Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-03-31

war Alphonso XII was moored in posi-
ton now occupied by the Fern. ABOUT
$50 yards to the northward n west
ward of the Maine. The German snip
Griesenau was anchored at h berth
now occupied by the Spanish man-of-
war Legaspe, which Is about 400 yards
about due north from the Maine. de
then located the German man-of-war
Charlotte, which came into the har-
Dor a day or two later, which was
anchored Ito the southwark of the
Names berth, about 400 or 500 yards.
In describing the surroundings at the
time of the explosion, Captain Sigspee
stated that the night was calm ana
still. The Alphonso XII was at the same
berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat~Legaspe had come out the day
before and taken the berth occupied
by the German man-of-wer, the Grie-
senau, which had left. The steamer
City of Washington was anchored about
200 yards to the south and east of the
Names stern, slightly on the port
quarter. -
He had no recollection of any work
going on in the magazine or smell
rooms on the day of the explosion The
KEYS were called for in the usual way
on the day in question and were prop
erly returned. At the time of the dis
aster the two after boilers in the after
fire room were In use because the hy-
draulic system was somewhat II
Testimony OF OeueraS A<ces
Consul General Fitzhugh Lee ap-
reared before the court on March ..
His testimony related to the official
formalities preceding the Names ar
rival. On Jan. "a he received q mes
sage from the state department saying
that the Maine would be sent TO aa-
yana on a friendly visit to resume the
regular status of naval relations be-
tween the two countries, and he was
ordered to make arrangements at the
palace for the interchange OF oficiai
courtesies. After a call at the palace
he sent the state department a cipner,
saying: ~
Authorities profess to think the
United States has Interior purpose in
sending the ship. Say it will obstruct
autonomy and produce excitement ana
most probably a demonstration. ASK
that it not be done till they get
instructions from Madrid. a that IL
for friendly purpose, as m delay
IS unimportant."
IT was too late, however, he Maine
had already sailed. She arrived next
day and Lee reported her arrival to the
state department.
wainwright's Testimony.
Lieutenant Commander Rlchard
Wainwright testified that the regula-
lions in regard to paints and infiamma-
bles and all other precautions were
strictly carried out on board ship. Ev-
cry possible care was taken to avoid
accident. All visitors We're scrutinized
before being allowed to come on board
the ship. Nobody was allowed unac-
companied. Special lookouts were re-
quired at night. No unauthorized
were allowed to approach the ship.
There was fine discipline, obedient
crew, quiet men. He was in h cap
tain's office at the time of h explosion;
felt a very heavy shock, and heard noise
of falling objects on deck. Thought the
ship was being fired upon, Was told by
the captain to see the boats were low
cred. He saw few men coming, most
ly. officers. He saw no reason to food
the magazines because water was CON-
ing up. He saw fire forward. Boats
began to crowd around the wreck.
He induced boats to take the
to different vessels. He ordered a list
taken of the ave. n wounded. There
was excellent discipline after he x
plosion. Orders were followed with
promptness of a drill. The only order
not obeyed was the one to leave ship.
He first examined the wreck at day.
light the following morning. He took
a gig, with Lieutenant Hood and a few
men, and attempted to board the wreck.
He was warned off by a armed boats
crew of Spaniards and then pulled
around the wreck. There were still
some burning fragments.
Testimony of Chief Gunner's Mate.
Chief Gunner's Mate Olsen Of the u.
S. S. Iowa, told how he a been sent
to Havana for the purpose of doing
diving duty on the wreck. He had de-
scended four times, making about eight
or MIN hours of total examination. Oh
sen told how IN his first descent he
e over the Onward part of the ship.
To use his W expression, he said: II
found the wreck all blowed up. I found
a lot of CRATE bars down there" The
second time he went down further for
ward and there located a lot of 10-inch
shells. Forward Of these the plates
We're bent inboard over them.
Asked if he imagined himself looking
forward he stated that he did. Going
over the plates he struck into a lot OF
6-inch shells with the sings on them.
Going to the right witness stated he
found a lot of w~reckage. 1t seemed to
have been blown over the ~starboard.
Olsen stated that he put his hand into
the CRANK n brought out several g.
FOUNDER shells.
The next time he went down, Olsen
testified, he went outside the ship, for
ward of the crane on the port side. He
followed h bottom along and found
thu the ships side was blown out
board and alongside the crane 1t could
be walked on.
completely" witness said, part of her
bottom plates are turned up. Then
you follow the bottom from there up
and the plates are blown outboard. At
the top n underneath the bottom they
are blown inboard and ent in. About
three feet forward of that spot there is
a piece of iron laid along the bulkhead.
The skin OF the inside of the double
bottoms is curled like q sheet of paper
inboard from stem to stern.
Amidships on the same place there is
an plate, n plate complete, the
top of the plate standing up. The plate
is Inclined over the starboard complete
ly, 1t stands up with the thick part
Of the plate down.