The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-17
RETIRED OFFICERS OPINIONS
Belknap Thinks the Maine Was
Blown UP by a Torpedo.

BOSTON, Feb. 1G,-Rear Admiral
George Belknap. U. S. NJ, retired, said
to-day that he was y clined to think the
Maine was blown up by torpedo.
Il do not see,' he said, how any ex-
plosion of the forward magazine could
have occurred. The keys of the maya
zines are always kept in the custody IT
the Captain. All the ammunition is
carefully cased, mostly in the form OF
projectiles, and their explosion by
themselves is next to impossible. IL,
as the dispatches state, the whole bow
of the ship was blown off, it is appar-
ent that the explosion could not have
been caused by the boilers, or the coal
getting heated. l do not see how IL
could have occurred from the paint
room. as every precaution is taken to
prevent the collection of explosive gases
in the paintroom and if such an eXplo-
sion occurred it would nave been more
likely to have caused a fire than to de-
stroy the ship"
Rear Admiral Belknap said it was a
very significant thing that the Maine
should have been blown up in that par
ticular harbor at this particular time.
In the absence Of information as to the
cause. he thought that was the most
significant indication of the whole mat
ter.
REAR-ADMIRAL BROWN.
INDIANAPOLIS Qnd), Feb. 16.--
Rear Admiral George Brown, who was
the highest officer in the navy until his
retirement last year, when Informed OF
the naval casualty in Havana Harbor.
said:
Il can offer nothing but vague con-
lecture as to the probable cause OF
the destruction of the lnine, although
it would seem to me at this time that
when an investigation is made it will
be found that an explosion occurred on
the vessel
The Admiral was asked if it was pos
sible that a torpedo lying in the har-
Dor could have been accidentally ex-
ploded under the ship. He did not
think this could be possible. IF tor
pedo caused the explosion" he said,
'it must have been sent from shore, Yer
torpedoes are not lying around loose IN
Havana Harbor, where hundreds OF
ships pass in and out. There are no
submerged mines in the harbor. L
don't recall any similar affair Oh TINS
kind in the history of the United states
navy either in time Of peace or in time
of war"
REAR-ADMIRAL ERBEN.
NEW YORK. Feb. 1G-Rear- Admit
raj Erben. l.. S. N, retired, said to-day
that he was inclined to believe that the
Maine was blown up by her own mag
azine Such things had happened be-
fore.
ca,+aip r. Mahan said that in the
absence of authentic information. he
was unwilling to discuss the matter
in any light.
COMMANDER SPEYERS.
NEW YORK. Feb. 16.-Lieutenan.-
Commander Speyers of the United
States navy. was aroused from his BED
at the Navy Club and told of the
Names destruction.
Il cannot understand how such an
explosion could occur in the ship, he
said. with the accent on the in. L
am familiar with the location OF the
Names magazine. Sometimes there
are magazines in both fore and aft.
and it is barely possible that one Of
the Names exploded But 1 do not
understand how any ammunition in the
magazine could have been exploded at
this time. There is no reason that l
know of why anybody should have gone
to the magazine then. The keys of a
vessels magazine are always kept III
the possession Of the Captain,a when
the Captain leaves they are turned over
to the officer left in command. No.
having full information, l cannot ex-
press any opinion on the disaster"