Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-05
MINES FOR SPAIN.
EVIDENCE OF THE MANUFACTURES
OF SUCH EXPLOSIVES.
SOME PLACED In HABANA HARBOR.
impossible for Them to BE Exploded
AccidentaIIy-Curre for Their
Explosion Formed Only by Mani
puIatfon of Complicated keyboard.

LONDON, April "details have been
obtained by the Associated Press OF the
manufacture Of submarine mines In Lon
don for Spain, which was first brought
to the attention Of the United States En-
bassy and cabled to the Associated Press
on March 5th. 4 man whose cards de-
scribed him as being an electrical en-
gineer, and whose name was forwarded
at the time to Washington. then said he
had sold to Spanish officers in London,
several years ago, a large number OF
mines. eight or ten Of which were placed
in Habana harbOr. He 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 be fred from Il
fort, while two of them had bulbs so ar
ranged that they would explode upon a
vessels coming into contact with them.
| The man added however. that he did
not believe the bulbs would be used in
water as shallow as that of Habana har-
Dor. Finally, the man exhibited plans Of
one of these mines. which he said was
the most likely to produce the effect de-
scrbed as causing the wreck of the
Maine. 1t was numbered "2," and was
constructed to contain 500 pounds of gum
| cotton.
OFFICIAL REPORT
| eutenant-Commander J. c. Colwell,
| the United States naval attache, has
since investigated the matter, and has
| made report on the subject to the
! United States government.
| The facts learned strongly tend to
| show that Habana harDor was mined,
1 and they unquestiOnaDly prove that
Spain purchased mines for that purpose.
The firm of Lattimer, Rhodes q Clark,
electrical engineers, during lSS1-'SS filled
| large order for Spain of a lot of mines
! I'm which were used fourteen and a half
tons of gun-cottOn. The work was done
| under the surveillance of General Fer
nandez and Captain Bustamento. The
| latter was then the head Of the Spanish
torpedo school. by order of these officers,
the mines were divided into four con-
| signments-for Habana, Ferrol, CadlZ,
| and Carthagena. The mines were manu-
| featured under the direction of j. L.
| Gibbons after Gibbonss patents, which
are described I'm Seiman's book on tor
pedoes and mines. Gibbons. from whom
| a reporter of the Associated Press OBJ
tans the information, and who fur
| nished to Leutcnant-COmmander COlWell
| a written statement of the above facts,
and outlined his theory Of the explosion
which wrecked the Maine, was then en-
| ployed by the firm as superintendent OF
the torpedo department. He also says
a similar lot OF torpedoes was manufac-
tured for Spain I'm 1896.
STATEMENTS CONFIRMED.
The manager of the Westminster Engi-
neering Company, which IS the successor
OF the aforementioned firm, and with
which Gibbons il connected, confirms the
latter's statement as 10 the manufacture
OF mines for Spain. Gibbons, who is d
former sergeant Of engineers and gov
ernment Inspector of tOrpedoes, believe.
the Names first explosion was caused
by what Is technically called a ground
mine. containing 500 pounds Of gun-cot-
ton. several Of which We're manufactured
for Spain. He has experimental with these
mines largely at Portsmouth, and says
that once laid they retain their proper
ties for fifty years. In addition, Gibbons
asserts that il is absolutely impossible
for them 10 explode accidentally, as the
electric currents for their explosion art
formed only by the manipulation of q
complicated keyboard, especially devised
TO prevent accidents. Three keys arr
necessary, which are always kept in the
possession of different officers, and ever
il an outsider obtained possession ol
them, II would be impossible 10 manipu
late the keyboard without instructions.
Gibbons further says that the mines
and their connecting cables are numbered
and he asserts he would be able to iden
tify them, if any part is secured.