New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-18
100 Pounds Of shrapnel ana impulse powder.
,o-INCH SHELLROoM, AMIDSHIPs. COMPAKT'

- chests Of Ss-cai cartridges ball: LEO rounoS'
TO- Chests OF 6-M cartridges PAL r % 600 rounds
ii Chests Of SM cartridges blank. H." rou,eS
pp mess s 0r tanks small arm 1000 rounds
~ addition 70 the shells stored in the shell
rooms there were slowed 10-inch shells as lo'-
FORWARD 1oINcH LoADING-RooM. CON-
PARTMENT s.
Common shell fer .si iSln ,02 p islhch
FORWARD 1o-INCH PASSING ROOM.
Drill shells for 1o-inch B. L. r.
MIDSHIP lo-INCH IsOADING-ROOM' ComrANi
MENT is.
Armor-pierc!ng shell for i9-neh H. L. H.
Drill shells for lO-inch p. l.. X
N1Dsr,Ip 1o-INcn PASSING ROOM.
Is Arrnor- piercing shells for ic-inch r. l." H.
MOST DANGEROUS EXPLOSIVES AFT.
II is noticeable that the most dangerous ex-
plosives were not stored forward uhuer ''e
mems quarters. but aft. where the officers slept
and IL is evident that the guncotton IN the tor-
pedo heads. to which the explosion was al his'
attributed is still unframed in Compartments
ID. NJ.
From the statement II also appears 'ha'
while there was nothing particularly suscepu-
bic to explosion in the forward par; of the YES
sci. nevertheless thc magazines were overiui''
and that at lcas, twcnty-four 1O-inch shells ior
the bic trrrc; guns bad to he KEEP: in the load
ms and passing roors.
TO REHABiITATE THE MAINE.
Naval officers 20 n man believe The sorely Grip
ploa hattc-ship Maine can be and should be
restored to active service This SUGGESTION mi
,;a,ed to-day hy Chief Constructor Hichhorn
and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. spread rap
idly through tho Navy ard aroused enthusiastic
OFf
on duty here
II is proposition that must appeal 70 every
po.rlotic member Of Congress and awaken the
hearty arDrova, of every American The Chief
Constructor Of the Navy repels any doubt OF
the s!n,ulc prac.icahilty Of the suggestion His
thorough familiarity with every detail Of ship
building and rebuilding. his clear appreciation
OF the relative ease with which hypothetical
obstacles may he readily swept aside. and his
confident declaration that he can completely re-
hamlitate the magnificent vessel and send her
20 sea more formidable than she ever was all
within n comparatively Insignificant percentage
OF the cost OF a similar ship. has started a
movement in the naval administration which
gives every promise of speedy realization.
The stirring naval motto Don't Give Up the
Ship" has suddenly acquired a new significance,
and not voice is raised which does not depre-
cate any suggestion that the Maine is to be de.
etroyed in foreign harbor. when there Is a
reasonable possibility OF saving her for career
90 usefulness at the moment when the United
States may be most in need Of her. Her dread
ful calamity has endeared her to the Nation
as no ship OF recent years has been. and at
whatever cost OF mere money. determination
has arisen to rescue her for sentiment If MOTH
ing else.
AN ECONOMICAL PLAN.
Cold figures however. are convinclngly cited
TO demonstrate the actual economy Of the plan.
Commodore Hichborn pointed ont to-day that
the Maine cost over S50O0000 for material and
labor before she left the New-Yorls Navy Yard.
where she was built This includes her arma-
ment and equipment, which have not hitherto
been charged against her. 1t would probably
cost. he says, a like amount TO duplicate her. be-
sides consuming three years Of valuable time
The statutes permit the expenditure OF 10 per
cent Of the original cost Of old wooden naval
vessels In their repair. Legally. therefore, $500
900 is authorized II available. for repairing the
Maine. But the dictates OF ordinary common
sense must convince any one that II 10 per cent
expenditure is permissible on feeble, obsolete
wooden ships. 20 per cent would reasonably be
allowable to save splendid armored battle
ship. and within this amount Constructor Hich-
born. reinforced by all the STAFF officers of the
Navy Department will stake his reputation
that the Maine can be made not only as good
as new, but put into commission a better ship
than ever.
He says the ship Is not materially injured
abaft the boiler spaces. and If every ounce Of
metal forward of the engine compartment is
worthless. for less than 81 100000 he will under
take 10 have the ship brought to New-York and
sent to sea more formidable and powerful than
limit although. perhaps. she be placed in
commission in half that time.
VITAL PARTS OF THE SHIP UNINJURED
"a ship in sight" he says is ship to be
saved and we should he cheap lot TO break
her up. while there's a chance for her life. Ac-
cording TO Admiral Scard's telegram from Key
West to-day. he has mailed 10 the Department
photographs OF her she lies She lies in
only six fathoms and with not more than few
hundred yards separating her from shoa water
and lying she does in calm land-locked
harbor II would BE simple cowardice to aban-
don her Her vitals are known TO be intact
and they constitute nire-tenths Of her cost. Her
forward structure can be readily and cheapy
rebuilt at the NewYork Yard. where we still
have every pattern Of every plate and frame
There is only the expense Of raising her box
Ing up her damaged forward body temporarily TO
noat her. and towing her 10 New-York.
IAN her uninjured compartments may be
pumped out and sealed and these would float
her any sea She weighed ready for sea
66S2 tons. Of which $50 was coal Another
thousand tons OF stores. ammunition. guns and
similar weights can be readily removed and
II these are not enough 10 tighten her properly.
take out parts Of the engines and other
excessive loads to bring her weight within
1000 tons. Even this weight II mus. be
remembered. is not dead weight in air. for she
Is mostly submerged. 1, would be humiliating
indeed. 10 confess our inability to handle the
dlsmantled ship. have not calculated upon
the possibility Of detaching her two turrets with
their ten-inch guns. II we could remove these