The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-21
INVESTIGATION
Into the Steamer Maine Disas-
ter Begins at Havana.
ONLY EXPERIENCED DIVERS
Can Grope Their Way Through the
Internal Parts.
THINKITWASABURSTING BOILER

Naval Experts aG Washington Who
Have Examined Photographs of tho
Wreck Claim to Find Strong Evil
dence Of Boiler EzplosIon-The Span
fsh Battleship vizcnya Formally
Welcomed to New York IIarbor.
Washington, Feb. 81. - The naval
court of inquiry appointed to investi-
gate the Maine disaster begins its work
ut Havana today. This news came to
the navy department yesterday from
Admiral Sicard, at Key West. This
prompt action Is undoubtedly due to
the express direction Of Secretary Long
to have the investigation begun at the
earliest possible moment By an error
incident to the haste with which the
orders were gotten out the first ac-
counts placed Lieutenant Commander
Seaton Schroeder on the board as the
third member while as matter of fact
Lieutenant Commander Potter, the ex-
ecutive officer Of the flagship New
York, holds that place. The board un-
doubtedly would have started previ-
Ously, but for the necessity of awaiting
tase-arrivet- at Key West from WASH
tngton Of Lieutenant Commander
Mark. naval officer well skilled in
the intricacies of marine law, who is
to be judge advocate of the court.
Captain Sigsbee was heard from late
Saturday night. but the telegram was
not delivered at the navy department
read as fullows:
"Only most experienced wrecking
divers can do effective work on the
Maine. In the upper works I can use
service divers. Did some work today,
but with little success. Will do better
tomorrow. Parts of the Maine, es-
pecially the superstructure and connec.
tions, are one confused mass Of metal"
Another brief telegram from Captain
SigsDee announces the arrival of the
coast survey steamer Bache at Ha-
vana, bringing on board all of the div
ing apparatus sent from the squadron.
The statement relative to experienced
divers Is explained at the navy depart
ment as no reflection upon the men
now engaged at work, they being en-
listed men belonging to the navy. 1t
Is the practice on board of nlen- -ofwar
to assign a few men, always volunteers,
on account Of the hazardous nature of
the work, to duty as divers, In connec-
ton with their regular work. The
scope of their work rarely carries them
deeper than 25 feet into the water. and
1t is said that for operations in deeper
water, such as would be involved in
tla I'm Of Not ipa 'c
their training has not fitted them. They
are also lacking In that kind Of skill
necessary to enable a diver to grope
his way safely through the internal
parts of mighty ship like the Maine.
torn and dismembered as che is, and
this work is highly dangerous.
1t is to meet just this emergency that
c,-rayy department is n,aiSing every
effort to nasten Tire brsf Es<Gt-Ine
work of recovery of goods perhaps
the raising of the hull by Professionals,
To that end Captain Lemly. the Judge
advocate general of the department,
was at work yesterday in his office with
representatives of wrecking companies
trying to draw up contracts for the i'm
mediate prosecution of the work. The
task has not been easy to dispose of,
owing to an apparent disposition on the
part Of at least one of the concerns to
drive hard bargain, leaving the de-
partment in the dark as to the amount
of money to be paid for their services.
But it is declared that the obstacles
have now been surmOunted. and that
the contracts can be signed today.
The companies will be paid on the
scale Of days work, with a provision
for a bonus If they succeed in raising
the vessel, thus ensuring the recovery
Of as much of the valuable equipment
as is possible, should 1t not be practi-
cable to float the Maine again. Great
difficulty is expected in recovering tho
big ten-inch turret guns, each worth
100000, owing not only to their weight.
30 tons apiece, without carriages, but to
the enormous turrets enclosing them
with 100 tons of steel.
The photographs taken of the wreck
were studied with much interest by the
naval officers here. Great surprise was
expressed at the extent of the wreck,
and the vast mass Of steel and iron
heaped In the forward part of the ship
was Il particular object of attention.
The experts who had first veDtured the
theory of bursting boiler as the cause
of the destruction claim to find strong |
reinforcement in the pictures for that |
belief. As to what caused a boiler tc
explode. whether a disguised bomb in |
the coal, low water or faulty construc-
lion they do not now undertake to say. |
When Secretary Longs attention was
called to reports that he had taken Of
fetal cognlzanCe of Captain Sobral's
criticisms of the American navy the
gecretary said that he had called the
subject to the attention of the state de-
partment, with a view to having an
Inquiry made by that branch. The par
iiculnr expression to which the secre-
tary has directed the attention OF the
E!ete department was the following. at
trhuted to Captain Sobral:
ut was the result of an explosion in
side of the ship, which took place in
one Of the forward magazines The
fact Of the matter is that the discipline
md the watch observed on the ship
We're very lax. This, as one English
newspaper the other day declared. Is
the case on American warships gener-
ally. This sort of thing has occurred
on previous occasions on American war
The secretary said that he had not
called attention to those other features
of Captain Sobrals alleged interview In
which he refers to the possibilities OF
war. and to the information he had
gained while naval attache of the Span
;sli legation. As whole Mr.. Long did
net treat the Sobral matter as pro-
fcuadly serious
|
ii Is understood that the state de-