The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-04-06


where the impact came Frame l5 WIS
blown In
How do you account for the immense
damage done abreast OF the reserve mara-
zine. where there IS nothing left, whereas
between frames 16 and IS you have found
damaged plates . Afr- Poweison was ask
my idea'' he replied. ssis that after the
shin was raised up nf frame IS the maya
zines one or an OF them. after that were
exploded. FOR some powder turks that
have seen think We're exploded While
Others have seen were moi exploded. I.
saw coffee can that was brought up
which was about ns badly battered most
of the powder eases that came up Il look
ed In very much the same condition.
When you say some OF the powder
tanks had. In your opinion, exploded and
some had not. do you refer TO 6-lneh tanks
only or Pinch ranks alsof
II refer TO both, rs have seen a 6-inch
tank that was very little ripped open, and
dattened out. with evidences OF burnt pow
der on 1t. saw one 1o-inch tank that was
scarcely battered at all and only the head
OF 1t gone
also saw 6-inch tanks With the packing
which looked like excelsior. unburnt so
Inch and 6-inch charges were exploded.
Mr.. Powelson said four or i've tanks had
been brought up that morning, but he did
not see all OF them The only one he re-
membered seeing was exploded and burst
out 50 that the case formed almost plane
surface. The fo-ineh tank had lts head re.
moved, but Il had preserved It's npproxi-
mate shape.
When questioned further as to what he
regarded as the cause OF the injuries, Air.
Powelson said
.-on the bottom forward where that
frame WAS thrown up II would seem TO me
the force was communicated some distance.
through the water because 1t was iifted mp
Instead OF being battered In.
1t was force that was enshienea IN
some way, because the diver tells me there
was a bulg In plates between the two
frames and such force as that would be
a cushion pressure.
$50 the plates In that part OF the ship
not having been broken In this explosion
may have occurred nft and the frames for
ward OF the transverse armor being weaker
tina ntliey are aft, the ship might have been
lifted rp there by this ension pressure from
further att
.sIt just struck me-" continued Mr.. Pow
elson. speaking OF the same part Of the
vessel, tsthat the mine there could not have
been very close to those plates that were
lifted up. because. as say. tn plates are
not so much damaged or Dent In the form
of draised up vertical distance.
1t seems TO me that rhe mine was some
what removed aud the pressure came
through the water, which produced that
cushion sort of pressure"
co..Spl General FitzhuEh Lee
appeared before Sha court ON March s. Els
testimony related to the official formalIties
preceding the Afaine's arrival. On January
- ~ : =
department, saying that the Maine SInuld
pe sent 10 fasiN'.iln on a y -
resume ehs res u.t ~ 80 - =,
ordered to make arrangements at the PAL
ace for the Interchange of official courte-
sizes
AIter a can ut tne pttnee'. he Sent Nne @
state department clpner message, SAYING:
"Authorities profess to think the United
States has Interior purpose In sending the
ship Say 1t VIII ooseruce autonomy ana
produce excitement and most probably a
demonstration. Ask that tt not be done
until they can get instructions from Mad
rid. Say that IL for friendship purpose, as
claimed, delay Is unimportant
Tt was too late. however The Maine had
already sailed She arrived next day and
Lee reported her arrival to the state de-
Partment.
Lieutenant Conarnnnder wainwright
testified that the regulations In regard to
naints and infiammables and all other pre-
ship
Every possible care was taken to avoid
accident All visitors were scrutInIzed be-
fore being allowed to come on board the
shin Nobody was allowed unaccompanied.
SDecial ..lookouts', were required at night.
N, t,taathoPized boats w5fe allowed to aT-
nroach the ship
Tbere was fine discipline obedient crew,
ouiet men He was in the captains ofIice
at time of the explosion; felt a very heavy
shock and heard noise of falling objects
n
mon was told by Captain Slgsbee to SEE
boats we're lowered. He saw a few men
coming mostly officers He saw no reason
10 fIood the magazine because water wa
co4,Ins, nm he saw firc forward
Fsonts iiepan to crowd around the wreck
He Induced boats to take the woundec.
to dinerent vessels. He ordered a list
taken OF the saved and wounded. There
v,as e excellent discipline after the explosion
oFfIers were Followed with promptness o.
a drill. The only order not obeyed was
DE order to leave the ship.
He first examined the wreck ut daylight
the following morning. He took gig with
Lieutenant Hood and Few men and at
tempted to board the wreck. He was warn
ed on by a an armed boats crew OF Span
iards and then pulled around the wreck.
There were stIII some burning fragments
r,,5..< Ss.., ,S....sS,,..
: -.t.- :. =. - =
OF the United states steamer Iowa, toia
now ne mao oeen sent seat 70 70 SAY ny AIas a,l AoL ene
purpose OF dolng alsing euly On sne 49,
tie naa hseen9eo IouL tl!nes
eignt OF nine nours % to'sa
Oisen toiu now on u ms ns asse uesssas s,i ne