The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-18

secretary Long said that there is 10
such thing as percussion hole: that
there is no eight inch torpedo and there
rs anothsr way in which such q hole
could be accounted for 1T is Cf course
possible that Il shell exploded inside
the ship had pierced Il hole OF that kind
III the outer skim but that would he
readily revealed by the character OF
the angle, and watcher or not the skin
WAS 'bulged in or out around the punc-
lure. 1T is !nore likely if there is any
nole at all Of the kind that it IS simply
the outle't of ole of the numerous p.pc.,
from the inside of the Maine
secretary Long positively denies that
captain Sigsbec has in any suppressed
teieSFam expressed itha opinion that Il
torpedo caused the disaster or that it
came from an external cause. The
captain said on the contrary that he
coulu NOT venture to express an opinion
me Key West bulletin regarding the
,hdins of a hole In the bottom plate of
the Maine and referring 10 the work of
u torpedo was sent to the White House
oy the Associl.el Press and va. shown
TO President Mckinley. lI:s; ONLY com
ment was that 1t was the firgs he had
heard of it. The President does not
wish to make any s'atcmcn, concerning
reports that come regarding the disas-
ler but he permitted the fact to be
known that the administration had no
WsS! Vay'sGS rsn6rr tending to eon'1 the Key
COURT OF INQUIRY.
The Navy Department reviewed dis
patch this morning from Admiral ST.
card. in command Of Inc North Atlantic
squadron, giving the detail of the court
OF inquiry to investigate the Maine dis
asrer as follows:
Sp mi
court; Captain Chadwick Lieut. t-Com-
mander Schroeder, Liept.- -Commandcr
Mark
Captain Sampson. president Of the
court, Is commander rf the battle shin
Iowa. now AT the Tortugas; Cantain
Chadwick ia commander Of the New
York. At Key West: Lieut.. Commando
Schroeder is executive officer of the
battle ship Massachusetts, now at tie
Tortugas; Lieut. Commander Mark is;
executive officer Of the Vermont. lie
was formcly with the Maine as execu-
tive officer before the death of Lieut.
Commander Wainwright, who relieved
him.
Admiral Sicard's board has ample
authority to make the most searching
investigation into the cause OF the dis
aster..
The Fern and Mangrove are reported
~ ! ~ 81 & havana lii:SI evening. Inc
former is provided with diving appar-
aius and, as every war ships company
includes at least several expert diMcrs.
there viii be no lack of men To IN lie
the necessary search. These men can
De depended upon to report ,he exact
facts. They. however, will be subject
10 orders of the court of inquiry in
every plr:iculag, ana as they are famil
iar with the bottom OF Il war snip Of
lao, l., =.
likely 10 be led into the mistake OF sup
posing the outlei hole or pipe from the
interior TO be torpedo hole
ii is believed that under the most
favorable circumstances this investiga
ton cannot he made 70: several days
Licut.-Commandcr Marix who will
be member Of the court Of inquiry.
lert Washington At II O'clock to-day
by train FOR Key West ant he is sup
posed ~ be assigned To duty as Judge
advo"atc of the board. Probaa.y the
board will be conveyed from Key West
by Tile Ol!vette or one Of the light
house tenders. as il IS again stated to-
day that the Navy Department has no
in!eHi!on of sending another man-of-
war 10 Havana mmedia;ciy. General
fear is expressed by the older officers OF
he Navy Department shat the des;ruc-
tion Of the Maine has been SO complete
AZ least in the forward part OF the yes
sci. where the explosion is supposed 10
have occurred. that it would be per-
hapa impossible TO find sufficient cVi-
dcnra in the wreck of the hull 10 be
able TO declare with certainty the cause
of the disIster
COAL BUNKER THEORY.
1T may be said, however. that moth
ing has Vet DEVELOPED In the news
from Havana as 10 the appearance OF
| the wreck or in the conflicting stories
Of the survivors 10 change the opinion
| OF the majority OF the officers stationed
in the Navy Department. that the
Maine sunk as the result Ct an inter
nal explosion. As - the origin of this
exposition there is still wide differ
cncc of opinion but the coal bunker
theory to-day finds very many more
strong supporters than any other
theory. This theory Is based on the
snpposition tlat spontaneous combus-
tion in one Of the hunkcrS. which in
Inc Maine are separated from the
magazine forward by II single thin par
ti;!on OF iron. igrited the magazine ana
caused the destruction or the vessel
Proofs of similar fires on other vessels
Of the navy arr being produced in pro-
fusion nj the Navy Department; today.
Cantain Royal Bradford today pro-
duced the quarterly report required by
regulations TO show exactly the state
Of the MaiMc's coal supply and the
quality Of ;he coal. All the END 0f d.
ccmheT the vessel had hfty-twN tons
Of coal only III her bunknrs This was
made up Of Pocahoutas ana New river
coal. Captain Bradford said that
PocahontuS Is the standard naval coal
and is rated al 100. New river follows
next ana is set down at 90 per cent
These are i-bituminous Goals Of a
closely ~ \, I'm iat pf 81,