The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-24
THE CASE OF THE MAINE
LAST DOUBT OF HOW SHE WAS
DESTROYED REMOVED.
RECORD OF DAMAGE TO CERvERA'S SHIPS
CristobaI Colon Hit but Six Tines. Why She
Surrendered. Vizcaya Special Prey
of Brooklyn and Oregon.
The Other Ships.

Correspondence OF Associated PreSSD
Off Santiago de Cuba, July 12."Any
doubt that may have existed that the
Maine was hlown up by an outside ex-
plosion has been dissolved by the eXami-
nation of the destroyed Spanish ships"
said Il member Of the Board of Survey
that examined the remnants of Admiral
Cervera'S fleet.
"Of four ships examined, three had
been blown up by their magazines" he
continued, land of these, one had every
magazine exploded and torpedos in ad-
ditiOn, yet on none of them was there
the same effect produced by the explo-
sion on the Maine. There was no up
heavel of the keel and little buging Of
the plates except in the immediate vi
cinity Of the explosion. The effect was
nearly altogether upward, in some cases,
the protective deck being lifted, but,
outside of the spring of few plates,
the hullS We're intact
The examination of the wrecks of the
Spanish ships, three of which were
burned and all their magazines exploded
was made, first for the purpose of as
certa ming the effect of American gun
merry and secondly to find the effect of
internal explosion. Both subjects bore
upon the Maine incident as noted above,
and the awful effect of well-aimed shots
was demonstrated in rapid sinking of the
fleet. When it is remembered that the
Almirante OquendO and the Infanta
Maria Teresa We're both sunk within
forty minutes of the time they left the
entrance of Santiago harbOr. the work of
American gunners may well be consider
ed as remarkable. The Almirante Oquen-
do was struck over fifty-five times and
the Infanta Maria Teresa thirty-seven
times but by larger projectiles.
The record of the damages to these
ships is one of great interest. The tight
started. at range of 5000 yards, or
three miles. At 1000 of $500 yards two
torpedo boats and two cruisers We're an-
initiated. The closest fighting was done
at 1,1O0 and 1000 yards by the Brook
lyn and Nizcaya, with annihilating ef-
feet on the Spanish ship. But two pro-
iectiles larger than eightinch struck Il
vessel both of these, either twelve or
thirteen-nch, being put through the In
fanta Maria Teresa. The eight-inch,
six-inch, five-inch and siX-pounder pro-
iectiles did the bulk Of the work and
were frightfuliy destructive. Some idea
of the effect can be obtained from a
brief summary of the injuries to each
ship as found by the examining board.
The board had upon it such capable men
as Rodgers of the Iowa, executive Off
cer Mason, executive officer of the
Brooklyn, an expert on the effect of
shells on armor; Lieutenant Huessler
of the Texas, who has made some Splen-
did improvements III gun firing ON that
ship and Naval Constructor Hobson, of
MelriInac fame, who has II reputation
for knowledge of ship construction.
Briefly. these officers found
Cristobal Colon, battleship, tirst-cass,
with six inches of steel for protection not
only on the water line. but around the
sx-inch guns. This ship was hit with
large projectiles but six times, as it kept
out of range nearly the whole time, pass
ing behind the other ships for protec-
tion and finally making IL run for it. The.
hits were made by the Brooklyn and Ore
gon One S-inch shell went into the port
side of the ward room and left on the
starboard side without exploding, but
cleaned everything in the room. A =
inch hit just above the armor belt and a
6-inch struck her on the bow. None of
the injuries was sufficient to put her out
of action nor as serious as those recev-
ed by the Brooklyn, at one time her sole
antagonist. The assertion that the
Brooklyn was overhauling her and that
the OregOn's terrific 13-inch guns were
shooting nearer and nearer and that es-
cape was impossible, seems to be the cor
rect solution Of her surrender.
The Nizcaya, armored cruiser. is of the
same class as the battleship Texas and
Maine. She carried two 1.5-inch guns
and ten 105 inch guns with projections
10 and - inches thick, double and treble
that of the Brooklyn. This ship was the
special prey of the Brooklyn and the
Oregon. although the Texas, after her
destructive work on the Almirante
Oquendo and Maria Teresa, added a lit
tie long range. The Nizcaya. exclusive
of Onepounders and rapid fire hits which
swept her deck. was hit with large pro-
jectiles fourteen times and by six
Founders eleven times. The S-inch guns
on the Oregon and fve-inch on the
Brooklyn tore her superstructure above
the armor belt almost into shreds. while
the six FOUNDERS and One-pounders made
Concluded ON Second Page)