Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-03-04
THE MAINE INVESTIGATION
No Information from the Board
of Inquiry.

Some of the Startling StOrtes---Weyler
Denies That Mines Were Placed In the
Harbor---MaIne'sB Back BrOken---Sec-
retary Long WIN Send Supplies to
Starving Cubans.
There have been no important develop
ments in the investigation of the Maine
disaster during the week. The divers have
devoted large part of their time to an at
tempt to recover the bodies. Twenty
bodies were removed from the wreck Sun
day. The board of inquiry arrived in Key
West Sunday and has been holding Its ses-
sion there, but will return to Havana in a
day or two. There have been several sem
satlonal reports during the week, but moth
ing definite is known of the discoveries
made by the divers.
The following statement by II. II. Kohl
saat, an intimate friend Of President Nc
Kinley, is undoubtedly authentic:
at can be stated positively that neither
the President nor Secretary Long is in pos
session of single fact or report in regard
TO the Maine disaster that they have not
made public. And while they cannot con-
firm nor deny the sensational stories daily
published throughout the country as to the
progress of the court of inquiry, they know
that none of the evidence or conclusions
of the court will be made public in advance
of the report. Every official connected
with the investigation into the cause of the
disaster TO the Maine, from Capt. Samp-
son down to the divers and linemen, is un-
der oath and secrecy. For the time being
the divers are under naval discipline.
When above water each is attended by a
petty officer of the court of inquiry. The
Maine itself is sacredly guarded from unof-
fetal approach
Several naval construction officials have
been summoned from Washington and
| other places TO give testimony before the
board of inquiry One startling story was
10 the effect that Ensign Powelson, an Off
Ger attached TO the Fern, had discovered
that the forward part Of the keel of the
Maine, with the ribs and plates, was stove
| upward SO far that parts Of the shattered
double bottom show out of water. Powell
son is one of the most thoroughly educated
men in naval construction in America. 1t
was also claimed that the 10-inch and six
inch magazines were unseated and hurled
from their places in opposite directions,
and diagonally with the line of the keel.
Another despatch said the forward boilers
were overturned and wrecked. There
was no fire under these boilers at the time
explosion seems to have been exerted
slightly on the port side of the vessel.
| While there may be some basis for some Of
these statements it is certain that they are
not direct from official sources.
a special despatch to the New York
Herald Wednesday says; THE Names
back was broken. Latest discoveries
made by divers not only support the dis
closures made by Ensign Powelson, but
convince those in charge Of the submarine
| investigation. beyond all doubt, that a mine
rent the battle ship asunder. The keel of
the ship has been found in two pieces, the
! nearest ends of which are now separated
| by q distance of from two and a half to
| three feet.
| Gen. Weyler denied emphatically Wednes-
day that he had placed any mines or torpe-
| does in the harbor of Havana His defensive
| preparations were confined TO mounting
| large calibre artillery to protect the har-
| Dor.
| The designers of the floating dock re-
Gently sent TO Havana for the Spanish
| government say the dock is perfectly capa-
| Bile of dealing with the Maine, even in the
waterlogged state it would be in when first
raised
Two Spanish divers were at work about
the wreck Wednesday. 1t is understood
they will report TO the Spanish board APP
| pointed to inquire into the cause of the
disaster
Secretary Long has decided 10 send two
naval vessels to Cuba at once, with 40 or
so tons of provisions for the relief of the
reconcentradcs. The Montgomery will
take supplies to Matanzas and the Nash
vile supplies 10 Sagua la Grande. This
action is taken at the instance of the Gu
ban relief association, organized through
the efforts of the state department for the
relief of the destitute non-combatants.
The war department has made contracts
for a million dollars worth of projectiles
for the new high powered guns mounted
on the coast Notifications.
Secretary Long said Tuesday that any
official participation by the Spanish gov
ernment in the blowing up of the Maine
was practically eliminated in his judgment
This was an expression of his individual
judgment and not an official declaration.
Senior Du Bose, Spanish charge dat
faires at Washington, said Friday night
~ wish to state of my own official knowl
edge that no mine exists inside or outside
of Havana harbor, nor is there any subma
rine defence of any kind"
The New York Mail and Express pub
lished the following from Havana: "While
of course, the members of the court will
not talk for publication, | am informed OF
the highest authority that the evidence o
Diver Morgan as to the condition of th'
Maine shows almost beyond the possibilit!
of a doubt, in the opinion of my inform
ant, that the Maine was blown up by al
outside agency. The court has decide'
against any attempt to raise the ruined bat
tie ship. The members are convinced tha
it would be useless, as she could never b'
kept ailoat."
The Vermont department of the Gran,