The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-05
MADE MINES
FOR SPAIN.
Evidence Secured By
Officer COlWell.
SOMESENT TOCUBA.
Three Keys Held By Different
Officers Were Necessary
FOR EXPLAINING THE MINES
Complicated keyboard a
Part Of Plant.
NO ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION
Was Possible as Every Precaution
Had Been Taken TO Guard Against
Accident-The Kind Used
Would Retain Their Proper
tics Fifty Ycars-Tcsti-
mony Substantiatcd
10y Heads ofFirms.
Can Identify
Connecting
Gables.
NO ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION

LONDON. April "details havo been
obtained by the Associated Press Of The
manufacture of submarine mines in Lon
don for Spain. which was first brought
10 the attention Of the United States En-
bassy and cabled 10 the Associated Press
on March 5th.
A man whose cards described him as
being an electrical engineer and whose
name was forwarded at the time to Wash
ington. then said he sold TO Spanish off,
GERS In London several years ago a large
number of mines eight or ten Of which
were placed in Havana harbor. d.
CAN IDENTIFY THEM
lie said they were made in a special
way. had a specially constructed cable
which he can identify If the smallest
piece is produced and he added that
some OF the mines were fixed so that they
could bc fred from q fort while two Of
them had bulbs so arranged that they
would explode upon "a vessel coming into
contact with them. The man added, howi
ever. that he aid not believe the bulbs
would Doe used in water as shallow as
that of Havana harbOr.
Finally the man exhibited plans Of one
Of these mines, which he said was the
most ukCy 90 produce the effect oescrlb-
Cd as causing the wreck Of the Maine. II
was numbered "2' and was constructed
t0 contain 300 pounds of gun cotton.
Lleutcnant-Comm j. c. Colwell,
the United States naval attaohe has
since investigated the matter and has
made report on Che subject TO the
United States government
The facts learned strongly tend 10 show
that Havana harbor was mined and they
Wnquesuonably prove that Spain purchas-
cd mines for that purpose
SENT TO HAVANA.
The firm of Lattimer, Rhodes & Clark,
electrical engineers. during 1888, filled
large order for Spain OF a lot of mines,
in which were used fourteen and "a half
tons of gun cotton. The work was done
under the surveillance of General Fcrnan-
doz and Captain Bustamento. The latter
was then the head of tho Spanish tor
pcdo school Ey order Cf these officers
the mines were divided into four consign-
ments. for Havana, Ferrol, Cadiz and
Carthagena.
The mines were manufactured under
the direction OF j. T.. Gibbons after Glib
bons patents. which are described IN
Seimaus book ON torpodoes and nin-s.
Gibbons. from whom a reporter Of the
Associated Press. obtains the information
and VINO furnished TO Lieutenant-Com
mander Colwel a. written statement of
the above facts and outlined his theory
OF the explosion which wrecked the
Maine, was then employed ty the firm
as superintendent of the torpedo depart
meut. lie also says a similar lot OF tor
.f arF. fs.r .saf
1896.
The manager OF the Westminster En-
gineering Company, which Is the success
sor of the aforementioned nrm. and with
which Gibbons is connected. confirms
the latter statement as 10 the mauufac-
turc of mines for Spain. Gibbons, who is
q former sergeant Of engineers ;0d
government Inspector of torpedoes, be-
Heves The Names first explosion was
caused 10y what is technically called "a
ground mine. containing fye hundred
pounds of gun cotton. several OF which
were manufactured FOR Spain.
ACCIDENT IMPOSSIBLE.
lie has experimental with these mines
largely at Portsmouth. and says that
once laid they retain their properties for
fftv years. I'm addition Gibbons asserts
thai it is absolutely impossible for them
90 cxnl0de accldently as the electric cur
rents for their explosion are formed only
bv The manipulation Of complicated key
hoard especially devised 10 prevent acci-
dents. Three keys are necessary, which
are always kept in the possession Of diff
forent officers. and " AN outsider obtain-
od possession OF them r. would De im-
possible 90 manipulate the keyboard
without Instructions.
Gibbons further says that the mines and
their connecting cables are numbered. and
De asserts that he would be able 10 iden-
tify them if any part is secured.