Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-02-24
COURT OF INQUIRY.
Naval Authorities Take Prompt Action
Regarding Maine Explosion,
Experts Claim TO Sec Strong Grounds for
Believing the bursting of Boiler
Caused tho Wreck 3ache's
Commander Talks.

work at Havana to-day. This news
came to the navy department yester-
day morning from Adm. Sicard at Key
West. He simply telegraphed as fol-
lows; "The court of inquiry sail for
Havana goth by lighthouse steamer
Mangrove Mark arrived to-day"
This prompt action is undoubtedly due
to the express direction OF Secretary
Long to have the investigation begin
at the earliest possible moment Capt
Sigsbee was heard from late Saturday
night, but the telegram was not deliv-
cred at the navy department until yes
terday morning, His message goes to
confirm the press reports OF the events
OF Saturday in Havana harbor so far
as they relate to the exploration of the
wreck. 1t read as follows:
HAVANA, Feb 19-only most experienced
wrecling divers can do effective work on the
Maine. In the upper works can use service
divers. Did some work yesterday, but with
little success, win do better to-day. Parts
OF the Maine, especially the superstructure
and connections are one confused mass OF
metal.
The statement referring to ex-
perienced divers is explained ut the
navy department as no reflection upon
the men now engaged in the work,
they being enlisted men belonging to
the navy. 1t is the practice on board
of men-of-war to assign a few men,
always volunteers, on account of the
hazardous nature of the work. to duty
as divers, in connection with their
regular work.
The newspaper reproduction of pho
tographs taken of the wreck were
studied with much interest by the ma
val 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 particular object of attention.
The experts who had first ventured
the theory of a bursting boiler as the
cause of the destruction claim to find
strong reinforcements in the pictures
for that belief The great mass of
metal appears to be thrown up over
the boiler space and not over the for
ward magazine, while the forcing
apart of the forward body of the hull,
they say, might have been accom-
plished by the enormous expansive
power of the huge pressure steam car
ried in these boilers with their shells
more than an inch thick. As to what
caused boiler to explode; whether
6icpt1tcnd hnf,ah II, ha oAn1 1o,,, -.
or faulty construction, they do not now
undertake to say.
Secretary Long said yesterday after
noon, after looking over his tele-
graphic and mail correspondence, that
it contained nothing of Importance be-
You'd the dispatches above given. The
secretary referred with satisfaction TO
the dispatch stating that the court of
inquiry would assemble at Havana to-
day. The plan had been for the court
to meet first at Key West and, after
doing such work as was possible there,
to proceed to Havana. But Mr.. Long
thought it was desirable to have the
court proceed at once to Havana, where
the inquiry could begin on the actual
scene of disaster, and where personal
inspections would aid in an intelligent
Judgment On this account the secre-
tary sent orders for the court to pro-
coed direct to Havana and the response
of Adm. Sicard is in accordance with
these orders
Referring to Gen. Miles recent order
to Gen. Merritt, commanding the de-
partment of the east, to Immediately
detail men and officers to all coast de-
tense points where modern guns are
mounted, it was said at the war de- |
partment that, while the order was is
sued as reported, it was nothing more
than following out the plan of the war
department formulated several years |
ago when the present system of coast
defense was inaugurated.
Capt Sigsbee yesterday sent two
to the navy department on
the subject of interviews with him.
The first merely said: II have con.
sistently refrained from expressing
any opinion of the Maine disaster"
Later in the day he wired: mo news
paper divers have been used on the
wreck of the Maine. One man en-
gagged by me was subsequently bought
up by newspaper. l declined his
services. Subsequently on his being
released, 1 might have
used him in charge of an officer in re-
covering bodies, but decided not to do
30. Any interviews with me, if printed,
are untrue"
A report from Capt. Forsyth at Key
West said: "Maine survivors all in
good condition. Surgeon reports
wounded doing we'll"
THE BAcHE's COMMANDER TALKS
HAVANA, Feb. 81 Lieutenant Com
nander Barnett, of the survey boat
Bache, said to correspondent of the
Associated press yesterday:
You want the facts? 1 can tell you there are
IS chances out of 100 that the investigation will
how that the forward magazine OF the Maine
lid not blow up first. II IL exploded AZ all. and
hat 1t was not the cause OF the terrific conse-
uences that followed. The condition Of the
wreck when first studied and a later careful
crutiny make this an almost absolute GER
ainty.
Big Failure in Sc. Louis.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 21.-Charles w. Bars
ow, dealer in paints, oils, naval
L