as to their testimony The ?miser Detroit left K?y West this morning for Dry Tortugas, which will be the naval base of operations against Cuba io the event of compli? cations with Spain artsiog out of the Maine disaster. Washington. Feb. 28.-At the close of office hours a telegram came to the navy department from Ad? miral Sicard at Key West in the fol? lowing terms : "Key West, Feb. 26.-To the secretary of the navy, Washington : Court of inquiry commences session at Key West to-day must .resume session at Havana to ohtain evidence of divers after further work upon the wreck.'* The important feature of this com-' monication is the declaration that the coort will return to Havana It sets at rest rumors that have been afloat for some days past that the court was not to return to Havana for the reason that it had discovered the cause of the sinking of tbe Maioe, which was not an accident, and that consequent* ly they bad no further business in Havana. One important d?duction to be drawn from the message was that the report of the court of inquiry can scarcely be expected for several weeks to come The court will ' be occupied at Key West for some days at least in taking the testimony of the sur? vivors there Then upon the return to Havana it is expected that a good deal of time must elapse before the divers can get through the mud which now encompasses the lower part of the wreck of the Maine and examine the bottom. After this is done the court must deliberate in or? der to secure an agreement opon their findings The prevalent belief at the navy department is that up to this moment the court has not once under* taken to compare notes and endeavor to reach such an agreement. A Coban mail was received during the day. With the candor which has so far characterized all his dealings with the public in this matter. Secretary Long caused it to be given to the newspaper reporters as soon as he had read it himself. It was made op of one letter from Capt. Sampson dated at Havana Feb 23, and although it is simply a statement of events that bad already been reported by telegraph, one fact is significant, viz , the state? ment that the testimony of certain civilian witnesses before the conrt would be of no importance His letter is as follows : "Sir : The court has taken the tes? timony of ali the officers of the Maine such testimony as the divers have ac cumulated. There are two citizens in the harbor who have testified their willingness to testify, although those have nothing important. "After taking thia evidence and that of the divers I propose to return to Key West and take the evidence of the officers and men there. It may be necessary to return here after fur? ther progress has been made with the divers (Signed) "W. T SAMPSON, "Captaiu C. S. N." OMINOUS QUIET. Havana, Feb. 28.-The city is quiet, but the quiet ie ominous. People feel as if they were over a mine which is liable to explode at any minute II is feared that the arrival in port of the Spanish war? ship which is expected here to day may cause a tremendous demonstra? tion and lead to an outbreak menac ing the lives of Americans who are in this city The authorities will neglect no precaution necessary to their protection. DeLOME IS ANGRY. Liverpool, Feb 25 -Senor Dupuy DeLome, who ariived here to-day on board the White Star line steamer Britannic, is quoted as saying in an interview: "I have decided not to speak on the subject of my letter to Senor Canalejas. I can say, how? ever, that I have been from the first the victim of misrepresentation. The news published in the American papers and sent to this countty and my own, was from begining to end made up of the most infamous char? acter The allegation in the Amer ican papers that the terrible exp?o sion of the Maine was the outcome of a Spanish conspiracy is, in my opinion, another instance of the reek less manner in which newspapers in America work upon popular pre? judice." War Cloud in Central America. Secretary Sherman's Efforts to Patch Up Paace. Washington, Feb 28 -The condi? tion of affairs between Nicaragua and Costa Rica is beginoiog to arouse se? rious appr?hension io official circles, as it is said to threateo to involve not ooly these two countries io war, bu: also to draw all cf the Central America re? publics into an armed conflict. The diet of the Greater Republic, including Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador, has sabrait ted a demand oo Costa Risa for an explanation of thc entraooe of an armed force of 500 men from Costa Rica near Nicaragua No reply has been given so far as is kuown to ofi? ci?is here. The Nicaraguan authorities assert that the 500 armed men enter? ing from Costa Rica were not an un? authorized foroe, but were acting with the knowledge of the president of Nicar? agua and Costa Rioa gives no explana? tion in response to the demand of th e diet it is feared serious trouble will follow. The real controversy between Nicar ; agna and Costa Rico is over the terri? tory adjaoent to the Inter-Oceania canal A reeent incident has intensified the feeling of the Costa Ricans over the boundary matter. This was the ar? rest of Mr: Bache, the Costa Rieaa consul general to Nicaragua, oo tbs charge of beiog a rebel. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, but subsequently es? caped. It is not generally known that Secretary Long intervened successfully in this affair and President Zelaya of Nicaragua released Beebe Since theo Nica ragua bas published the secret ci? pher dispatches alleged to have ^passed betweeo Baebe and the Nicaraguan rebels in Salvador, and these Nicara? gua claims fully establish a charge that Costa Rica's official was workiog to overthrow Zslaya's government. Tbe Doty of the Source From Whence It Came. The printing bill prepared by the Press Association was defeated by the legislature at its recent session. The fight was made on it by Mr. Efird of Lexington. The newspapers of the State and especially of Lexing? ton Bave a clear duty before them, and it is to defeat in the next cam? paign every man who voted agaist the bill. . Mr. Efird objected to the bill on account of the "source from wbeoce it came," and if the Lexington edi? tors don't pay bim out for this they are not worth a cent.-Abbeville Me dinm. The Vizcaya Departs. New York, Feburary 25 -The Spanish cruiser Vizcaya, after spending a week in this port oo a friendly visit to the United States, got up anchor this afterooon and started to tea. Her des? tination io Havana There were no ceremonies or inci? dents of any kind connected with the vessel's departure. At 1 o'clock Capt Eula's ocountod the flying bridge with tbe pilot and fr a ve the word to hoist the anchor. Few spectators were an the neighboring wharves at tbe rime. Tbe?big anchor had badly been cleared from the mod before the vessel got under way. and by the time it was cat? ted the Vizoaya had stretched for the Narrows The naval tog Nina and the police boat Patrol accompanied the ship as far as Fort Wadsworth, when they sainted and "went about." Florence, Feb. 27.-The large brick store situated on the corner of Evana and Dargan streets, belonginiog to J. L Barringer and oconpied by B F. Penny was totally destroyed by fire about 12:80 a. m. Nothing was saved from the s tord. Peo? ny's loss ia about $15,000. Bar ringer's about $5,000 ; insured The fire department did rxccllent service, aod but for their display of energy and ability the business portion of Florence would have now been in ashes The City hotel and Theo. Kaiser's store o?ught, but were put out. Saluda, via Johnston, Feb. 26 - This afternoon at 4 o'clock the dwell? ing house, barn and stables, together with all household furniture, 500 bushels of com. 5,000 bundles of fod? der. 1,000 bubhels of cotton 6eed and four bales of cotton-ail the pro perty of Mr Will Sheppard nearHig gins Ferry, this county, wss accident? ally destroyed by fire None of the family except Mrs. Sheppard was-at home when the fire occurred. Loss about $5,000. No insurance Key West, Fla ,. Feb. 26 -Nine Cubans who were picked up in a row? boat off Bahia Honda, on the north coast of Pinar del Rio, were landed here to day by the steamer City of Key West. They are the leaders of a big filibustering expedition which has just landed in Cuba They ate Gen. Nunez Capt. O'Brien, Caitaya, Carillo, Puglucbi and four others The junta's representatives here say another big expedition nas landed Bafely in Cuba. This is said to be O'Brien's biggest and best expedi Lion.