The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-29

He then stated that he had been in
Havana in 1872 and again in 1878. He
could not state whether the Maine was
placed in the usual berth for men-of-
war, but said that he had heard re-
marks since the explosion, using Cap
tain Stevens temporarily in command
of the Ward Line steamer City of
Washington, as authority for the state
ment 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. In
describing the surroundings when first
moored to this buoy, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man-of-War
Alphonso XII. was moored in position
now occupied by the Fern, about 25O
yards to the northward and westward
of the Maine. The German ship Gnies-
enau was anchored at the berth now
occupied by the Spanish man-of-war
Segaspe, which is about 400 yards due
north from the Maine. He then locat-
ed the German man. Charlotte
which came into the harbor a day or
two later, which was anchored to the
southwark of the Names berth, about
four or five hundred yards.
In describing the surroundings at
the time of the explosion Captain Sigs-
bee stated that the night was calm
and still. The Alphcnso XII. was at
the same berth. The small Spanish
dispatch boat Segaspo had come out
the day before and taken the berth oc-
cupied by the German, man-of-war, the
Gniesenau, which had left. The
steamer City of Washington was an
chored about 200 yards to the south
and east of the Names stern, slightly
on the port quarter 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 to the
forward bunkers. No report was re-
ceived from the chief engineer that any
coal had been too long in the bunkers
and that the fire alarms in the bunk
ers were sensitive. Captain Sigsbee
testified that the regulations were
strictly carried out in regard to storage
and that the waste also was subject to
the same careful disposition.
AS to the situation of the paint room,
he fixed it as in the ''eyes of the ship"
Just below the berth deck, the extreme
forward compartment. AS for the dis
position of inflammables, they We're
slowed in chests according to regula-
tions, and when inflammables were in
excess of chest capacity they were al
lowed to be kept in the bathroom of the
admiraps cabin. Regarding the cleo
tric plant of the Maine, Captain Sigs-
bee stated that there was no serious
grounding nor sudden f1aring up of the
lights before the explosion, but sud
den and total eclipse. AS for regula-
tions affecting the taking of tempera-
ture of the magazine and SO on, Cap
tain Sigsbee said there were no special
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
contents of the magazines, and accord
ing to the opinion of this officer as well
as Sigsbee, the temperatures were new
er at the danger point. II do not think
there was any laxity in this direction" ;"
said the captain in reply to a question
of Judge Advocate Mark
He had no recollection of any work
going on in the magazine or shell rooms
on the day of the explosion. The keys
were called for in the usual way on the
day in question and were properly re-
turned At the time of the disaster
the two after boilers in the after fire
room were in use, because the hydraul-
/. ,,I,of 1oo
Speaking generally of his 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, seemed to
have brought to the attention of the
navy department the fact that ne did
not visit them and that fact brought
some 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 governor.
Without waiting for such an order,
| Captain Sigsbee made visit after
| ward and, as he states, was pleasantly
received anu his WISH pTOHlptly IGtufH-
| ed by certain members of the council.
Later party of ladies and gentlemen
called, and the president of the coun-
Gil made a speech which Captain Sigs-
| bee could not understand, but which
was interpreted to him briefly, to which
| he replied. MY reply" said Captain
| Sigsbee, was afterward printed in at
least two papers in Havana, but the
terms made me favor autonomistic
government in the island. 1 am In
| formed that the autonomistic govern
ment in Havana is unpopular among
a large class of Spanish and Cuban
residents. / 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"
When asked whether there was any
demonstration of animosity by people
af1oat, Captain Sigsbee said that there
was never on shore, as he was inform
ed, but there was afloat. He then re-
lated that on the first Sunday after the
Names arrival a ferryboat, crowded
densely with people, civil and military
returning from q bull fight in Regla
passed the Maine, and about forty peo-
pie on board indulged in yells, whistles
and derisive calls.