Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-02-24

Magazine xplosion-Sigsbee's Request
Indicates Spontaneous Combustion.
WASHINGTON, Feb 24.-The arrival
If a mail in Washington from Key
West bringing several private letters
from naval officers lately attached to the
Maine caused a wave Of excitement to run
over the departments and the capitol,
for there were all sorts Of rumors as to
the contents of these letters, very few
Of which rumors IN point Of fact had
am sound basis The only feature so
far ~ CO be discovered of real inn
poftance a. throwing light on the cause
Of the explosion contained IN the letters
was thr statement that the two after
boilers IN the after boiler space were all
Of the eight boilers Of the Maine that
were under steam at the time Of the
explosion This fact had a negative
value, for 1t disposed at once Of the
theory that an exploding boiler had
caused the wreck. The experts all say
that by no possibility could the after
boilers explosion have wrecked the fore
part Of he Maine and left the after
part almost Unframed.
Much IN crest was shown in a dis
patch received from Admiral Sicard
giving the recommendation of Captain
Sampson Of the court of inquiry as to
the raising of the wreck The view of
tiayai officers was that Captain Samp-
son and his associates We're giving this
advice, not as a court, but as officers in
a position to speak as TO the best meth
11 cd In he
Maine. Various interpretations were
put on the question forward half com
pletely destl wed =" This was regarded
as a partial Confirmation of the theory
that the forward magazine had ex-
ploded, as that is one of the most inn
portant portions of the forward half of
the ship. At the same time it was held
by some naval authorities that the de
struction Of the forward half of the ship
did not necessarily mean that the for
ward magazine had exploded, as this
might still be intact, although a part
of the general wreckage. In the alb
sence of an explicit statement as to the
forward magazine there was DISPOSE
ton not to accept any implied statement
as to its destruction.
Evidently the president of the court
of inquiry is fearful of the effect upon
the public of Ill judged attempts to ac-
count for the destruction OF the Maine,
for he telegraphed Secretary Long,
doubtless having in mind certain publ
cations, as follows:
"HAvANA. Feb. 24.-Any reported in
terview with divers untrue. Every
precaution has been taken. Officers al
ways present.
This brief statement disposes of all
the allegations that have been made pro
and con as to the blowing up of the for
ward magazines.
The officers here are still thinking of
Captain Sigsbees request to be fur
nished with the plans of the Names
section through the magazines and coal
bunker pockets. The reference to the
latter is particularly interesting, and
leads to a desire to be informed on the
exact quantity and quality of the coal
supply at the time Of the explosion.
1t is said that these pocket bunkers
are rarely emptied, being designed as
much for the protection of the ship
against gunshots as for capacity to hold
coal. One expert said that these bunk
ers, III his experience, have not been
emptied in months. All of this has to
do with the spontaneous combustion
theory, as the bunkerS are above the
magazines and might have set off even
the safe brown powder if the latter
We're exposed to a degree of heat above
600 degrees for some time.
Tho request besides may show that
Captain oigsbee is not yet satisfied as to
the cause Of the explosion, notwith-
standing the expressions that have been
attributed to him by unauthorized per-
sons.
One of the private letters received
here. in speaking of the disaster, says
it was all over in five minutes. The
writer was ashore and heard the noise.
He hastily took boat and started for
the Maine, arriving there in about 25
minutes. Then all was quiet and
smooth, and in fact, as he said, in five
minutes after the blast the Maine was
in about her present condition.
INCREASING THE SQUADRON