Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-04-14
DESIROCTN)NOF THE MAINE.
An Explanation by the Man Who
Sold Submarine Mines to the
Spanish Government.
A GROUND MINE THE AGENCY EMPLOYED.
Official knowledge Gen. Lee May Give
Some Interesting Testimony Touching
the Conspiracy to Blow Up the Maine
When He Returns to Washington.
A Torpedo Inventors Story.

When He Returns to washington.
A Torpedo Inventors Story.
NEW YORK, April 9.-Joseph Pauen
Gibbins, the electrician who supplied
submarine mines to the Spanish gov
eminent, cables from London to the
World:
The only submarine mines which
have been shipped to the Spanish gov
eminent since 1867 were manufac-
tured under my own patents l then
supplied Sc ground mines, % buoyant
mines, each with charge of 500 pounds
of gun cotton, and Is electro-contact
mines, exploded either on contact or by
observation from shore, each contain
ing 100 pounds of gun cotton.
Mines Sent to Havana.
The mines sent to Havana would still
retain full effectiveness. They will
last under water for an indefinite
period.
In 1895-97 the Spanish government
ordered fresh supply of my patent
mines. Whether they went to Havana
or not is immaterial. One of the mines
supplied in 1886 is still fully capable of
having caused the destruction of the
Maine. In fact, am convinced, from
all surrounding circumstances, that no
other agency could have caused it.
They Were Sent in Spanish Ship.
In direct contradiction of the asser.
tions of the secretary of the Spanish
legation at Washington, and of Gen.
Weyler, that there are no submarine
mines in Havana harbor, l absolutely
affirm that l shipped the above mines
for Havana and Ferrol in a Spanish
ship, the property of the Spanish gov
eminent, and Differed by Spanish ma
val officers, at the West India dock,
London.
Could Only be Exploded by Design.
The mines are in electrical connec
ton with the shore, and it is quite i'm
possible that they could be exploded
except by design. l am convinced.
also, that the explosion of the mine
which destroyed the Maine was the
work of one or two men, for these
reasons:
First. A vessel swinging, either an
chored or moored, upon striking the
circuit closer would merely drop
shutter on the key board on shore
warning the officer in charge that sht
was in contact with the mine.
The Keys Must be Obtained.
Second. Before the officer is in pois,
ton to fire the mine he must obtain one
of two keys. One generally is kept by
the commandant, the other by the Off
Ger in charge of the firing station. He
then must unlock the glass door over
which the shutter has fallen, and in
sert a red danger plug in the insulated
switch.
Third. He must insert plug in the
switch OF the firing battery earth
plate;
Maine Destroyed by a Ground Mine.
Fourth. The firing key hammer must
be pressed ON to the contact anvil to
complete the circuit that explodes the
detonator, by which the mine, in turn,
is exploded. I have not the slightest
hesitation in saying that the Maine
was deliberately destroyed with a 500
pound ground mine as invented and
supplied by me.
How to Trace the Matter Up.
The only practical way discovering
the mine that sunk the Maine is by I'M
der-running the cable from shore to
the junction bow, and thence under.
running each individual cable to the
mine, until one was found without
mine attached. am satified that the
explosion was caused by a ground
mime, not by .buoyant mlne-for Ha-
vana harbor is too shallow to admit CT
the use of the latter. l am prepared
to satisfy, by demonstration, any jury
of reasonable men that this is true
explana tion of the destruction of the
Maine.
Gen. Lee May Give Some Important Testi
mony Bearing on the Maine Explosion.
WASHINGTON, April 9.-Representat
, tive Lorimer, of Illinois, is authority
for the statement that Gen. Lee will
make some startling disclosures before
the senate committee on foreign rela.
tiODs when he arrives here regarding
the conspiracy to blow up the Maine.
Ic was announced, Thursday, that Gen.
Lee would be called before the commit
tee, but the nature of the testimony
expected from him was not disclosed.
The Electric Lights Went Out When the
Maine Blew Up.
It Is said that the information Gen.
Lee is expected to testify to relates to
the extinguishment OF the electric
lights in Havana at the instant of the
blowing up of the Maine. Electrical
experts have said that if the
lights went out in Havana at the time
of the explosion it would be con.
elusive evidence that the mine under
the Maine mast have been fred from a
shore electrical connection. Capt.
Sigsbee, before the foreign relations
committee, said he had information
that the lights had gone out. but did not
think it advisable to give the name of
his informant while he was in Cuba