Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-03-16
SPANISH SAY ACCIDENT.
Americans Claims that the Maine Was
Blown Up BY Design.

Americans Claims that the Maine Was
Blown Up BY Design.
Havana Dispatch of Friday.
Today Captain Peral, president ol
the Spanish naval court of inquiry into
the cause of the Maine disaster, grant
ed an interview to the correspondent
of the Associated Press, whom he au.
lhorized TO say it was the first and
only interview he had given any news.
paper on the subject of the inquiry.
With him in the naval court is Lieu
tenant Salas. He has power to call in
for consultation any army or naval en-
gineer or expert on explosives or ma
rine building. He has twice called in
such and will do so again when neces'
sary. Captain Peral said:
"Our divers are hard at work exam
lining the hull of the Maine. Great
difficulty is experienced, owing to the
deep mud in which the hull is buried
and the condition of the wreck for
ward or amidships. The whole for.
ward part of the ship is mass of iron
and steel debris. We have hoisled up
much of it but, in the mud, it is not
always possible to tell what parts OF
the ship, armor, deck, beams or stanch-
ions are found, the explosion SO
changed the positions.
"We think we have located the ram
or PROV, but not in the position sup
posed. The forward turret, mounting
the large guns, was blown clear Of the
hull into the water on the starboard.
We shall continue our work and try
to examine the hull forward down to
The keel. 1t is possible that we may
propose to the American authorities to
raise the hull by means of the floating
dock, brought from England aud now
in Havana harbor.
"We cannot believe there was an ex.
ternal explosion Of torpedo for the
following reasons: A torpedo, follow
ing the line of least resistance, must
have blown great hole in the mud at
the bottom of the harbor. No such
hole was found. A torpedo must have
thrown large mass of water into the
air, if exploded at depth of only %
feet or so, or at least have produced d
wave reaching the other ships and the
shore of the harbor. We have exam.
ined every man on shipboard or shore
who saw the explosion, but no one can
be found who remarked any upheaval
of the water or big wave.
ga torpedo explosion always kills
fish in the vicinity. No fish were
killed by the Maine disaster, as fisher
men who have known the harbor for
many years testify. To produce the
effects noted in the wreck, torpedo
would have to be of enormous size,
fully $50 or 200 kilos.
~ am, therefore, of the opinion that
the explosion occurred within the ship
I know and respect Captain Sigsbee,
and believe the American regulations
affecting naval conduct, which have
read aud found admirable, were care.
fully observed. But some things which
cannot be foreseen are bound to hap
pen in any navy. I have been reading
Of the explosion on the English ship
Dolerel, which the English believe was
caused By chemical combustion in the
paint used for quick drying. have
also read al English account OF shells
that were found burst open because OF
hardening points that split and pro-
duced heat which exploded the shell.
As l have said, do not believe there
was any carelessness on the part OF
the officers of the Maine. | do believe
there was an accident which could not
possibly have been foreseen. Such is
my judgment at present, with the facts
that are in possession Of the court.
When our court of inquiry finally de-
cides, its judgment will be in accord
ance with the best evidence that can
be produced. We are having plans,
diagrams and drawings of the wreck
made as fast as the divers are able to
give us definite Information.
Captain Peral was most courteous
during the entire interview. He Illus
trated some of the points he made by
ink sketches on the desk before him.
He spoke as judge would whose
mind was ready to weigh any evidence
brought before the court over which
he presided.
1t should be borne in mind that this
is the first and only interview he has
given any one. Captain Peral request
ed this correspondent to make it known
that he had granted the interview in
his unofficial capacity, and not as pres
ident of the Spanish court of inquiry,
which the law furbids him to do.
CAPTAIN PERAL Is CoNTRADICTED.
The foregoing interview with Cap
tain Peral was followed on Sunday by
IL very significant interview with an
American naval officer, who is an ex-