The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1898-03-30


indicate that the pressure lifted the
protective deck up on the port side.
and the protective deck on the star
hoard side and the protective deck on
the starboard side held fast and bent
that deck downward Witness here ex-
hibted two sketches 10 the court show
ing diagram of various parts of the
sunken ship and explained them to the
court
Could See the Plate.
The witness evidence about the strip
on the starboard side of the outside
plating of the ship which was folded
and rolled back was recalled to him.
and Powelson said he could see plate
underneath IL was bent outward. as IL
was only two feet under water where
the shear occurred.
Witness had taken soundngs and had
found five fathoms of water on both
sides OF the Maine down to the mud.
Taking a 14-pound lead line and drag
ging with a wherry for distractions on
the port side. dragging close to where
he thought the water ways would he
found he found no Instructions what
ever on the starboard side he found
Instructions for twenty feet where he
had reason to believe that the water
ways had originally been.
In answer TO questions he said there
was nothing left of the port plating a
all. He dragged along the outside 10
see IL anything had fallen out and
found nothing. Witness thought the
ship on the port side was entirely gone
opposite points indicated on a diagram
handed the court 1t was entirely
blown out.
This concluded Ensign Powelson's
testimony on the third day.
Captain Sigsbee's Testimony.
Captain Sigsbee in testfying before
the court of inquiry, which convened
in the harbor OF Havana Monday. Feb.
2l said that he assumed command of
the Maine on April TO- 1897. and that
his ship arrived i'm the harbor OF Ha-
vana the last time Jan "a, 1898 The
authorities at Havana knew OF the
Names coming, Consul General Lee
having informed the authorities ac-
cording to official custom. After ne
took on an official pilot. sent by the
captain of the port of Havana. the ship
was herthed in the man-of-war anchor
age off the Machina. or the Shears, and
according To his understanding was one
of the regular buoys of the place. He
then stated that he had been in Ha-
vana i'm 1872 and again in 1898
He could not state whether the Maine
was placed in the usual berth for men,
of-war, but said that he had heard re-
marks since the explosion, using Cap
tain Stevens, temporarily in command
Of the Ward line steamer City of Wash
ington as authority. for the statement
that he had never known i'm all his ex-
perience. which covered visits To Ha-
Vana for five or six years. a man-of-
war to be anchored at that buoy: that
ne had rarely known merchant vessels
to be anchored there and that il was
the least used buoy in the harbor.
surroundings of the Maine.
In describing the surroundings when
first moored to this buoy Captain Sigs-
- -ta haf ha Snan oh Of
war Alphonso XII was moored in posi-
ton now occupied by the Fern. about
$50 yards TO the northward and west
ward OF the Maine. The German ship
Griesenau was anchored at the berth
now occupied by the Spanish man-of-
war Legaspe, which is about 400 yards
about due north from the Maine. He
then located the German man-of-war
Charlotte. which came into the har-
Dor a day or two later. which was
anchored to the southwark of the
Names berth, about 400 or 800 yards
In describing the surroundings at the
time of the explosion, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the night was calm and
still. The Alphonso XII was at the same
berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat Legaspe had Anne out the day
before and taken the berth occupied
by the German man-of-war, the Grie-
City OF Washington was anchored about
200 yards to the south and east of the
Names stern, slightly on the port
quarter
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 prop
erly returned. At the time of the dis
aster the two after boilers in the after
fire room were in use because the hy-
draulc system was somewhat leaking.
Testimony of General Lee.
Consul General FitZhugh Lee ap-
peared before the court on March 5.
His testimony related to the official
formalities preceding the Names ar
rival. on Jan. "A he received mes
sage from the state department saying
that the Maine would be sent to Ha-
vaua on a friendly visit to resume the
regular status Of naval relations be-
tween the two countries, and he was
ordered to make arrangements at the
palace for the interchange OF official
courtesies. After a call at the palace
he sent the state department cipher,
saying:
authorities profess to think the
United States has Interior purpose In
sending the ship Say il will obstruct
autonomy and produce excitement and
most probably a demonstration. ASK
that il not be done till they can get
instructions from Madrid. Say that II
for friendly purpose, as claimed, delay
is unmportant."
1t was too late, however. the Maine
had already sailed. She arrived next
day and Lee reported her arrival TO the
state department..
wainwright's Testimony.
IJeutenant Commander Richard
Wainwright testified that the regula-
tions in regard to paints and infiamma-
bles and all other precautions were
strictly carried out on board ship. Ev-
cry possible care was taken TO avoid
accident. All visitors were scrutinized
before being allowed to come on board
the shin Nnhndv WAS allowed unac-