The Topeka state journal., 1898-03-29

berthed in the man-of-war anchorage
off the Machina, and according to his
understanding at one Of the regular
buOys of the place.
He then stated that he had been in
Havana in 1872 and again in 1898.
He could not state whether the Maine
was placed in the usual berth for men
Of-war, but said that he had heard re-
marks since the explosion, using Cap
tam stevens, temporarily in command
OF the Ward line steamer City OF
Washington as authority for the state
ment that he had never known in all
his experience with covered visits to
Havana for five or six years, a man-Of-
war to be anchored at that buoy; that
he had rarely known merchant vessels
to be anchored there and that it was
the least used buoy in the harbOr. In
describing the surroundings when first
mOOred to this buoy Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man-of-war
AIphonsO XII was mOOred in position
now occupied by the Fern, about 25O
yards to the nOrthward and westward
of the Maine. The German ship Grie-
senau was anchored at the berth now
LIE Gaspe which is about 400 yards
about due north from the Maine. He
then located the German man-of-War
Charlotte which came into the harbor
a day or two later which was anchored
to the southwark of the Names berth
about four or five hundred yards.
In describins the surroundings at the
time of the explosion, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the night was calm and
still. The AlphOnsO XII was at the
same berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat LIE Gaspe had come out the day be-
fore and taken the berth occupied by
the German man of war, the Griesenau,
which had left. The steamer City of
Washington was anchored about two
hundred yards to the south and east of
the Names stern slightly on the port
quarter.
The Maine coaled at Key West, tax
ing on ABOUT $50 tons, the coal being
regularly inspected and taken from the
government coal pile. This coal was
placed generally in the forward bunkers
No report was received from the chief
engineer that any coal had been too
long in the bunkers and that the fire
alarms in the bunkers were sensitive
In so far as the regulations regarding
inflamma bles and paints on board Cap
tain Sigsbee testified that the regula-
t1OnS were strictly carried out in regard
to storage and that the waste also was
subject to the same careful disposition
AS to the situation of the paint ROOM
he fixed it as in the ''eyes of the Ship
just below the berth deck, the extreme
forward compartment. AS for the dis
position of infiammabIes, they were
slowed in chests, according to the regu-
1atiOnS, and when infiammab bles were in
excess of chest capacity, they were al
lowed to be kept in the bath room of
the admirals cabin.
Regarding the electric plant of the
Maine, Capt. Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding, nor sudden
haring up of lights before the explosion,
but sudden and total collapse. AS for
regulations affecting the taking of tenn
perature of the magazines, etc, Captain
Sigsbee said there We're no special regu-
latiOns other than the usual regulations
required by the department. He ex-
amined the temperature himself and
cOnVerSed with the ordnance officer as
to the various temperatures and the
contents of the magazines and accord
fr,cr TO of HE
well as Sigsbee, the temperatures were
never at the danger point. I do not
think there was any laXity in this direc-
tiOn," said the captain in reply to
question of Judge Advocate Mark.
He had no recollection of any work
going on in the magazine or shell rooms
on the day of the explosion. The keys
were called for in the usual way on the
day in question and were properly re-
turned. At the time of the disaster the
two after boilers in the after fire room
were in use because the hydraulic sys-
tenn was somewhat leaky. Speaking
generally of his relations with the Span
ish authorities, Capt. Sigsbee stated
that with the officials they were out
wardly cordial. The members of the
council of the government
however, seem to have brought to the
of the navy department the
fact that he did not visit them and that
fact brought embarrassment to the
at Washington He took
was unknown etiquette to call on the
civil members of the colonial govern
ment other than the governor. without
waiting for such an order Captain
Sipsbee made a visit afterwards, and
he states was pleasantly received and
his visit promptly returned by certain
members of the council.
Later a party of ladies and gentlemen
called and the president OF the councll
made a speech which Captain Sigsbee
could not understand, but which was
to him, to which he replied
My reply said Captain Sigsbee was
afterwards printed in a least two pt 0erS
in Havana, but the terms made me 1t;vor
autonomistic government IN the lsianu.
am informed that the auton0mlStc gov
eminent at Havana is unpopular among a
large class of Spanish and Cuban resi-
5Ubetber nv apparent interference in the
political concerns of the lSlanu nau any
When asked whether there was any
of animOS1ty by the people,
Captain Sigsbee said that there never was
On shore as he was informed, put Ihere
was afoat. He then related that on the
first Sunday after the Names arrival a
ferryboat crowded denseiy with peopl9;
1iyii and military, returning from bun
fight in Regla, passed the NAME ana
about forty people on board lndulge3 III
vells. whistles and derisive calls Dur
ing the stay in Havana, Captain SlgSpee
roOk more than ordinary precautions Tor
-be rrotectiOn of the Maine by placing
sentries on the forecastle ana poop, quar-
4ntine and signal boys on the br1dgs and
a CORPORAL of the guard was especially
to look out for the port gang
way and the officer of the deck and quar-
fermaster We're especially instructed TO
look out for the starbOard gangway; a
II1arter watch was kept on deck all night;
sentries' cartridge boxes We're filled and |
their arms kept loaded. i
CONSUL GENERAL LEE.
Consul General Fitzhugh Lee appear
ad before the court on March 8. His
testimony related 20 the official form
9lities preceding the Names arrival On
January "a he received message from
The state department, saying that the
Maine would be sent to Havana on a
friendly visit to resume the regular sta
ms of naval relations between the two
,n11rtr.ies and he was Ordered to make |