The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-09
MAN WHO MADE THE MINE
That sunk the Maine Tells What He
Knows About 1t.

| New York, April S.-Joseph Powell Glib
bons, the electrician who supplied sub
marine mines to the Spanish government,
! cables from London to the World:
! 1.-THE only submarine mines which have
been supplied to the Spanish government
since 1867 were manufactured under my
own patents.
81 then supplied them with ffty-six
ground mines, twenty-six buoyant mines,
each with a charge of 500 pounds of gun
cotton. and fifteen electro-contact mines,
exploded either on contact or by observa-
ton from shore, each containing charge
of 100 pounds Of guncotton.
1.-The mines sent to Havana would still
retain full effectiveness. They will last
under water for an indefinite period In
1861 the Spanish government ordered
fresh supply of patent mines. Whether
they went to Havana or not is immater-
ial
"One of the mines supplied in 1886 is
still fully capable of causing the destruc-
ton of the Maine.
I'm fact, I am convinced, from all sur
rounding circumstances, that no other
agency could have caused it.
In direct contradiction of the asser-
tons of the secretary of the Spanish lega-
ton at Washington and of General Wey-
Ter that there are no submarine mines in
Havana harbor, 1 absolutely affirm that I
shipped the above mines for Havana and
Ferrol in a Spanish ship. the property
Of the Spanish government and Differed
by Spanish naval officers, two captains
at the West India dock, London.
my mines are in electrical connection
with the shore and it is quite impossible
that they could be exploded except by de-
sign.
Il am convinced also that the explosion
of the mine which destroyed the Maine
was the work of one or two men for these
reasons:
IA vessel swinging. either anchored
or moored, upon striking the circuit-closer
case would merely drop a shutter on the
keyboard on shore, warning the officer
in charge that she was in contact with
the mine.
''2.-Before the officer is in a position to
fire the mine he must obtain one of two
keys One generally is kept by the COM
mandant, the other by the officer in
charge of the firing station. He then must
unlock the glass door over which the
shutter has fallen and insert a red danger
plug in the insulated switch.
"3.-He must insert plug in the switch
OF the firing battery earth plate.
"4.-The firing key hammer must be
pressed on to the contact anvil 10 com
plete the circuit that explodes the detona-
tor by which the mine in turn is ex-
ploded
II have not the slightest hesitation in /
saying that the Maine was deliberately |
destroyed with a 50J-pound ground mine |
as invented and supplied by me.
There IS a consensus Of opinion that /
the first explosion was external This is /
established on the following grounds:
The forward magazine contained 55N1 I
pounds Of gunp0wder which might blow 1
up the decks but It is problematcaI /
whether it would be capable OF ignitinE /
the 500 pounds OF powder in the middle
magazine Even if * did the explosion OF /
both would be quite incapable OF deton-
ating the 500 pounds az wet euncotton
in the after magazine. Had that guam
rity Of junction been detonated not
vestige OF the Maine would remain.
The only practical way OF discovering
the mine that sunk the Maine IS by M
derrunning the caale from shore - thu
junction box and from thence underru1-
ming each individual cable % the mine
until one is found without a mine al
tachsj.
Il am satisfied that -he explosion was
caused by ground u;re-not 5u1ya2t
mine-Ior Havana harh1r Is TOO shallow 10
admit OF the Use % the latter.
Il am prepared 20 satisfy by dsmo-st-a-
ton any jury % reasonable men thar tAs
IS a true explanation Of the destruction
u the Maine