The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-04-01
CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S STORY.
His Detailed Testimony Before the
Board REGARDING the Disaster.

CAPTAIN SlGSBEE'S STORY.
His Detailed Testimony Before the
Board Regarding the Disaster.
WASHINGTON, March sO-Captain
Sigsbee. in testifying before the court Of
inquiry, said that he assumed command
of the Maine April 10, 1897, and that his
ship anchored in the harborssef Havana
the last time January "a, 1898. The au-
thoritieS at Havana knew of the Maine's 8
coming, Consul-General Lee having in
formed the authorities according to Off
cial custom. After he took on an official
pilot, sent by the captain Of the port Of
Havana, the ship was berthed in the man.
of-war anchorage, off the Machina, or the
Shears, and according to his understand
ing, it was one of the regular buoys of
the place He then stated that he had
been in Havana in 1872, and again in 1S9S
He could not state whether the Maine
was placed in the usual berth for men-of-
war, but said that he had heard remarks
since the explosion, using Captains Ste
vens. temporarily in command of the
Ward Line steamer City Of Washington.
as authority for the statement, that he
had never known, in all his experience,
which covered visits to Havana for five
or six years, a man-of-war to be anchored
at that buoy, that he had rarely known
merchant vessels to be anchored there,
and that it was the least used buoy in
the harbor.
The Mafne's SURROUNDINGS.
In describing the surroundings when
first moored to the buoy, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man-of-war AL
fonso XIII was anchored in the position
now occupied by the Fern, about 250
yards to the northward and westward
from the Maine. The German ship Grie-
senau was anchored at the berth now oc-
cupied by the Spanish man-of-war LIE
Caspo, which is about 400 yards due north
from the Maine. He then located the
German man-of-war Charlotte, which came
into the harbor a day or two later, which
was anchored to the southwark of the
Names berth about 400 or 500 yards. In
describing the surroundings at the time
of the explosion, Captain Sigsbee stated
that the night was calm and still. The
Alfonso XIII was at the same berth.
The small Spanish dispatch boat, LIE
Caspo, had come out the day before and
taken the berth occupied by the German
man-of-war, the Griesenau, which had
left. The steamer City of Washington
was anchored about 200 yards to the south
and east Of the Names stern, slightly on
the port quarter.
The Coal Was Safe.
The Maine coaled at Key West, taking
on about $50 tons. the coal being regularly
inspected, and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally
in the forward bunkers. No report was
received from the chief engineer that any
coal had been too long in the bunkers,
and that the fire alarms in the bunkers
were sensitive.
The regulations regarding fmf1ammables
and paints on board, Captain SigSbee
testified, were strictly carried out in re-
gard to storage, and that waste also was
subject to the same careful disposition
The inf1ammableS were stored in chests
according to the regulations, and inf1am-
hi fy,
allowed to be kept in the bathroom of the
admiraPS cabin.
Regarding the electric plant of the
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding, nor sudden
faring UP of the lights before the explo-
sion, but sudden and total eclipse.
AS for regulations affecting the taking
of the temperature of the magazines, ETC.,
Captain Sfgsbee stated there were no spe-
cial regulations other than the usual regu-
lations required by the department. He
examined the temperature himself, and
conversed with the ordnance officer as
to the various temperatures and the con-
tents of the magazines and, according to
the opinion of this officer, as well as Sigs-
bee, the temperatures were never at the
danger point
'I do not think there was any Iaxity in
this direction" said the captain, replying
to question of Judge-Advocate Mark.
He had no recollection of any work 60
ing on in the magazine or shell rooms be-
fore the explosion. The keys were called
for in the usual way on the day in ques-
tion, and were properly returned.
Relations With Spanish Authorities.
Speaking generally of the relations with
the Spanish authorities, Captain Sigsbee
stated that with the officials they were
outwardly cordial The members of the
autonomistic council of the government,
however, seem to have brought to the at
tention of the navy department the fact
that he did not visit them, and that fact
brought embarrassment to the govern
ment at Washington. He took the ground
to the department that it was unknown
etiquette to call on the civil members of
the colonial government other than the
governors. Without waiting for such an
order, Captain Sigsbee made "a visit after
wards, and, as he states, was pleasantly
received and his visit promptly returned
by certain members of the council. A party
Of ladies and gentlemen called, and the
president of the council made a speech
which Captain Sigsbee could not under
stand, but which was interpreted to him,
to which he replied.
MY reply" said Captain Sigsbee, was
afterwards printed in al least two papers
in Havana, but the terms made me favor
autonomist government in the island. I
am Informed that the autonomistic gov
ernment in Havana is unpopular among
a large class of Spanish and Cuban resi-
dents. I have no means of knowing
whether my apparent interference in the
political concerns of the island had any
relation to the destruction of the Maine"
Exhibition of AnimOsity.
When asked whether there was any
demonstration of animosty by people
af1oat, Captain Sigsbee said there was
never on shore. as he was informed, but
there was afloat. He related that on the
first Sunday after the Names arrival the
ferry boat, crowded densely with people,
civil and military, returning from a bull
fight at Regla, passed the Maine, and
about 40 people on board indulged in yell
ing, whistling and derisive calls.
Every Precautfon Taken.
During the stay in Havana, Captain
Sigsbee took more than ordinary precau
tions for the protection of the Maine by
placing sentries on the forecastle and
poop, quarter line and single decks, on
the bridge and the, poop.
A corporal of the guard was especially
instructed to look out for the port gang
way, and the officer of the deck and quar-
termaster were especially instructed to
look out for the starboard gangway,
quarter-watch was kept on deck all night,
sentries cartridge boxes filled, their arms
kept loaded, a number of rounds of rapid
fire ammunition kept in the pilot-room
and in the spare captains pantry, and
under the aft superstructure were kept
additional supplies of shells, close at hand
for the second battery; steam was kept up
in two boilers instead of one and positive
instructions were given to watch carefully
all the hydraulic gear and report defln-
itely.