January 24, 1898, the Government had announced its intention of
sending a warship on a friendly visit to Havana; with the desire
of impressing the local Cuban authorities with the imminence of
American power. Not less important was the purpose of affording
protection to American citizens endangered by the rioting of
Spaniards, who were angry because they believed that Sagasta by
his conciliatory policy was betraying the interests of Spain.
Accordingly the Maine, commanded by Captain Sigsbee, was
dispatched to Cuba and arrived on the 25th of January in the
harbor of Havana. On the night of the 15th of February, an
explosion utterly wrecked the vessel and killed 260 of the crew,
besides wounding ninety.

The responsibility for this calamity has never been positively
determined. It may have resulted from an accidental internal
explosion, from the official action of the Spanish authorities,
from the unofficial zeal of subordinate Spanish officers, or
even--as suggested by Speaker Reed who was an opponent of war--by
action of the insurgents themselves with the purpose of
embroiling the United States and Spain. The careful
investigations which were afterwards made brought to light
evidence of both internal and external explosions; it therefore
seems probable that an external mine was the prime cause of the
disaster and that the internal explosion followed as a
consequence. No direct evidence has been discovered which would
fix the responsibility for the placing of the mine, but it is
reasonable to attribute it to the Spanish hotheads of Havana. It
is not impossible that the insurgents were responsible; but it is
incredible that the Spanish Government planned the explosion.