The times., 1898-02-20
HER MAGAZINES INTACT
A Double Torpedo Hit the Maine
on the Port Side.
CAPT. SIGSBEE SATISFIED
The Position and Con dition of tho
Wreck Prove That She Was De-
stroyej by Spanish Treachery.
Americars in Havana Dare Not
Give UtIerance TO This Theory.

Havana Cia Key wesO Feb, 1s.-Yes-
terday Capt Sigsbee and several ofn.
GERS went out in small boats TO look al
the wreck of the Maine. They were
not allowed to get on board, for wher
Capt. Sigsbee wished TO do so the Span,
ish guards would not allow him to leave
the small boat. The .pennant is still
at the masthead, showing that the
Maine is American property. even though
wrecked and ruined
A close examination of the sunken
ship showed that the force of the eXplo-
sion was from port to starboard, The
main deck between the magazines was
lifted upward and TO starboard of the
ship. and the forward smokestack was
sent backward and TO starboard.
on the port side the electric lights
were destroyed totally; on the starboard
side they are intact. The paint on the port
side is burned and blackened; on the
starboard side it is as white as when
the vessel was last treated to new
coat and on the port side the air fun
nels leading to the berth deck. engine
and fire rooms were torn from their set
tings and cas- to starboard The en-
tire deck is supported by the braces on
the starboard side alone. those on the
port side having been destroyed and
blown 10 starboard. The vessel now in
clines to port, and this is considered by
Capt. Sigsbee as absolute verifcation of
The theory that the Maine was wrecked
by an explosion from the left side OF his
vessel Americans here, however. dare
not even hint at this Were they to do
50 their lives would not be worth an
hours notice. The deck near the for
ward powder magazine is absolutely clear
or any evidences of powder. and the mag
azines aft are known to be absolutely
intact. Had the rear magazine been ex-
ploded Capt. Sigsbee would now be ly-
ing. with his officers. at the bottom of
Havana harbor
II the explosion had originated in the
magazine forward, the deck, ventilators,
and all else would have been blown to
port. for the magazine was underneath
the big turret forward, which was well
TO starboard. Two American tars Sleep
ing in one of the Names small boats on
the starboard side and within twenty feet
of the magazine. were not hurt. Had the
magazine exploded from internal defcien-
cies they would have been blown to
atoms.
just forward Of the magazine is what
is known as the loading room. and here
were large quantities of ten-inch pro-
iectles which had been taken from the
magazine just before the vessel entered
the harbor in anticipation of trouble.
Had the magazine exploded. these pro-
jectiles would have done so also, and
would have fallen all over Havana Not
one fragment of a projectile has been
found.
The smaller magazines were immed-
lately forward of the big forward maga-
zine and one sailor was sleeping just over
them That sailor is alive and in Ha-
vana today.
Capt. Sigsbee could not help but see
that the vessel was settling faster than
would be impossible were there no hole in
her bottom.
From all that he has seen, it is safe
to assert that he is confident that the
forward magazine did not explode. Near
~ every pound Of gun cotton on board
was locked safely in the rear magazine
The first explosion, all agree came from
the center of the iIl-fated Maine. half
way between the magazines. and it is
regarded by the officers as miracle that
the gun cotton in the rear magazine did
not explode in concussion. That the ex-
plosion opened the doors of the maga-
zines WITHOUT exploding them seems mi
rscuous, but it is undoubtedly true. One
of the officers told your correspondent
that had either of the big magazines eX-
ploded it would have exploded the other
and not an atom of the vessel would have
been left within mile of where she lay
when the disaster occurred.
A double torpedo would account for the
two explosions and it is probably the
only theory that will eventually prove
true 1t is believed that another Ameri-
can warship would besin equal danger,
and the Spanish rabble has come to be-
lieve that the American Government
fears to send one.
The vultures were feasting all day yes
treday on fragments OF human beings
drifting near the wreck, and the sight
was a horrible one.
TzS E<