The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-05
EVIDENCE AGAINST SPAIN
PROOF THAT DONS PURCHASED
MINES FOR HAVANA HARBOR
Report Made to the Government by
the Naval Attache at London,
Who Investigated the Story Told
by an Unnamed Electrical En-
Explosives at Different Times.

LONDON, April "details have been
obtained Of the manufacture Of sub
marine mines in London for Spain,
which was brought to the attention of
the United States embassy and cabled
some time ago. A man whose cards
described him as being an electrical en-
glneer and whose name was forwarded
at the time to Washington, then said
he sold to Spanish officers in London,
| several years ago, a large number Of
mines, eight or ten Of which were
| placed in Havana harbor. He said
they were made in a special way, had
a specially constructed cable, which
he can indemnity if the smallest piece
Is produced, and he added that some Of
the mines were fixed so that they could
be fired from fort
Lieutenant Commander J. G.. ColWell,
the United States naval attache, has
since investigated the matter and has
made a report on the subject to the
United States government.
The facts learned strongly tend to
show that Havana harbor was mined,
and they unquestionably prove that
Spain purchased mines for that pur-
pose The firm of Lattimer, Rhodes &
Clark, electrical engineers, during 1887
1888, filled large order for Spain of a
lot Of mines in which were used four
teen and one-half tons Of gun cotton.
The work was directly under the sur
Vigilance Of Gen. Fernandez and Capt.
Bustamente. The latter was then head
of the Spanish torpedo school,
By order of these officers the mines
were divided into four consignments,
for Havana, Ferrol, Cadiz and Car
thagena. The mines were manufac-
tured under the direction of J. P Glib
hons, after Gibbons patents, which are
! described in Siemens' book on torpedoes
and mines.
Sold Mines to Spain.
Gibbons, from whom a representa-
tive of the Associated Press obtained
the information, and who furnished
Lieutenant Commander Colwell a writ
ten statement of the above facts and
outlined his theories Of the explosion
which wrecked the Maine, was then
employed by the firm as superintendent
Of the torpedo department., He also
says a similar lot of torpedoes was
manufactured for Spain in 1896.
The manager of the Westminster en-
cheering company, which is the sue
cessor of the aforementioned firm. and
with which Gibbons is connected, con-
firms the latter's statement as to the
manufacture Of mines for Spain. Glib
bons, who Is a former sergeant Of en-
gineers and government inspector of
torpedoes, believes the Names first ex-
plosion was caused by what is tech
nically called a ground mine, contain
ing 500 pounds Of gun cotton, several
of which were manufactured for Spain.
He has experimental with these
mines largely at Portsmouth, and says
that. once laid, they retain their prop
critics for fifty years. In addition, Glib
bons asserts that it is absolutely i'm
possible for them to explode accident
ally, as the electric currents for their
explosion are formed only by the ma
nipulation Of a complicated keyboard
especially devised to prevent accidents
Three keys are necessary, which are
always kept in the possession Of diff
ferent officers, and if an outsider OBJ
tanned possession of them, it would be
impossible to manipulate the keyboard
without instructions.
Gibbons further says the mines and
their connecting cables are numbered
and he asserts he would be able to
identify them if any part is secured.