Of course, the awful disaster caused deep sorrow in the United States.
There was great excitement also, for many persons thought that some of
the Spaniards had wrecked the Maine on purpose. The harbor was full of
"mines" or immense iron shells filled with stuff that will explode.
All countries at war protect their harbors in this way.

President McKinley appointed men to examine the wreck and find out all
they could about the explosion. They found that the ship was destroyed
by a "mine," but could not prove that the Spaniards had purposely
caused the "mine" to explode.

[Illustration: Captain-General's Palace, Havana.]

So there will always be a mystery connected with the horrible
destruction of the Maine.

On April 10th, Consul-General Lee and such Americans as wished to do
so, left Havana and returned to the United States. From that time on,
it seemed to the people of the United States that war with Spain was
inevitable, and preparations for it were carried on rapidly. On April
19th--which, by the way, was the anniversary of the first battle of
the war of the Revolution and also of the Civil War--Congress declared
that the United States must interfere in the affairs of Cuba and help
the Cubans to become a free and prosperous people. This declaration
was signed by President McKinley on the following day, and then our
minister to Spain, Mr. Woodford, was instructed to tell the Spanish
government what had been done, and also what would be done, if Spain
did not promise before the 23d to withdraw her soldiers from Cuba and
give up the island to the Cubans.