The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-20
Spain Can Inquire
Into the Cause.
It Has Been So Decided
by Navy Department.
Captain Sigsbee Of the H.
Fated War Vessel
Describes the Explosion Which Re-
suited in Her Wreck.
The War Department Denies That the Ac-
tiVitv Observable at Sea Coast De-
lenses Has Anything to Do
With the Maine
Horror.
Describes the Explosion Which Re-
suited in Her Wreck.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 19.-The inter-
estine, feature of the days news at inc
Navy Department was the decision oi
the Government TO allow concurrent III
xestigations of the cause of the Name
disaster for its own part making an IN
dependent inquiry through the naval
court of inquiry already appointed
while permitting the Spanish authof.-
ties To make such Investigations as th@y
desire This arrangement commended
itself to naval men alike as fair TO all,
and at the same time as calculated 10
develop the exact facts in manner
that could not be questioned.
There was a good deal of talk among
the officials of the need of speedy relief
measures for the benefit of the fami-
lies of the explosion victims Under
rhe treasury rules, the allotments of
portions of pay to members OF their
families made by the men who perlshed
in the wreck must stop at once. 1t IS
not doubted that Congress will do as
IL ulQ III lilS case VI tiit N'
ter. provide for years pay to the fam
lilies of the sailors who died at their
posts. The difficulty, however, is that
such a measure cannot be passed at
once, and meantime some of the fami-
lies of the dead sailors may be in great
distress. The subject has been taken
up by Mr. Long. and he has called
meeting for Monday to initiate the
movement. II happens that by the rare
chance of an unexpected change of pay
masters recently, very little of the saw
ings of the Names sailors went down
in the vessel. About two weeks ago
Paymaster Iittlefield of the Maine was
relieved by Paymaster Ray. The for
mer came 10 Washington, and has set
tied the accounts of the ship up to he
time he left The record shows that
Paymaster Ray hand on hand in his
safe only about $1,000 in cash, prob
ably gold. and a check for S6,OUa
which. of course. is safe enough with
out his Endorsement against loss.
Since the spontaneous combustion
theory has come so prominently TO the
front as accounting for the disaster, the
officials have been looking over the
records to find a parallel case. as near
as may be- The flagship New York
was discovered TO be on fire March >.
1896 Smoke was issuing from her
...a:x- ,.-aoazfrae This yyac cleared Of
powder Immediately. and il was found
that the wood work had been charrsd
deeply. The cause was not at first PEI
ceptible. but it was soon discovered
that an adjoining coal bunker was
burning. When the bunker was open
ed the coal on top was not hot, but
as the men dug down ii was found to
be red hot inside. There was no mani
festation OF heat on top of the bunker,
nor on any side save the one next the
magazine. That startled the naval off,
GERS. and the constructors made a con-
siderable air space between the bunkers
and the magazine. In the designing Of
the new battleships now on the stocks
the lesson was kept in mind. and every
thing possible was done TO insulate the
coal bunkers from the magazines.
Secretary Long has given orders that
with the expiration of this day there
need be observed no longer the order
to all ships and commands TO display
the national coiors at haif-mast.
There is no abatement of the talk Of
the expediency Of raising the Maine.
Chief Constructor Hichborn Is one OF
the most earnest advocates of the res
direction of the ship. He points out
that the ship lies in land-locked har-
Dor. easy for he wreclers To operate
in. and that II she can be rebuilt AT a
cost OF million dollars. the Govern
ment viii save S4,Goo. 600. the first cost
of such a battleship, with all Of her
equipment. Great Britain. he said
never abandoned ship if there was the