Newspapers / The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, … / March 29, 1898, edition 1 / Page 1
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r-yTr : TNjK O T7 , . :".o-::V '" -T? ; ' -v-! 'jCjCS '.V-'."'-" " "': -.''',''r ; ' i d j ! -H: H H . 1 :- f.l; s I N ,- i'l- IH H - . iL 'vCi vr: if i x , VOL. XL VTrv . m ' iWILJUNGTON, N. C, TUESbAmMARCri. 29, 1898. PRICE 5VCEWTS ;?.! i l! 1 i ; i - j ! ! 1 U !l .j i f . f if a vntm w A:,nt .n? a tltt h? 1 1 MJ& if Folds Her Wings Before Spanish The Murder of the Heroes of the Maine Lost Sight of in the Huirry to -Patch Up a Hollow TruceSpain Condescends to Al low TJs to Feed Her Starving. Subjects j if the Food is Not Sent in Warships She Accedes to Our Ultimatum That the .Cu bans Must Be Fed - sage to Congress dence Before the Wiahuton,1raT28.-i Tine preaideait ttoday Kint Ittoe foll'otv'ipg messages to' congress: - ' - . TTo $h& idngres8' .of pue Urited Stiafces: For sarnie rtim'e' prkbo to the visit of ittie Maine to IlaVana harbor . our consu lar irepresentatiye ippin'ted out the ad ranltagrtes to flow f roim the visit .of .wat lional ships to the .'Cub'an .waters in. ac- ' 0011 the people ito th.e presence of our jflag- -as tjie sWiibol . of g,6d. wlll ja-nkl of K)ur shiiJs in the fulfillment of 'the imisisi'oin of protec'tli'oni Jto 'American $n iterests,! eVeoa fhougrh no d'mmediate need therefor .miig:ht exis1!. ' j iAocordiinigly-, on the 24th. of January. Hast, lafjt'er conf enenc-? iwitih the SpanilsHi . TmiiTiislter in wlhiaTr ran'ewal of visits of our iwar veissefls .to 'Spanisih wa'ters--was i:iacusstekl and aoeepteid, !the peninsuiair . authorities , at iM'ajirrd aiiid! Hayan'a were ad vised of t'h e 'purpoise of 'this gov rnimieiiit t'o resume fpendly naval vusits : ait Cu'ban ;ports and .that dn :that View 'tihe "MaiAe iwould forth'wi'th call at the port of Havaia. ff litis laarioumeemenit twas ' received 'by : the Sp-aniish govern -m'eoi't wi'th 'apprediafciicai of th'e friendly ohanacter of t'he. Visit of the Maine and wiith oibbifiica)t)ian of inteiitlion to reitum the courtesy Iby 'sending Spanish h'ips ito the States.- prindipal 1 . ports of the Uniiited iMean'wiha'le tihe lainie henJtered the (port olf Havana bra the 2oth of Jann uary, lier airrival !being marked -with no special; iindident Ibegiides the exchange of customary salu'tjets and ceremonial .The Maine continued in the harbor of CElavaiia during tiie ihfree weeks follow in'g het arrival. No anfent aittended her appietoiabie excite- etay, on the con- ti'ary, a feeling of felief And con'fidence follbwed the resumpitiion of the Qong in tenrupted intercourse. So; noticeable was V this imimediatd effetet of her Visit that the consul 'genieral strongly urged that the presence of out ships dip Cuban waters should be kpt upj;iby reit'aliniing the Maine at Havana, or'in the 'even't of her recall, Iby sending another vessel there to take her place! . j . - At forty mlinuites past nl'ne in' the ev ening of the . 15th I of iFelbruary th Maine was destroyed by an explosion by which 'the entire f OTward ' part of the hip was utterly wrecked. ; In this catastrophe two officers and two hun dred and sixty-fouir of her crew perish riot kiled bufcraght' ed, those who were; Jby h'er explosion Joe ng penned, beitiwieen decks iby 'the tangle of wreckage and - drowned (by . ithe immediate sinking of 'the hull. ' . ' ' -! : Prompt assis tance was rendiered ; by the nghboring vessels lanichored in the haxlbor, being especially . given by the boats' of the Spanish cruiser Air -phonsd'XII and Ifhej "Wand UPne esteam er, Oity of Washington, whlch lay not -rfar. distant. The wounded1 rwere -gen-erously caired for by the au'thiorities of 'HJavaina, 'the hospitals (being freely op -cned tb( them, .while1 the earliest recov--ersed bodies' of the dead .were interred by thtmiujn'icipaaitty in a publiciceanetery. in 'the -city. Tnibuts of, grief and sym.' paithy: were ' offered from all official aquarters of the iglaiid, "...:, j ' The appalliinig calanity fall upon them people!, of our country with crushing force, arid (for a brief time an intense excitement .prevailed (which fin a cotm munlity less lust land sef -controlled..' -than Oputs might have led to hasty acts - -of Ibliind resenltiniien'j;. This spirit, haw eVer, soon gave way to the earner pro- : cesses! of reason and to 'the resolve to investigate the facts 'and await mate- rial proof be'f ore foitmiing a judgment as lo the caxise, the respon Ability and, If the- facets , warranted, the remedy due. "This .bourse necessarily .aiecommenided itseaf (frt0(m the outset to the executive, for only in the Khi: of a dispassiona'te- ,By ascertained certam'ty -coutld ; it deter mine -the nature, and measure of its ffull duty in the matter. The usual pro 3edure iWas foaiowe)d as 8nr ail1 cases of casualty or disaster to national vessels of any maritime Iate A naval court of inoiiry was at once. organized, com fposed; of officers we'll qualified by rank amid practical experience Ito discharge he enerous duty 'taoposed upo thJeim. Aded (by a etrong force of wreckers arud diivers, the court proceaeded to make a thorough investigation on tihe spot, employing every available means .for tihe impartial and jexact detiermtoa'tioin df th4 causes of the .explosion, . Its op erations have ibeenj conducted ' with Ithe utmost delinjemtiori. and Judgments and iwhile; independently ; pursued, no source of information was OTegiected,' and Uhe fullest opportunlh.y' .was allowed for a eimuitaaieus' dnyesitSgation by the Span .isih auithoritiee. . ' The nnding of the court of Inquiry was reached after twerity SJhree days; of continuous labor, , on the 21st of (March, instant, and, (having keen ap proved on the 23nd iby the commanider f n-dhief , of the United Staltes naval tforce iotf the North lA41antjtes'tari, was transmrtted Ito the lexecutive. It Is herewffth laid fbefore the con- gressj together -wit?h the' : volfufcnlnous leetlmony talken- fbefipre the court. the Wolf. - The President's Mes-Evi- Synopsis of the Court. i CEts purport is, in :.br!ief , 'as follows: When the Maine arrived at Havana she was conducted by the regular, gov emment pilot to. buloy (No. 4 to which (she was moored in from rive and one jhalf to six fathoms of waiter.,v.:i--f'V.--' The slarbe -of dicipl'ine on (board and the condition of her magazines, boilers, coal " bunkers and storage j compart jments are passed in review, j" with the conclusion that excellent order prevail ed and that - no indication of any cause for an internal explosion existed in any quarter..-.:' : , j . ...i . At 8 O'clock in th e e vening of Feb ruary 15th, everything had been report cd secure and all was quiet. At (forty minutes past 9 o clock the vessel was suddenly destroyed. flene' iWere Oiwo distlinct explosions, with a brief interval ibetJween them. The first lifted: ithe forward part of the ship very perceptibly; the selcond, which was more open, prolonged anJ of greater volume, is attributed by ftihe court to the partial explosion ' of (two or more of the forward magaiinies. j .t The evidence Of -the divers establishles that the after-part of the jship .was practically Intact and sank in that, con dition' a very few minutes after the explosion. The forward part was com pletely demolished. . ' ',' Upon the evidence of a concurrent external caus'e the finding of the court is as follows: : - "At frame 17 the outer shell of the ship, from a point eleven and onehalf feet from' the (middle line of the ship and six fee't above the keel (Vi?hen j tin 'normal position, has been forced up so as to be now about, four d'eet above the surface of . the" water; (therefore about thirty-four feet above Where St would foe had the ship sunk uninjured. j-ne oucsicue iootcoin, piaiiinig. jsf i-jeiiu iiuu .uu - vuirt, causeu- ".wy icne parciiau , ex a reversed V shape, the after- wing .''.of plosion of two or more of .the f onward which, about ififteeh feet broad and magazines of the Maine.- J ji , thiirty-itwo tieet m siengtn (rrom xrame 17 -to frame 25) Is douJbl'ed: mx)& upon lisen- ajsa-iins-i. iuiw xiruin'uauiiuiii. w same pHa'tlng exteiidiing forward. " "At frame 18 tihe vertical keel is Ibrok- en lin (two and (the flat aceei) 'oent unto ' .n - j - iii .- - ill. ! an angle, simuar, to urei augw rjiueu by the outsiide footitoml . plaites. This break 4s now about six f eeit libetow tihe surface of the water and albout thirty feet alboVe its .normal, position-. . . trIn 'the opinion of the Court 'this efj f ect could have been produced only by the explosion of "a 'miine situated un der the bottom of the shipj -at albout f ramie . 18, ; and sctmeiwhat on the port side of the ship." . I . .. ' . The conclusToina of the court are That the loss of the Maine was not in any respect due to fault or negli gence on the part of any .of ithe officers or merribers of her crew. . v fThialt the ship was destroyed -by th!e explosion : of, a submarine mine, which caused' the partial explosion of two or more oif he forward, magazines and that ho evidence has been . obtainable fixing the responsflbiliilty for the de struction of ithe" Maine upon any per son or persons. ' 1 have directed (thai itihe Riidinlg of the court of inquiry and the views of this government f thJereupOn !be com munibalted; . 'to the governmenit of (her majesty, the queen-regent,, and I do not perm St myself to doubt - that the sense of justice of - the parflsn natfion will dictate a course of action suggest- ed by. honor and the friendly: (relations of the two 'goveTnnilenjta if will ' ibe the duty of the executive to j advise the congress of the resuH and in the mean time deliberate considra.tion is invoked. TSigned .WtTL.IM M'KINIjBY. tExecutlve Mansioni, Marcr 28, 1898. REPORT OP THE COURT. ; The- following is the report c f the court of inquiry:' " ' In explosion of 'the U. S. CB. 'IS. Maine." Before a Oourt of Inquiry, I , Key TYiest, TTa. ' United S tates Steamship, Iowa, 1st rate, Key West, Fla. Monday, March 21, 198. . -.c . 'vM--:":; V' ' 'After .full and mature del$hartion of all -the testimony !befoire it, ftJhe court (finds as. follows: t - 1. That the United Stalties! (battleship Cuba, on the twenty-nfth day of Jan- uary, eighiteent hundred and mtoety- lf tight , and was taicen to Buoy (No. 4, in from five and a (half to six fathoms of water, by the regular government pilot, The United States consul general at j Havana niaxi njottaned tinie authorrtaes at mat pace, tno previousi evenan'g, or the Intended arrival of. the iiTairae. The state of discipline on iboard the' Matoe was excellent; and alii orders amid regula'tloins itn . the care , and slafety of the ship- iWere etriotly carried out. 'All "ammunition, was stowed in. ac cbrdaintee withi prescribed - mstructilons andi proper care was taken- whenever anrmuinSttari was handledi : fNotlhmg was stowed' in any onie of jthe maga zines or shel l rooms which was n ot permfttted to" fce stawcl' there. The miaigazimes and shell rooms were always locked after ihaVingibeen opecx ed; and after She destruction, of the Maine Uhe (keys were, founid in. their proper place ia the captain's cabin, exvryOitog Wavirtg tbeen irpioirted se cure tihat every'thing at 8 o'clbck. The, temperature of, ithe j magazines and shell rooms were taken daily, and reported. The only (magazine" which had an undue amount of heat was the after 10-incn magazine and that did not explode ,at the tkne the Maine waa de stroyed. ! . The 'torpedo wtar liteads were, all stow ed in the after-part of the ship liu'der the -ward Toom, and neithier caused nor participated in the destructSon of the Maine. I IThe gun cotton iprimers and' deitona tora were istowed in the cabin, aft and remote from the; scene of the explosion. IWaste was looked after on (board tihe Mamie to obviate diainger. r Special orders 4n a-egard .to this had been: given Ty the commanding offloer. Varnrshies, 'dryers, alcohol and other oonrfbustihQes ofi'tihis nature iwere, bowed on or a'bovie the main deck and could not have had anytthing to do with the desitrruction of the Maine. The m'edical Stores were sitewd af t and under the -ward room and remote 'from the scene of. the ex plosion, dangerous stores of any kirid were stpiwed Tt30fw in any of the other store rooms. '; s fi -I i The oal bunk.ers were taspedfced daily. Of those bunikers adjacent to (the for ward magazines and shell roams,- four were empty; B 5," B 6." namely, "B 3,' 4,' 1A W haid ibeien ftn use that day and !" A 15" was full of lew 'T?fVpT ! fnnt Ti.5ic "rtfll fhio TXAft' "aqtm'. fully inspebfed before, receiving it on board. The bunker in which it was stowed was accasslibie on f three sides at all times, and the fourth sidie at tthlis ttmfe on account of bunkers '1B 4" and 1B 'r being; empty. This buniker, MA 16," had Ibeen inspec'ted 'that- day by the engineer' officer on duty. The fire alarms in ithe (bunteers were to work4 -ing order, andi there had never been a case of potntianeous combustion, of coal on board tihej Maine. . f T J The two after boilers of the ship were in use! at the time of the disaster, "but for auxiliary purposes only, with ; a comparatively low pressure of i steam, and being tended by a rejiialble watdh. These boilers could mot have caused the explosion! of the ship. The four forward boilers have since been found iby the divers! and are in a fair condi tion. : j' ri h' ; ; On the night of ithe destruction of the Maine everything had been reported secure for the night at 8 o'clock by re liable persons, through the proper du- i thorifiies, to the comm'an'ding.; Officer . At the - time the Maine . was dstrbyed the ship was quleft, aind 'therefore least liable ' to a'cefdent caused by move j ments from those on board. ! ! ; . j 3. The destruction oif the Maine oc 1 curred at 9:'40 o'clock p. m., on the 15th day , of tFebruary, eighteen hun dred mi, mtiefty-ei'stht, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, she being at the time.' ! moored to the sarnie (buoy to which she ; had 'been taken upon h'ar arrival. ; - frhere . were j two explosions of a dis -HnTdtiy different character, with a very short, "1 but 'distinct, interval between them, and tihe 'forward part of the ship .was uiinieu itoi a marKea "aegree at the t&ne of Ithe fi'rst explosion. The first explosion was more in the nature of a report OAke that of a gun; while the second expjlosion was more open,- pro- iloniged, , : and; of 'greater volume: This second expJotsiion? was, In" (the opfefon'of j 4. rrhe evidence, bearing upon this beiihg: principally obtained from divers, j unu iiKyt enaoie 'tne- court to rorm a definite conclusion as to the c'ondition ! of the wreck, although it was etablish- ,ied thait the after part of the ship was . . I. . i " , practically intact and sank Bri Itihat con ' dition a very few niinutes afteri the de ritauotion of the fonwa.rd mia rt . 1 1 forward part of the ship ase, however, tesraDoasnea 'by the testimony That portion of the port side of the protective dec'k, which extends from albout frame 30. to about frame-! 41 was Mown up, aft, and over to port. The main deck fromi (about iframe 30 to nhti tao aSJL 'lorwaru pare or tne middle i super' strucfiure oyer' and on fop of the aiflter part.; This' was, in ithe oplimion of the court, caused by the partial explosion or two or more of the forward maga zines f the Maine. :;" .. "". ... . 5. (At frame 17, the outer shell of iihc ship, from a I point eleven and one-half feet, from the hiiidJdle llihe of the. ship and six, feet above the keel when in its normal position, .has been forced up so as to be nojw about four feet abve the j feu-Tface of the" water, therefore, about , hir(ry-four feet a'bove where it would Ibe 'had the ship sunk uninjured,. The ouiLsrae :Doctom piatmg as loent anto a reversed, shape V shape, 'the af ter wing of .which, about ? fifteen feet broad 'and thirty-two feet in length (from j f rome 17 to frame 251 it is doubled back upon iitsefflf agalihst the continuation bf the same plating! extending forward.! i 'At frame 18 the vertical 'keel is brok en tin two and the flat keel bent into, an angle slm'ilar-to the angle formed by ithe" Outside 'bottom plating. This: break is now about six feet (below the surface of the water, and about thirty feet above Its normal position. r ; j j "' ' Tn the optsnion of the :ckjurt, i this ef fect could have . been produced only by the explosion; of a mine Situated under the (bottbm of the 'ship alt about frame 18, and somewhat on the port side of .the 'ship. , i !..; :-.r.:'. ' ,i ..':. ' 6.1 iThe court finds ttfat the . loss of Ithe MaSne, on the occasion named, i was not in any respect due to fault or negli gence on the part of any of the officers or memlbers of the crew of said vessel. . 7. In - the opinion' of the court the Maine' was destroyed (by the explosion of a suhmarine nike, whiicih caused the V partial explosion of two or more of her f fcxrward-niagazines. v ; 1 j i s .Th riw-t has (hn .ufnable to. ob- tain evtid estce; nxlng (the responsibility for ithe destrujctSon of the Maine upon any person or " persons. . t W. T. iStAMPON, Captain, U. S. ; N., President. (A. M1ARIX. Lieut. Coiranandeir, U. S. N - I - JtJdge -Ajdvocate. The court, i having finished- the ; in tquiry, it was ordered to (make, adjourn ed at 11 otaock a. to. to await the ac tion olf the convening authority. . . Wi T. SAMPSON, Captain, 'U. S. N.- -i :. . (PresMent-; . 'i SA. MARIX, Cornmander, U. S. IN. Judge Advocate. UnSted . States flagship (New I York, iMJardh 22nd; 1898, Off Key AVest, Fla. ..The prooeedangs and findings' of the courlt of inquiry in the above case are approved. ' 1 M. SJOARD. Rear-Admiml,Coniniahder-inchiepf the 'United States naval force "on the North Atlantic ertatfon. , ; j J: SUMMIARXF THE TEST3MONT. ....... .. - ...... i. The .Srmrrpaass. of testimony" taken by the Maineourt of .Shiqutry was sent to the senafcloday and with (the pres ident's me and ; findings ;of the court, retevri: 'tk the commfTttee on for eign reiatiocvt cThe t)es;trmJany was taken on 'eis ftfeen different days, the fourteenich di? & however, being de-oted to ' vleWiing Te wreck. (Every, witness who was she fn to have any; informa tion" that ? cfdv throw; light Hipon ; -the great dlisastlg was called to give evi dence. It 3N . story intensely interest ing .to the jVYirrrerican people. 1 Those who (read itpi have little doubt as to wnerner tnej?',was an anternai or ex ternal, expJfoh. ; 'Peihapa Je most significahit ' feftimony is thiat showing the ibottotm the IU-fa'ed::iv' iaine to be (benitj Inward result that hardly could anything save an iex- and Ijupward,! 'If. plosfkm frorni: outside. ; 'A mass of testimony 1ft:. ttedi -showing ' .thfe care exercisK 1, k.. ' fcf 'board' the fehip by and hia (officers and the apparenf3rrfpbsbiilit!y of the acci- uieiii. occuiiT!? -jf , ittjr aaiy arauerriaii cause, such as itiheatfosgi of (the ' bun&ers, spontaneol;;! or f roin other causes-" upohVftvlhich. so many theories 'wex based;:'- ' :4 "TheiitesJhfiiy of Captain Bigsbee 5s of .theigreatieiilmportance and perhaps is "of ' more fera4: iinterest than' that of - any oth lman called before i the fboard ; lWt$t. greafo' care and mitniite ness he givan account of Ithe man agement of vhe ship, how she ' - was halndled, wht; .was done from' day to I davion lboar4; how jfliie sailed 'into Ha vana thamboipiier anchorage and what he iknew ,abft it, and in factJ every point' upon ijlfach. the governmienit and the countryldiresi to Ibe (harmed. (othin!g ih;f(pp(tain. Sigsbefe's testimony hows tha;t?Mj&.-, anchorage wais chanig ed or Jthat iM'as considered dangerous by any.onevg;5. I iSecondi "to'Sle'.a vte Importance of the tes- timJony of- ? : - - . . - tain Siigsbee7 is ithat of Enigni .Pto'5f isicn, who had - charge of the dera' arfd kheW from day to day what these v'ers -found'. His testimony wais -tk a certin extent teohn'iaal. bear ing, upon thwcbnitruction' of the ship, her'platesi but'it was from these pia'ts, and'ijihis .ehn'ical . knowledge that he wlakibM to' disclose' Hhiait the explosion -tio place from the joutslde. The diverorgahvOlsen and jSmiith, all ' pomixesdL, toSportsunlt $v&$enicp. They testififthat the plate . (were behit ihwarfc' "the. iboittom jiptoirt : side and- feutwfarlrE -tihe starlboard.! . - Tstiollthiex' ex&l>oaa 9 told by dlrfeinit:'',isea' and'.'-adda ;pjtlle tb what Cap tali igs'bee and Coanmander JWaaririfghttd. JNotMngj in the testimony .jlpxis; the re'sponsibillty, no ccmsp(irar1.ds apparent, (no knowl edge of the Jantirtg of a mine is shown. . .A 'Wi.tnes;i vhose name is suppressed,' telfe ibf.!' ' 'hearlng .a convetrsaition among ' paifh' offroesrsi and a citizen to .ddktln : liilxifeaaiawJedige Kit iitlhe. de 's'&fuctiloh ;iHie .-jMaine by lintienition to .f-. 'An jorBora:f ; the 'American : cohsutLaite telli kat inifi prnatioSn! j received j anoniy niouy.rfen3fc'gCito shiotw- 'tlhat a fcofn Hpiracyj -''exifijledv . EBut nothing delfi nitely staitejtwhiich Ifixes anyj responsi bilityrupoTittain: or her subjects. I SPUISH'! i&TH?ORITlES . OBJECT ED TO pE MlAINE COMING. Cbnisui jlrai 'Pitzhugti Tjee aippsar ed before tjB 'cout on March 8th. i His tirny iped; to (the official! focmiali ,'ties 'precdjjf! the MJainle's: arrival. 'On January "r2.Jft)-he (receivedl; -ai message froija 'h.'sdeparttmieint. saying! that ..tfli ''ffifih;$)uld. ibe; . eerit to 'Havana on a' friendMI; Visit ,td. resume 'the regu lar status 0l'naval irelation j (between the it wb(Cioi;iff tries amd he wais ordered to make a'angemen'ts at 'the palace for- the totfshainlge of. offidlal courte sies, -j After&l call at the 'palace he sent th'e 'state d-artmen't a cable message vsayiin'gj ljthorita!es profess! to think the Unfitedpiatfes has uliterioir; pulrpose in sending be ship. Say . it j will - ob struct autHitrpmy and produce exioite- menlt and i$ J?t -probably .a demon;sitira tionVAsic B;bt it not be done 'till they can get: ingu:fttionis from Madtrid Say that jif l for pendly purpose , as cjaim ed, ; delay iini!mportarlt," . -1 ,;!'". 1 "' ' EEt was' te fla'te, however, the Maihie had ' alread.jSiaiIed. ! She. arrived the nex'tlday ia Tje'e reported the arrival to the statefflbepartmenit, 1 . v ' j ' 'J ' I : Sl!GSjllE'.S TE'STIMONT . C . Capftain 'S-fsbee started his testimony .by d'escrilbB; the arrival of the Maine in Hay4toaMarborand her anchorage ait what he'bderstood tio (be ione,of the regular bils of the place, iHe could not tatei ;;.:iether -.the Maine was placed! in 't.;usual berth for meni-of -war, jbut sis Ivthat he had heard : re marks stocjjlthe explosion-, using Cap tain SteVe tempocarily in eomniand of n -: JJin!e steamer City of iWashirigtoiMas autoxity-for'the etate ment, that ie had never "known in all his experieyje vwhtich -coveredl visits (Do "Havana foflve or siix years; a onan of-war . 'to.Sy anchored at h?at buoy; that ' he iht'i rarely known ; naerohant. vessels to li ? . anchored there and that it was the feast, used 'buoy in! the har bor. . . ;. r lh decririig the f surroundings at the tdme ofie explfosion CaHStai'm B'igs bee stated pjiat .the lAlphonsoi XlJ was at hler usu-f telrth, about 250 yards to the: north-itd and westward of l! : the Maine: ' ; j 1 . ' - :: . "'; :; !i.;.:. - The Mairjv- coaled at Key "West tak ing;, on aboJit 150 ioihs; the coal !befing regularly Ttl-pected and (taken from he governmenlpiie. "No report was receiv ed from thf'ihief engineer ;that any coal had been JorPg fn Hhe bunkers and that the Te' alarms in the; bunkers were' sensit - e. In so far as the regu lationa ;re1rdln!g tnfiarnmables I and paints on ard,, .Captato Sigsbee tes tified that pie regulations werej strfctly! carried out.Un regard to storage, and that the w'te also was suhjeet o' the' sarmd oareil disposition. -Ttegarding -tare electrSfplanft of the Maine, Cap-5 tahi S3gsbN?i stated 'that there was (no eerfcuus igTt'fftiding nor suddenl flaringr up iofi tihes$gforts Jbexore the explosion but a eudtiin. und (total eclipse. Cap- itato ;S1gsb fexxtS he examined the tem perature o$;phef magazines h5anself and conversed ith the ordinance officer as to: (thte- vajfnis! tentreTa1ure3 and the; conftenrts otfhe magazintea, and accord img ,o the 3pnJo?ri of this ofilcer,1 as well as C&pttibee, the temperatares were tieve dariger poitplt 'At the timie of me isj iiter the two after boilers 5n the aftefTlre roOm wesie Sm use be cause thi hydraulic - systemi : was ? leaking. he iron w:iesua!ng generauy or inds relation with the Spanish authorities; Cap'tata Sigs(bee stated that with the officials ' they were outwardlyj cordial. ? ' TWhen asked 'Whether there jwas any denaonbraitkiai .of animosity jby ; people! afloat,f Captain Sigsbee said that there never was on shore, as he was inform ed, '.but there was afloat. He then re 'lated that , on .the. first Suhday after I sthe Maine's arrival a ferry boat crowd ed densely with people, civu and mili tary; returning .from a ' burl fight in Regla; ' . passed : the Maine and about forty people on board indulged to yells, wftustPes' and derisive calls. (During the stay 3n Havana Captain Sigsbee tooik rnbre than ordinary precaution for the protJection of the Matoe. BOOGiSHEE (DESCRIBES THE WRSEOIC . TheOilaihe at the time of the'explol sion nas.iheadihg ' approximately north--west 1 He was writing at his port cabin table at the time of the explosiBon and , was dressed. He then went in'Uo a de scription. of hte explosion, when he felt, the crash. jHe characterized It . as a iburstSriig, crashing sound, .or roar of immense , volume, largely metallic 'in its chairac'ter. It was succeeded fay ta mef tallic sound, probably of ifalling deb.ris, a 'trembling and lurching motion of J the; vessel,' then an impression siderice, attended hy an cllpse of elec tric 'lights and intense darkness Within the cabin. He knew immediately that the Maine was tlown up and t!baJt she. was sinking. As soon as he arrived on deck sentries were ordered placed about the (ship and the! forward magazine flooded,, if practicable. ' Then came faftnt cries iand he saw dimly white floating 'bodies' iw. the) ' water. , ! -Boats were at once .ordered lowered, but "enly two were found available, the gig and the whale-boat. They . were! lowered! and manned by 'officers, and men and by the captain's directions 'they left the ship and assisted in saving the wound ed j0nitly , with , other boaitslhat "had arrived on the scene. iFire amidships, by this time was (burning fiercely and the "spare ammunition in the pilot .house, was exploding. At I this time Lieuten ant Commander Wainwrighlt whispered to the captain, that he' thought the 10-ihch magazine! Iforward had been iftirown-up into tth'e ;bu:rhiinig mass and might explode in (time . EverVbody was 'then directed to gett Into the boats over the stern, which was dom-, the captain getting . intoi the gig and,'tben proceed d'ng ito 'the; City of fWashinigton, where he found the ; wounded in the dining saloon, be'ilng carefully attended by the (officers and "drew of 'the -vessel. I" i 1; ; Various Spanish j - officialsj came on board atnd expressed sympathy and sor row for the accident. The representa tives of (General 'Blanco and of ! the admiral of the station were among, the Spanish officials who tendered their re epedts. ' About eighty-four or eighty five of the mien were; found that (night who survived. In reply to the direct question whether any of the mialgazinea or shel rooms were blown up the oap 'tain. said it was extremely ddflicult to come to' any co fex ploscion was;'benea'thrand at!iittle tar fard: the .coning side, , In ; the reg'ion' of 1 the! centre of axis Of 'the; explqsioin . was .the 6-Snteh resetrve magazine which con'taaned. very' jllttle powder, about 300 pounds. The 10-inch anagaziinie was in ifheiisame gen eral region, .but on- the starboard side. Over the 10-fihoh magazine is -the "load ing room of the turre't and in the ad joining passage a ! number of- ,10-inch shells were permanently placed. Ac cording to Captain 'Sigsbee it would be . difficult ito conceive ithe explosilon Involved', th'e 10-inch nia'gazme (because of the location ; of the explosion and fthat Jno reports show that any 10-inch shells wetre hurled into the air because of 'the explosion. . J 1 : ! i ; ; He said 'the discipline of the ship was excellent. In the 'engineer's depart' ment the vessel was always! ready and always responsive. He paid a trJbu'te to the crew' andsaid that a qutieter.better natured lot of men he had never tanown on board any vessel in which !he had served. - On ' his examiination by ' ithe court, Captain 'Sigsbee said; that the highest temperature , he could remem-: ber wais 112; but" that was in the after magazine, j The 'tempera turej in tihe for ward - magazines, i (being consideraibly lower. . '' ' "' '" .. '. "5t .' ! '' There was no loos'e powder kept! in the magazine. All the coal bunkers were ventilated through air - tubes ex amined weekly by ithef chief eng'ineer and were connected electrically to thel annunciator ! near his cabin door. The forward coal bunker on the potrt sife was full. The forward coal bunker on the s'taTlbOaird side was half full, aind it f was being used at ithe time; of the ex plosioT ' , . .: Captasin1 ;Sigsbee gave as his opin'ion that At coal (bunker 'A' 16" had.fbeen.so hot as (to be dangerous to ;the 6-inch reserve 'niagaz-ine that this! conditfqth would have ibeen shown ion three sides where the bunker- was exposed and that men constantly passing to and fro by , It would .have necessarily, noticed the undue health ' " ' ': Captafih! (Sigsbee was examined as to the ammunition on. board the Maine.. He stated that--there were no high ex plosives, gunt cotton, detonators or other Tnateraal in magazines or shell rooms which the regulations prohibit ed. He testified that no war heads had Teeai plataed on tOTpedoes since Ihe hid command .of..lhe sh'ip. t; EDCSTGSN .POWELSON1S TESTIMONY. tEnsign WJV, N. Po weTson was called the third day of the court. ! iHe testi fied that he had (been present on the Maine s every day from the arrival of the Fern and during a great deal of the diving. In reply . to a question to ten the-court aU about the condStaon of the wreck he said the forward part of the ship forward of the after smoke stack IhadSjeo to all appearances completely destroyBa. The fixtures were! iwmplete ly wrecked, whSle fixtures an the same posifioa ron'tibte stai'board side were in some cases, almost intact. (The port bulkhead, between, ihe 'main and berth decks. '.alt : the conning tower (support had been blown aft on both sides but a great deal more on the parft than on the Btarboard side. -The ; protectSve deck under the conning ftower supports was bent to two- directions, ' the plaites on one side 4efng Ibemt 4ip and on the other bent down. Just forward of the con-, ning tower underneath the ahain deck two bairns met v at eight angles;' one Ujeamt was broken and pushed from port to starboard. 1 A grating' was found on the poop awning forward of the after search light. ,A piece of the side plating just abaft of the starboard tur ret (was vSsable. This plate was bent outward and then Ithe forward" end bent upward and folded backward upon itself. ("This plate was sheared fnna the rest of the plating below.'f' (Referring to has notes made of th4ns on the Maine, iEhsign Powelson stated that the arc of .the engine room-1 de graph and the shaft. of the steerins gear coming down' .through the armored, tube (turret) was bent from port io starboard. The! port side of the. pro tective deck was covered with a greasy deposit; the starboard side being cozo paratively free from at. (The fosmrd. smoke pipe, hatch betiwejen tH anaia.' and superstructure decks did not tsbcnsr signs of the Jmternal pressure of gasmm. On the main deck forward df itbe oaa nfng tower where the fore and oSt. angle bulb beam was located the plaalc 5ng was blown off on the only remialti ing plate of I the main deck on the port side, while the wood was still attached. to Jthat part of ithe starboard side be (rween :the conning -tower base and -the- turrets, what the wl tness sa w. woold tndicate that: the pressure lifted -trie- proteotive deck on the starboard sMe- held fast and bent that! deck down ward. The witness thought the s1jp onHhe poirt eide was entirely gone op posite the point indicated on - dia gram; handed the count. .'It was entire ly blown ;dut. , . t Ensign Pawelson was recalled oa February G5ith and showed -the plans of", the Maine- from ,which he had ddeaiU fied the .battom plates that were blown up through the upper deck. The find ing of these! plates on top lof the wreck:' clear above water was among the first, and most j important points of evidence clearly disproving the possibility of an internal' explosion. - r :i ' - i A5fter minutely describing the plates with their 'green, coating df paint and, the -other marks' by which- ithey were identified 'Powelson stated that they tmust have been blown up - thirty-eigJi t .cr thirty nniine feet to reach their pres ent positlonl" Beside the toottpm .platts, Pawelson 'found some pipes ' from .th& bottom compartment . lodged in t?e angle of the ibottom plates that- pro- truded above .the water. The berth detefc over this bottom compartment was also on top of the wreck and : .twenty ( feet f cirward of 'the plates, .while-this; sectiorx of the main deck had disappeared. The diver ..who had been workingfar ; Pciwelsoh on .this investigation inform ed him he ! hadt found the ammunition fcr tihe six Inch magazine i pushed over to .! the starboard side. I (Ensign Powelson, after diagrarotngr the wreck was .cnvanced that the tbt-torn- was throw lip and -not out. Mr. Powelson Vsaid. that on February .. 2ffth Diver ;01sen (reported , to him that on coming up from belo'w. he had fol lowed the-forward and after wings- of the V-shape made by the -bottom-plating at franie 17 and said on the forward wing -of the V. the plates ran down on a very steep slant land then , turner under and out under : the ' starboard' side; that just above where the'platesv. ! turned to 'go under 'the starboard side-he- found! -two dents ast If '.'the plattas had toeen" bulged in between the frames from outside" ihr-Olseri-said he had ex plored ihe 'after wing of i itihe V.; andt had found a semi -circular hole about ; two feet in diameter with, rivet holes ! all around it. SHe said; that senri-car-cular hole was albout twenty feet from 'the top of the V. made by the .bottom, plating. He said the plate presented? a jagged appearance as; If i t had . been -torn .and that a crack had extended from the bottom edge of the semi-circular hole' to a distance of about eight y Snidhes and -that' the plates about this hole were Ibent away fram. the green ; side of the plating. J .The judge-advocate asked Mr;. Pdw- r elson- how he io.oked upon .U-isen s test- -mony, in view of his knowledge of the -Maine and the drawings of the vesseL He replied that he regarded it as. ex- Itremely accurate. j j - The judge-advocate asked Mr. Pow--elson what he deduced from Olsenlss testimony received from the divers that forenoon, together with; .what inrorrna tion ne naa naa . oeiure -- - - - . . ' Mr. Powelson replied that he thougsst the explosion occured on the port side somewhere about frame ,18, centre or impact. - .-. i J. ' Hiyhen questioned further as to wJiat he regarded as! the cause !of the Injur ies,, Mr. Powelson saidi f'On the bot tom, (forward, ('where ! ,a! frame was thrown ud fit would seem to me tbe force .was communicated some distance -through the water, because it was lift ed up instead of being 'battered in.. It was a force that was teushfoned in some way, because the 'diver fells me there was a bulge in the plates, between1 the two : frames and such a tforce as, that would .be. cushion pressure. Soo the plates in .that part jof; the ship not: having been .broken in this explosion.' may have! occured aft and the frames forward df the transverse, armor being- weaker than they are aft, the ship might! have been lifted up. there by this cushion .pressure from, further aft." Mr. Powelson said: '''Diver. Smitb. went down the ship's side; and exdrnln ed the backing of the armor. (Tbat looked to he pushed .'in "because at Sae place where the plate was gone t he wood backing about six or! seven inolies thick. was splintered pointed dn boardJ"" Mr. (Powelson sent Schluter, on th& mornahg! 0f the 5th to .examdne- tb& platiaig on the port side! abaft the craao-ew-i Just under the main deck The outside- (Continued on Fourth! Page.) Ibe Royal U tba highest grade bekiag kaowa. Actaal teats shew it gc third farther thaa aar other braatf. J 1r &?c!ut:ly Pure ovu? bamno poweea oo., new vork. 1110 "S . ... rffi- .
The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 29, 1898, edition 1
1
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