The San Francisco call., 1898-03-29


 observed the wreck for a few minutes and gave directions to have muster taken on board the City of Washington and other yes sels and sat down in the captains cabin and dictated telegram to the Navy Department: Various Spanish officials came on board ana expressed sympathy and sorrow for the acci- dent. The representatives of General Blanco and of the admiral of the station were among the Spanish officials who rendered their sym, pathies About four or five men were found that night who survived.
 By the time Captain Sgsbee reached the quarter deck it his impression that an overwhelming explosion had occurred when blinded for a few seconds. His only thought for the vessel and he took no note Of the phenomenon of the explosion In reply to the zines shell rooms were blown up the cap tain said 1t was extremely difficult to come to any conclusion. The center of the explosion was beneath and little forward of the con- ming tower on the port side. In the region of six-inCh reserve magazine. which contained very little P0wdeg about h b 800 peund Tne peren but the starboard side. Over the ten-inch and in the adjoining passage number of ten inch shells were loaded. According to cap
 tain sgsee it w9pd be f to because of the location of the explosion and were hurled Into the air because of the ex- the location of the small ammunition. He said that he did not beleive that the forward magazine blew u~ The location of the gun cotton was aft, under the cabin The n, ,,,a gun kept in the cabin. He stated that he had eX- amined the wreck himself, conversed with authorities very much averse to an ln- vestigation except officially on the grounds as stated by the Spanish Admiralty. that the honor of Spain involved, he forDore 10 examine the submarine portion of the wreck the court convened. He said the discipline Of the ship excellent. The marine guard medical department shows that about one man and a quarter per day were on the SICK list partment the vessel was always ready and al ways responsive. He paid tribute to the lot of men he had never known board any vessel in which he had served He had no at the time of the disaster and considered their conduct admirable
 Sigsbee said that the highest temperature that he could observe was 112 but hat was in forward magazines being considerably lower. There was no loose powder kept in the mag fh through air tubes examined weekly by the chief engineer, and were connected electri- The forward coal bunker on the port side was full. The forward coal bunker the star board side was half full, and was being used
 Captain Sigsbee being recalled stated that he had detailed Lieutenant-Commander Vain neer Holman, all of the Maine, to obtain in formation in relation to any outsiders s,.o who also gave his opinion that If coal bunkers A-16 had been so hot as to be dangerous 10 the six-tnch reserve magazine, this condition would have been shown on three sides where the bunker exposed and that men con stantly nassing to and fro by It would have necessarily noticed any undue heat.
 Captain Sigsbee was recalled and examined stated that there were no high explosive gun cotton. detonators or other material in maga- hibited He testified that no heads had been placed on torpedos ninoe he had co.7nand
 ENSIGN w V. N. PowELLsoN was called the third of the court. He testified that he had been present on the Maine every day. from the arrival of the boat Fern and during great deal of the diving.
 about the conditions of the wreck he said the forward part of the ship forward of the after smokestock had been to all appearances com pIetey destroyed The coming tower lay in a position opposite the door leading to the superstructure aft and to starboard, inclined at about no degrees to the vertical. with the top of the coming tower in board. Continu- ing, he described with close detail the condi- ton under the main deck the port side. The fixtures were completely wrecked, while board side were in some cases almost intact. The port bulkhead between the main and berth deck at the coming tower support had been blown aft on both sides, but great deal more on the port than on the starboard side: The fire room hatch, immediately abatt of the coming tower had been blown in three di- rectlons, aft. to starboard and to port The protective decks and the coming tower sup ports bent in two directions. the plates on the starboard side being bent up and on the
 In reply to an inquiry whether he meant with reference to their original positions. En- sign Powellson replied afflmatvely. The beams supporting the protective deck, a few inches abaft of the armored tube, to port of midship line, was bent up to starboard of the midship line Just forward of the coming tower, un- derneath the main deck two beams .I met eta at ed from port to starboard. grating was found on the poop awning just forward of the
 The piece of side plating just abaft of the starboard turret was visible This plate was bent outward and then the forward end bent upward and folded backward upon itseIr. This plate was severed from the rest of the plating below the water line. This plating below the water line had been pushed out to starboard.
 The gratings of the engine room hatch were blown off. A composition strainer was picked ter, at point about opposite the poop capstan and about thirty feet from 1t. The chief gineer thought the trainer was from the fire mems washroom; There was not stralner plating which was referred to above. he said there were pieces of red shellacked position track two inches wide and an inch Ensign Powellson asked if the court meant for him to say anything about what the divers reported, or just what he saw.
 The judge-advocate replied that he would like to have him state any important discoveries which might lead the court to draw clusion as to the cause, and if diver gave such information to state the divers
 Before doing so the judge advocate asked witness to state if the forward and after part of the ship in line. Ensign Powellson replied that far as he could judge, they were not. The end where the explosion oc- cured seemed to be pushed from port to star board from five to ten degress he should judge, with the apex to the starboard The divers reported to witness that at point where the ten-inch shell room should be they dis covered the ten-inch shells regularly arranged, but the ship sank down so low that some of the shells were in the mud.
 Gunner Morgan reported that in walking the bottom he fell into a hole the port side and went down in the mud. He also ported, far he could judge, everything seemed to be bent upward in the vicinity of this hole. He also reported that the plates seemed to have been pushed to the star board and then bent down.
 Ensign Powcllson then said that a powder tank that he appeared to be empty tank, broken by the explosion, as 1t was not badly dented and merely ripped the length of the seam. The ten-inch tank was badly bat tered out of any conceivable shape.
 Continuing the witness said the divers, up to the night before he then on the stand, had not been the outside of the ship. The mud too deep for them to walk on the bottom.
 What is the condition of the starboard tur- ret7' witness asked.
 "ro my knowledge 1t has not been found sir" was the reply.
 He understood something had been found under the place where the turret formerly was but its exact character had not been de- termined
 About what impression Is produced ipon your mind?'' Ensign Poweson was asked
 From the ship alone, or of the appearance