The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-26

the navy'S divers have nearly COMPLETED
their investigation of the condition of the
hull OF the ship. Captain Sigsbee said in
dispatch to the Navy Department on the
oath: THE navy's divers have been down
in the aft part of the ship seven days and
forward four days." AS the forward part
Of the ship is where the explosion is sup
posed to have occurred, the navy divers
must have nearly completed their examina-
ton Of what Captain Sigsbee has called
1.-The zone of the explosion" This being
the case, it is highly probable that the
board Of inquiry is already in possession
of some information bearing on the cause
Of the disaster.
On the night of the explosion Admiral
Brown, called up by the Journal by tele-
phone, said: II can offer nothing but vague
conjecture as to the probable cause of the
destruction of the Maine, although it would
seem to me from the details you give me
at this hour that when an investigation is
made dt will be found that an explosion oc-
CURED on board the vessel" That was
construed by many as meaning an explosion
on the vessel, not due to any outside cause
as, for instance, the explosion of a boiler
or of a magazine caused by heat from an
ignited coal bunker. A high naval officer
on the retired list would not be very apt
to express an opinion intimating foul play,
but Admiral Browns opinion does not ex-
clude that theory. Applying it somewhat,
he now says:
/ adhere to the opinion which ] formed
several days ago, and that is that an eX-
plosion on board ship and nothing else
could have wrecked a ship like the Maine
as her pictures represent her to have been
wrecked and sent her to the bottom of the
harbor in five minutes AS to what caused
the explosion that did the damage / have
no definite idea There are several possible
causes. For instance, the carelessneSS of a
Waterman or the explosion Of a hidden
mine may have sent q torpedo up through
the hull of the boat that caused the eXplo-
sion on board ship. My point is that q tor
pedo itself would not have wrecked the ship
as she is wrecked and sent her to the bot
tom so quickly.
From this it appears that while Admiral
Brown thinks the final and complete de-
struction of the ship was due to an explo-
sion board of her, that explosion may
have been caused by prior one from the
outside, either a submarine mine or tor
pedo. This theory would harmonic with
ZIG 6ldtSlHSIlIS VI SSNSldt SuLNltOIS VIII
speak of two shocks or explosions in quick
succession. Captain Sigsbee said:
l was writing letters. 1 find it impossible
to describe the sound or shock, but the
impression remains of something awe-in-
spring, terrifying, of noise rending, vi
brating, all-pervading. There IS nothing i'll
the former experience of any one on board
to measure the explosion by. After the
first great Shock-I cannot myself recall
how many sharper detonations / heard, not
more than two or three-I knew my ship
was gone.
Lieutenant Catlin, another surviving OFF,
GER in private letter to relative said:
] had just gone to my Stateroom with the
intention to answer your last interesting
and welcome letter. Had 1 not mislaid my
pen somewhere [ would have been in the
occurred. AS 1t was, | was looking lelSurely
for the pen and enjoying my cigar to the
full and regarding it almost affectiOnately
when l heard an explosion that only per-
cepubly shook the ship. l rushed out in my
shirt sleeves to see what was the matter.
that destroyed our ship and hurled to eter-
nifty SO many of our brave sailors.
Without further evidence this testimony
would establish beyond doubt that there
were two explosions, that the second and
more destructive of the two was caused
by the first, and the first one, presumably,
by a torpedo from the outside. The best
informed and most reliable correspondents
at Havana think this will be the con-
clusion of the board of inquiry.