Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-12
CAPTAIN PERAL
Of the Spanish Naval Court of In
quiry Gives an Interview on the
Destruction of the Maine.

Havana, March 1l-To-day Captain
Peral, president of the Spanish naval
court of inquiry into the cause of the
Maine disaster, granted an interview
to the correspondent of the Associated
Press, whom he authorized to say it
was the first and only interview he
had given any newspaper on the sub
ject of the inquiry. Captain Peral
speaks excellent English. With him
in the naval court is Lieutenant Salas.
He has power 10 call in for consulta-
ton any army or navy engineer or eX-
pert on explosives or marine building,
and he has twice called in such and
viii do so again when necessary.
Captain Peral said
Our divers are hard at work exam
lining the hull of the Maine Great
difficulty is experienced owing to the
deep mud in which the hull IL buried
and the condition Of the wreck for
ward of amidships. The whole for
ward part of the ship is mass of
iron and steel debris. We have hoisted
much of it, but in the mud it is not
always possible to tell what part of
the ship, armor, deck, beams or stan
chions are found. the explosion so
changed their positions.
I'VE think we have located the ram
or Prov, but not in the position sup
posed. The forward turret, mounting
two large guns, was blown clear off
the hull into the water on the star
board. We shall continue our work
and try to examine the hull forward
down to the keel. 1t is possible that
we may propose to the American au-
thorities to raise the hull by means
of the floating dock, brought from
England and now in Havana harbor.
I'VE cannot believe there was an
external explosion if torpedo, for the
following reasons: A torpedo, follow
ing the line Of least resistance. must
have blown a great hole in the mud
at the bottom of the harbor. No such
hole was found. A torpedo must have
thrown a large mass of water into the
air if exploded at depth of only %
feet or SO, or at least have produced a
wave reachiag the other ships and
the shore Of the harbor We have ex-
amined every one on shipboard or
shore who saw the explosion; but no
one can be found who remarked any
upheaval Of the water or a big wave.
A torpedo explosion always kills fish
in the vicinity. No fish were killed by
the Maine disaster as fishermen. who
have known the harbor for many years
testify 70 produce the effects noted
in the wreck a torpedo would have to
be of enormous size, fully $50 or 200
kilos.
Il am, therefore, Of the opinion that
the explosion occurred within the ship.
know and respect Captain Sigsbee,
and | believe the American regula-
tions affecting naval conduct, which |
have read and found admirable. were
carefully observed. But some things
which cannot be foreseen are bound to
happen in any navy. | have been
reading of the explosion on the Eng
lish ship Dolerel, which the English
believed was caused BY chemical com
bustion In the paint used for quick
drying. / have also read an English
account Of shells that were found burst
open because of hadening points that
split and produced heat. thus flashing
the powder in the interior Of the shell.
AS ! have said, / do not believe
there was any carelesness on the part
OF the officers Of the MaiR / do be-
lieye there was an accident which
could not possibly have been foreseen.
Such is my judgment at the present
with the facts that are in possession OF
the court. When our court of inquiry
finally decides, its judgment will be in
accordance with the best evidence that
can be procured. We are having plans,
diagrams and drawings of the wreck
made as fast as the divers are able to
give us definite information"
Captain Peral was most courteous
during the entire interview. HE Illus
trated some Of the points he made by
sketches on the deck before him He
Spoke as a Judge whose mind was
ready to weigh any evidence brought
before the court aver which he pre-
sided
1t should be borne in mind that is
the first and only interview he has
given any one. Captain Peral request
ed the correspondent to make il
known that he had granted the inter-
view in his unofficial capacity and not
as president OF the Spanish court of
inquiry, which the law forbids him
to do.