The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-29
EXTRACTS FROM REPORT
Capt. Sigsbee and Ensign Powelson Graph
caIy Describe Destruction of Battleship.

to the Senate to-day and with the Pres
ident's message and findings of the
court, referred to the Committee on For
eign Relations. The testimony was taken
on eighteen different days, the four
tecnth day, however, being devoted to
viewing the wreck. Every witness who
was known to have any information
that could throw light upon the great
disaster was called to give evidence.
1t is a STORY intensely interesting to
the American people. Those who read
it can have little doubt as to whether
there was an internal or external eXplO-
Sion. Perhaps the most significant tes-
timOny is that showing the bottom plates
on the port side of the ill-fated Maine
to be bent inward and upward, a re-
suit that hardly could have followed
anything save an explosion from the
outside. A mass of testimony is sub
mitted showing the care exercised on
board the ship by Captain Sigsbee and
his officers and the apparent impossible
ity of the accident occurring by any in
ternal cause, such as the heating of the
bunkers, spontaneous combustion, or
from other causes upon which so many
theories were based.
Consul General Fitzhugh Lee appear
ed before the court on March Sth. His
testimony related to the official formal
ties preceding the Names arrival. On
January oath he received a message
from the State Department. saying
that the Maine would be sent to Ha-
vana on a friendly visit to resume the
regular status of Naval relations be-
tween the two countries. and he was
ordered to make arrangements Mt the
palace for the interchange of official
cOurtesies. After call at the palace
he sent the State Department cipher
message saying: "44-lthOrities profess to
think the United States has ulterior
purpose in sending the ship. Say it will
Obstruct autonomy and produce excite
ment and most probably n demOnstra-
ton. Ask that it not be done till they
can get Instructions from Madrid. Say
that if for friendly purpose, as claimed,
delay is Unnnp0rtant."
1T was too late, however the Maine
had already sliled. She arrived next
day and Lee reported her arrival to the
State Department.
SIGSBEE'S TESTIMONY.
The testimony of Captain Sigsbee is
of the greatest Importance and perhaps
rs of more general interest than that of
any other man called before the board.
With great care and minuteness he gives
an account Of the management of the
ship, how she was handled. what was
done from day to day on board. how she
sailed into Havana, her anchorage ana
what he knew about it. and in fact
every point upon which the government
and the country desires to be informed
Nothing in Captain Sigsbee's testimony
shows that the anchorage was changed
or THAT it was considered dangerous by
any one.
Second to the Importance of the teS-
timony of Captain Sigsbee is that of
Ensign POwelson, who had charge of
the divers and knew from day to day
what these divers found.
His testimony was to a certain eX-
tent technical, bearing upon the con-
of the ship her plates, etc, but
it was from these plates. and this tech
nical knowledge, that he was able to
disclose that the explosion took place
from the outside.
The divers Morgan, Olsen and Smith |
Ill contributed important evidence. They |
testified that the plates were bent IN |
ward on the bottom port side and out |
ward on the star-board side.
The story of the explosions is told by |
lifferemt witnesses and adds little to |
what Captain Sigsbee and Commander |
Wainwright related.
Nothing in the testimony fixes re- |
sponsibility, no conspiracy Is apparent |
10 knowledge of the planting of a mine !
S shown.
RUMORS OF CONSPIRACY.
4 witness, whose name is suppressed, !
ellis of overhearing conversation
among Spanish officers and citizen in
licating foreknowledge of the destruc-
ion of the Maine by intention to blow
her up.
An official Of the American Consul
ate tells of information received anOny-,
nously tending to show that conspira-
" existed. But nothing is definitely
stated which fixes any responsibility up
IN Spain or her subjects.
Captain Sigsbec started his testimony
)y describing the arrival of The Maine
IL Havana harbor and her anchorage,
% what he understood to he one of the
'egular buoys of the place.
He could not state whether the Maine
vas placed in the usual berth for men
If war, hut said that he had heard re-
marks since the explosion. using Captain
Stevens, temporarily in command of the I
Ward Line steamer City of Washington
is authority for the statement. that he |
lad never known in all his experience, |
which covered visits to Havana for five
Dr six years. Il man of war to be all
.hOred at that buoy; that he had rarely |
known merchant vessels to be anchored |
here and that it was the least used |
Du0y in the harbOr
In describing the surroundings at the
ime of the explosion Captain Sigsbee |
stated that the Alfonso Mi was ut her
usual berth. about $50 yards to the
northward and westward of the Maine. |
The Maine coaled at Key West. TAX
ing on about $50 toms. the coal being
inspected and taken from the
government coal pile.
COAL BUNKERs ALL RlGHT.
No report was received from the Chief