CHAPTER I.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE "MAINE." THERE are days which are turning points in history, and the 15th of February, 1898, will long be remembered as one of them. It was a critical day for two great nations— an epoch in the history of the Western world. On that evening the United Statesarmoured cruiser Maine waslylngather mooringsinHavanaHarbour. Shehadarrived there thri before ata time when the relationsbetweenWashington andMadrid had become a little morefriendly onaccount of the concession- promise I by Sagasta and the new Liberal Government of Spain. It had been ■sted that an American ship should be sent to Havana, and the visit was to be turned by a Spanish cruiser at New York. The Maine,one ot the finest vessels in the United States navy, had been selected for this mission, and the Spanish cruiser Vi: was on her way to America. The friends 01 peace were confidently predicting that the Cuban question would be settled before the early summer, and that the island, while remaining under the Spanish flag, would enter iiew period of prosperity, thanks to the system of self-g<'vernment and reform which had just been inaugurated.

On the whole, the visit of the Maine to Havana had so far been a success. Marshal Blanco, the Spanish Governor-General, had U