The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-29
Captain sIGsBEE,s TESTIMONY.
He Took All Possible Precautions
After the Maine Arrived at Havana.

After the Maine Arrived at Havana.
Captain Sigsbee in testifying before the
court, which convened in the harhor of Ha-
vanl, Monday. Feb. 81 said that he as
sumed command of the Maine on April 10,
1897 and that his ship arrived in the harbor
Of Havana the last time, Jan. "a. 1885, The
authorities at Havana knew of the Names
coming Consul General Lee having in
formed them. according to official custom
After he took on an official pilot sent by
the captain of the port of Havana the ship
was berthed in the man-of-war anchorage
off the Machina. or the Shears, and ac-
cordirg to his understanding, one or
the regular buoys of the place. He then
stated that he had been in Havana in 1872,
and again in 1898. He could not state
whether the Maine was placed in the usual
berth for men-of-war, but said he had
heard remarks since the explosion, using
Captain Stevens. temporarily in command
of the Ward line steamer City of Washing
ton, as authority, for the statement that
he had never known in all his experience.
which covered visits to Havana for five or
six years, man-of-war TO be anchored at
that buoy; that he had rarely known mer-
chant vessels to be anchored there, and
that it was the least used buoy in the har-
Dor.
In describing the surroundings when first
moored to this buoy, Captain Sigsbee stated
that the Spanish man-of-war Alphonso XIII
was moored in the position now occupied
by the Fern, about $50 yards to the north
ward and westward of the Maine. The Ger
man ship Griesenau was anchored the
berth now occupied by the Spanish man-of-
war Legaspe, which is about four hundred
yards about due north from the Maine. He
then located the German man-of-war Char
lotte, which came into the harbor a day or
two later and was anchored to the south
ward of the Names berth about four or
five hundred yards.
In describing the surroundings at the
time of the explosion Captain Siysbee
stated that the night was calm and STILL
The Alphonso XIII was at the same berth.
The small Spanish dispatch boat Legaspe
had come out the day before and taken the
berth occupied by the German man of war,
the Griesenau. which had left. The steamer
City of Washington was anchored about
two hundred yards to the south and east of
the Names stern, slightly on the port quar-
ter.
The Maine coaIed at Key West taking on
about $50 tons, the coal being regularly in
spected and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally in
the forward bunkers. No report was re-
ceived from the chief engineer that any
coal ndQ Deen 100 long IN the DunkerS ana
that. the fire alarms in the bunkers were
sensitive.
In 50 far as the regulations regarding In
namTnabieS and paints on board, Captain
Sigshee testified that the regulations were
strictly carried out in regard. to storage,
and that the waste also was subject to the
same careful disposition. AS to, the situation
OF the paint room, che fixed it as in the
eyes of the ship" just below the berth
deck, the extreme forward compartment.
AS for the disposition of infammables, they
were stow ed in chests according to the reg
ulations, and when infammables were in
excess of chest capacity they were allowed
to be kept in the bathroom of the admiral S
cabin Regarding the electric plant, of the
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding, nor sudden far
ing up of the lights before explosion, but a
sudden and total eclipse.
AS for regulations affecting the taking
of temperature of the magazines. etc., Capt.
Sigsbee said there were no special reguIa-
tions other than the usual regulations re-
CURED by the department He examined the
temperature himself and conversed with the
ordnance officer as to the various tempera-
lures and the contents of the magazines
GER as well as Sigsbee, the temperatures
were never at danger point. II do not think
there was any laXity in this direction. said
the captain, in reply to a question of Judge
Advocate Mark. He had no recollection of
any work going on in the magazine or shell
rooms on the day of the explosion, The keys
were called for in the usual way on the day
in question and were properly returned At
the time of the disaster the two boilers in
the aft fireroom were in use, because the
hydraulic system was somewhat leaking.
Speaking generally of his relations with
the Spanish authorities Captain Sigsbee
stated that with the officials they were out
Wardy cordial. The members of the au-
tonomistic council of the government, how
ever, seem to have brought to the atten-
ton of the Navy Department the fact that
he did not visit them and that fact brought
embarrassment to the government at
was unknown etiquette to call on the civil
members OF the colonial government other
In fnr
such an order Captain Sigsbee made visit
afterwards and, as he states, was pleasant
" received and his visit promptly returned
BY certain members of the Council. Later
party of ladies and gentlemen called and
the president of the Council made speech
which Captain Sigsbee could not under
stand, but which was interpreted to him
briefly, to which he responded My re-
ply" said Captain Sigsbee. was after
wards printed in at least two papers in
Havana, but the terms made me favor the
autonomist government in the island. l
am informed that the autonomist govern
ment in Havana is unpopular among a
large class of Spanish and Cuban residents.
] have no means of knowing whether my
apparent interference in the political con-
Germs of the island had any relation to the
destruction of the Maine"
When asked whether there was any DEM
onstration of luminosity by people afioat,
Captain Sigsbee said that there never was
on shore as he was informed. but there was
ahoat He then related that on the hrst
Sunday after the Names arrival Terry
military returning from bull hight IN
~Regla, passed the Maine and about forty
people on board idulged in yells, whistles
and derisive calls. During the stay in Ha-
vana Captain Sigsbee took more than or
binary precautions for the protection of the
and poop. quarantine and signal buoys on
the bridge and on the poop. A corporal OF
the guard was especially instructed TO look
out for the port gangway ana the oHcer
of the deck and quartermaSter were eS-
pecaIIy instructed to look out for the star
board gangway; quarter watch was Kept
en- deck all night; sentries' cartridge boxes
were filled their arms kept loaded.
number of rounds of rapid-tire ammunltlon
kent i'm the pilot house, and IN the spare
captains pantry under the after super
structure was kept additional charges or
steam was kept up on two boilers instead
of one and positive instructions were given
tn watch carefully all the hydraulic gear
and report defects. He said he had given
orders to the master-at-armS and the ORDER
" sergeant to keep a careful eye on every
observe any packages that might be re-
ceived On the superstition that dynamite or
other highly explosive matter might be en-
Moved and afterwards to inspect the routes
these PEOPLE had taken and never to lose
sight of the Importance of the order. he
states that very few people visited the
ship, Lieutenant Commander wainwright be-
ing rather severe on desultory visitors.
There were only two visits of Spanish mill
tary officers. Once a party OF nve or SIX
SPANISH officers came on board but ac-
cording to the Captain, they We're con-
strained and not DESTROYS of accepting much
courtesy. This visit was during the alb
sence of the Captain. He said he made
every effort to have the Spanish officers
visit the ship TO show good VIII accorqlng