Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-28
RESULT of INQUIRY
Maine Disaster Investigation Indi-
Gates Ship Met Foul Play.
OFFICIAL REPORT WILL Be SLOW
Lieut.. PoweIson Makes Important
Discovery Regarding Explosion.
DIV Err IN DISC ACE

The naval court of inquiry which mas
been investigating the Maine disaster at
Havana during the past week returned to
Key West Sa urday night. The New York
IIerald's correspondent at Key West sent
the following to his paper last night:
Eager as is the waiting public for def
mite announcement of the conclusions
reached by the naval court OF inquiry into
the Maine disaster, it may as well be stated
row that the suspense which pervades the
entire country, and, indeed, the whole civil
lied world, must be endured probably for
several weeks longer.
1 have studied the situation carefully.
The President and cabinet may, perhaps, be
n ade cognizant of the courts conclusions
at a somewhat earlier date, but 1 shall be
surprised If its findings are made public
before the latter part Of March. and an
EOuncement may be delayed even later
Today marks the end OF the first week
sessions of the court.
Precautions for Secrecy.
Never IN the history of similar proceed
irgs have such precautions been taken to
guard the facts from public scrutiny. Never
have officers of either arm of the service
remained more consistently reticent under
the orders Of their chief. Nevertheless, I
have passed many hours aboard the Man
grove during the week, and am In a posi-
ton to give an accurate synopsis OF the sit
uatfon as 1t Is today.
The first and most obvious conclusion is
that already stated namely, that the
courts report must not be expected soon
The second and most important conclusion
one which many conservative observers
have reached ere now, is that at the end OF
the first weeks work the probability is
more remote than ever that the court can
ever attribute the Maine disaster to acci-
dental and interior causes.
Result of Weeks Work.
This weeks work, 1t seems to me, has
hardly been one that makes for peace. Just
in proportion as that fact has become plain
er in the light of testimony taken, the evil
dent purpose Of the court of inquiry to
make haste slowly has forced itself upon
those who watch its course. Had 1t been
possible early in the investigation, with
reasonable certainty, to say that the Maine
calamity was a misfortune only and not
crime. the continued suppression of that
conclusion would. have served the interests
neither of the United States ror OF Spain
On the contrary had the facts tended to
show an accidental 2origin of the explosion,
all peace-lovine, sober-minded people would
have rejoiced TO see even partially lifted
the dark cloud that now menaces both ma
tons and the conservative press OF Amer
lea would have welcomed an opportunity
to relax the dangerous tension that now
prevails. 0 'A-
1t was in t11elhope of some such early as
surance that the Herald's correspondent
watched the first weeks proceedings Of the
court. That hope has almost vanished The
testimony thus far adduced points over
whelmingly to an opposite conclusion. That
is why the government is me wing so DELHI
erately. The Navy Department needs the
time. and will make good use of it.
: PowelsOn's Important Evidence.
Undoubtedlyd he most important evidence
yet taken is that of Ensign Powelson, the
grave purport of which; was carefully out
lined in Fridays Herald. Mr.. Powelson
is one of the most accomplished Of the
younger officers Of the navy, especially in
the art of naval construction to which he
has given years of faithful study. His
views even a theorist would have great
weight with the naval court, in the per-
sonnet of which, curiously enough, there
is not single officer who is really emf
nent in that branch Of naval work.
But in Ensign Powelson's evidence the
naval court is confronted by a condition
and not a theory-a condition SO clearly
demonstrated by him as to all but carry
conviction His exploit An discovering this
green painted plates from the very bottom
of the Maine, at point in the wreckage
which indicates they were forced upward
from their normal position to height of
something more than twenty feet, has been
the sensation of the week, coupled with the
of the other wreckage from the ships inte-
rior, these plates were not only heaved up
ward by some titanic force exerted from
below, but also distinctly in q direction
| from port to starboard.
This fact points undoubtedly to an eXplo-
sive force directed, primarily at least, from
the outside rather than from the inside OF
the vessel. The unparalleled unheaval of
the ships decks and superstructure is con-
sistent enough with the theory Of the
magazines explosion alone having caused
the disaster, but such explosion, of course,
would have tended to force downward
plates from the ships bottom and keelson,
and could hardly have resulted by any
freak of explosive gases in an upward
thrust capable of lodging them twenty feet
or more above their normal position In the
debris.
Grave Impression Made.
SO grave an impression was made on the
court at this discovery that not content
with the immediate personal inspection OF
wreckage, which seemed to sconfirm all
Ensign Powelson had said, the court d.
rected him to prepare at once elaborate
drawings illustrating the points made in
his evidence. These drawings Mr.. Powell
son produced yesterday when called for
DENOMINATION before the naval court, and
they will doubtless be filed with the OFF,
cial report when made to the department in
Washington.
| Nor is Ensign Powelson's testimony I'M
supported by other evidence similar in i'm
port. The further the work Of the sub
marine divers progresses the more they
| bring to light that which tends toward the
same conclusion. Both the six-inchs and
the ten-inch magazines have been entered.
and in each some most significant condi-
tons have been found.
Innings Of the magazines in places are
entirely free from evidences of fire OF ex-
| pIosion. Six-inch shells have been found in
| the magazines intact. Everywhere is abun-
| dant evidence ri a terrific concussion, but
there are equally plain conditions which
| naval officers regard as inconsistent with
| the theory Of the primary explosion having
| occurred in the magazine.
In both the stx-IInch and ten-inch maya
zines are found many Of the powder cylin-
ders, which, tiseagh smashed and dented by
| conclusion, have obviously not been cx-
| ploded, as the dlarFe grain brown hexag-
| onal powder contained in these cylinders
is stored in bags Which in turn are pack
ed within cyiifidefs themselves. and ordi-
| nary excelsior Hso used in the spaces be-
tween. Some .nf these bags and much Of
the excelsior has hsen found unscathed by
| fire The powder Tor the most part has
vanished, amp tcld.
/ s.amk u Cans Opened.