The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-22
DID A MAGAZINE EXPLODE?
THE IMAM GUNPoWDER MAGh.
ZINE" SAID TO BE A

Dn NAAOA
-
Divers Examine the Hail or the Maine n,a
That IL Reported as Gao or Their Di,cov.
sries-Uncsrtain which Magazine q. Meant
Tho Court or Inquiry Begius Its work
and Hears Capt. siEsbee's story-Divers ne.
lnyed ~ Darkness-More Papers Brought IN
HAVANA, Feb. 21.-Tho United States tender
Mangrove came into port this morning with
diving apparatus and with the members Of the
Court OF Inquiry into the Maine disaster,
acknowledgements Adolph Mark, Capt.
Sampson OF the Iowa. Capt. +. D.. Chadwick Of
tho New York. Lieutenant-C Commander Potter Of
the New York, Lieutenant.C Commander II.
Schroeder Of the Massachusetts,. and Capt.
Henry G. Taylor Of tue Indiana. At 1 o'clock
the Court Of Inquiry convened on the Manerove.
Commander Mark acted 40 Re-
corder. Capt. Sigsbee began his testimony 40
soon as the court wal organized.
Tho session lasted until 3 o'clock. II was alb
solutely secret and 1t has been impossible to
learn what conclusion was reached. II any. AZ
O'Clock Capt. Sampson and Capt. Sigsbee left
the Mangrove and came to Havana city, where
they called on Consul.General Lee. They held
another long conference with Mr.. Lee, the
nature Of which is also unknown.
Several reports are In circulation. It 10 said
III thc bhCuo Will Bali JOrmOfrOW With an Inn
portant despatch for Admiral Sicard. It is said
also that the Court OF Inquiry will hold q cone
ference tomorrow with Gen. Blanco. 1t Is USE
less to question any member Of the court or
Capt. Sigsbee or Gen. Lee. They only answer
IL don't know" II O definite conclusion IL
reached by the court about the cause of the dis.
aster. 1t will DO almost impossible to know 10
In Havana. Any report from hore about the
conclusions Of the court Of inquiry will be more
imagination. That its session to-day was very
important is undoubtedly a fact Capt. sigsboe's
report took lmosta all the time.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon tho divers had to
stop their work again because of tho great dark
ness. To-day has been one Of the most cloudy
days OF the season. Besides. the many objects
floating inside the Maine added to the darkness
and greatly hamperod the divers In their work.
To prevent all this trouble. It 10 announced
that tomorrow the divers will carry q wire and
place an electric searchlight inside the Maine.
The wire will be connected with the Mangrove,
and the tenders dynamo will be used to throw
the light inside the wrecked battleship.
To-day. for the first time. the divers made au
Investigation of the hull Of the Maine. They
examined the outside of the hull at the place
whore the explosion is said to have taken place.
The divers are also very careful about talking
about their work. They have received strict
orders to refuse an answer to any question
about the cause of the disaster or the results Of
their investigation. Inside the hull Of the
ship the divers found many bodies. About this
they talked freely, saying that it was one OF tho
most horrible s~pectaoles that human sight could
endure. All efforts to recover these bodies
were useless to-day. SO much iron being around
them. Tho divers will try tomorrow to bring
them VI.
1t 10 said tonight that tho divers discovered
that the "main gunpowder msgasine" did not
explode.
1T 10 impossible to determine from these words
whether the correspondent means the main
% %sssziIns Of The the mail. sihip m or the fSrws sSa
we're stored the high eIplo.ives, ,dry gun cotton
alleged that this magazine exploded. The for
ward maeezine was used for gunpowder, and e 10
forward magazine was the "maih1 Sunocwder
magazine" but not the main magazine
spsn lisRsf Il ssls Of the s.a assps ssas: &, s. - 4 sn% rum in
powder magazine" At the hour at which the
despatch WAS received; midnight; # was TOO
upon the point In question:
Among the objects brought mp BY the divers
to-day were the silverware of Capt. Sigsbee'0
table. his bicycle. and . typewriting machine.
Many moro important documents were also ro-
covered.
The American flag is floating on the Maine.
Capt Sigsbee ordered to have 1t on the mast day
and night.
The sailor Koehler was dying at 10 O'Clock TO-
night.
At q late hour 1t is confirmed that the BaohO
leaves tomorrow with an Important communt-
cation for Admiral Sicard.
IL was said this morning that the bodies OF
Lieut.. Jenkins and Assistant Engineer Merrita
had been found. but the report was false.
Capt. SiRsbee has been advised by DR.. Brunneg
that the removal to Key West Of the American
wounded sailors still at tho Military Hospital
in this city would greatly diminish their chances
of recovering.
Two moro bodies were recovered to-day. max.
ing q total of la.