The Meeker herald., 1898-04-02

paint room, he fixed 1t ~ In the "eyes
OF the ship" Just below the berth deck,
the extreme forward compartment.
Az for the disposition Of innamma-
bies, they were slowed In chests ac-
c0rding to the regulations, and when
1nnammables were in excess Of chest
capacity they were allowed to be kept
In the bath room OF the admiral's
cabin.
Regarding the electric plant Of the
Maine. Captain Sigsbee stated that
there was no serious grounding. nor
sudden naring up of the lights before
the explosion, but q sudden and tOtnl
eclipse. As for regulations affecting
the taking Of the temperature Of the
magazines. ETC.. Captain Sigsbee stated
there were no special regulations other
than the usual regulations required by
the department. He examined the
temperature himself and conversetl
with the ordnance officer as to the var
i0us temperatures and the contents of
the magazines, and according to the
opinion of this officer as well us Sigs-
Tee, the temperatures were never ut y
danger point.
In this direction" replying to a ques-
He had no recollection of any work
going ON in the magazine or shell
rooms on the day Of the explosion. The
key was called for In the usual way OIL
the day In question and was properly
returned At the time of the disaster
the two after boilers In the after fire
room were In use, because the hydraul-
tc system was somewhat leaking.
Speaking generally of the relations
with the Spanish authorities, Captain
Slgsbee stated that with the officials
they were outwardly cordial. The
members of the nutonOmstic council
of the government, however. seem to
have brought to the attention of the
navy department the fact tnat lie dill
not visit them. and that fact brought
embarrassment to the government ut
Washington.
He took the ground to the depart
Mrnt that 1t was unknown etiquette tn
cull on the civil members of II colonial
government, other than the governors.
Without waiting for such an order
Captain Sigsbee made n visit after
ward and. as he states. was pleasantly
n ceived md his visit promptly return
ed by certiiin members of the council. \
party of ladies' and gentlemen called.
and the president of the council made
IL speech which Captain Sigsbee could
rot understand. but which was inter
preted to him briefly, to which he r.
piled.
my reply" said Captain Sigsbee,
''was afterwards printed in at least
two papers In Havann. but the terms
made me favor autonOmist government
in the island. l am Informed that the
autonomist government in Havana Is
unpopular among large class of Span
ish and Cuban residents.
II have no means of knowing wheth-
er my apparent Interference in the po-
litical concerns of the island had any
relation to the destruction Of the
Maine."
When asked whether there wns any
demonstration of animosity by people
afoat, Captain Sigsbee said that there
never was ON shore, as he was In
formed. but there was atioaf- He ne
iated that ON the nrst Sunday after
the Naina,s arrival = -Gssr1soaf cfuwd-
I'd daaeely with people, civil and mli-
tary, returning from . sod Asht tn
Rexla, passed the Maine, and about
forty people ON board indulged IN yell
ing, whistles and derisive calls. Duf-
Ing the stay in Havana Captain Sigs-
bee took more than ordinary precau-
tions for the protection of the Maine
by placing sentries on tie forecnstle
and poop, quarantine and signal boys
on the bridge and on the poop
A corporal Of the guard was espe-
cially Instructed to look ont for the
port gangway and the officer OF the
deck and qunrtermastcr were especi-
ally Instructed to look out fox the star
board gangway; quarter watch was
Ill nfsv1,f ~. 7trfx ri.
ridge boxes were filled, their arms
kept loaded, a quantity of rapid fire
ammunition kept in the pilot room and
In the spare captains pantry and I'M
der the Observation-Disclosures was kept
additional supplies Of shells close at
hand for the second battery; steam
was kept up on two boilers instead Of
one, and positive Instructions were
given to watch carefully ali the hy-
draulic gear and report defects.
Lieutenant Commander Richard
Wainwright testified that the regula-
ttons in regard to paints nnd infiam-
mables and all other precautions were
strictly carried out on hoard ship. Ev-
cry possible care was taken to avoid
accident. All visitors were serutinized
before being allowed to come on board
the ship, nobody was allowed unac-
companled. Special "l0okoutS' were
required at night. No unauthorized
boats were allowed to approach the
ship.
There was fine discipline, obedicnt
crew, quiet men. He was In the cap
tain's ONCE at the time Of the cxplo-
sion. He felt very great shock nn'l
heard noise Of falling objects on deck.
Thought the ship was being fred on.
He was told by the captain to see that
the boats were lowered. He saw few
men coming, mostly officers: he saw no
reason to Hood the magazines because
the water was coming up. He saw fire
forward. Boats began to crowd
around the wreck: he induced boats to
take wounded to different vessels; he
ordered list taken OF the snved and
wounded: there was excellent disci-