The mines and torpedoes were connected with an electric firing plant in
the magazine diagonally across the channel from Morro Castle, and it
would have been one of the easiest things in the world for one of the
spies to have placed the switch and blown the _Maine_ out of the water.

Weyler received in July or August a consignment of ten large casks,
which Sherman himself saw in the Custom-House shed. Crandal told him
that these contained mines, which he claimed were to be placed on the
west side of the island to prevent filibustering. When Crandal had
completed his work of placing the mines and torpedoes in the harbor he
was retained in the Spanish service, but when General Weyler was
recalled he took Crandal to Madrid with him.

In contradiction of Sherman's statement, one of the Madrid newspapers
which is known to express the views of General Weyler declares that it
has the authority of one of the chiefs of the army, supposed to be
Weyler himself, for saying that there are no submarine mines beneath the
harbor of Havana.

* * * * *

[Illustration: THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE AT HAVANA.]

After staying for only a few days in the harbor of New York, the
_Vizcaya_ quietly sailed away to Havana.

Her departure was a great relief to our Government, not because she was
a menace to the safety of New York, but because it was feared that harm
might come to her while she was in American waters.