The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-17
NAMES MAGAZINES.
would Be Very Difficult to Explode
Their Contents.

would Be Very Difficult to Explode
Their Contents.
Washington. Feb. 1.-THE naval officers
cannot agree upon any theory to account
for the destruction of the Maine Per-
hans majority are inclined to the belief
that the explosion was purely accidental.
Another considerable number feel that
torpedo was exploded under the vessel and
a third theory is that some internal ma
chine was smuggled aboard the ship and
set off
The Maine had three magazines. The
one forward was used for the storage of
ammunition. weighing 1900 pounds. This
quantity OF explosive is so large that the
naval officers can scarcely believe it pos
sible for anv human being on board the
Maine escaped alive had this magazine
exploded entirely.
There was no smokeless powder on board
the ship, and the 10-inch ammunition was
made up of brown prismatic powders Not
only is this powder most carefully packed
in Theoretically sealed copper cases, but
its heat resisting qualities are 50 great
that it cannot be ignited by the fame of
match, GOO degrees Fahrenheit being tire
amount of heat that must be applied for
some time to set fire to
the powder. On the other hand
it is readily ignited as in the case of the
discharge in gun, by the explosion of a
good quantity of fulminite. Every precau-
ton is adopted aboard ship to safeguard
the magazine. In its vicinity a sentry
stands on duty continually. The doors are
closed Theoretically, except when the ship
is cleared for action.
AT 8 o'clock every night the temperature
is taken and the keys of the locked doors
are placed in the captains hands for the
night. The records of the navy depart
ment show that 81 degrees was the max
imum temperature in the Names maya
zine during the past month, a very low
and safe temperature. These facts make
it extremely difficult TO account for the ex-
plosion, particularly as no visitors are adj
mitted under any circumstances, TO the
maeazine. OF course, it is possible that
there was spontaneous combustion of some
fulminite or gun cotton intended for was
use in the torpedos.
There We're no steam pipes or furnaces
near enough to the magazine TO cause the
belief that they might have exploded the
powder.
The coal bunkers were in the neighoor-
hood, and it is just possible that in them
might be found the origin of the accident.
1t depends on whether they were empty
or contained coal to some degree. 1t is
said to be the practice of commanders to
empty the fore-b unkers first in which
case the Names bunkers in that quarter
were probably emptied, owing to the
| length of her stay in Havana harbor.
Probably not since the wreck at Samoa
has so much excitement been exhibited at
the navy department as was shown to-
day. The beautiful model of the battle
ship Maine standing before the door OF
Secretary Long, was surrounded all day
by crowds commenting on every feature
of the vessel.
AT intervals telegraph messengers APP
peared bearing messages from the main
telegraphc offices. Upon delivery OF Sacn
message there would be rush to the
| Secretarys room to learn the latest news.
Up to the time Secretary Long went over
to the White House the news was free
and promptly given out as it came After
that the messages were sent direct to him
at the White House and the crowd was
obliged to wait for knowledge of their con-
tents until they had been returned to the
department.
The navigation bureau was besieged
with inquiries from the friends of the
ships company, seeking information as TO
the mortality.