The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-29
ABSTRACT OF TESTIMONY.

Finding Was BASED.
The following are portions OF the tes-
timony:
l. Ensign w. ". N. Powelson was called
the third day of the court. He testified
that he had been present on the Maine
every day from the arrival OF the Fern,
and during great deal Of the diving.
In reply TO q question to tell the court
all about the condition OF the wreck, he
said the forward part OF the ship, for
ward OF the after smokestack, had been
TO all appearances completely destroyed.
The coming tower lay in position op-
posite the door leading to the super
structure eft and to starboard, In
clined at about ITO degrees to the verti-
cal. with the top Of the coming tower
inboard.
Continuing, he described with close
detail, the condition under the main deck
on the port side. The fixtures were com
pletely wrecked. while fixtures In the
same position on the starboard side were
In some cases almost intact. The port
bulkhead, between the main and berth
decks, at the coming tower support.
had been blown aft on both sides, but
great deal more on the port than the
starboard side. The dreroom hatch i'm
mediately abaft OF the coming tower
had been blown I'm three directions. aft.
10 starboard and to port. The protec-
tive deck under the coming tower sup
ports was bent in two directions. the
plates on the starboard side being bent
up and on the starboard side bent down.
In reply TO an inquiry as to whether
he meant with reference to their origin
al positions. = sign Powelson replied
affirmatively. The beam supporting the
protective deck. a few inches BAIT OF
the armored tube. to port OF the midship
line. was bent up TO starboard OF the
midship line. Just forward OF the con-
ming tower, underneath the main deck
two beams met at right angles; one
beam was broken and pushed from port
to starboard. grating was found on
the poop awning just forward OF the af-
ter searchlight. A piece OF the side plat
ing just abaft of the starboard turret
was visible. This plate was bent out
ward and then the forward end bent
upward and folded backward upon it.
self.
This plate was sheared from the rest
OF the plating below the water line. This
plating below the water line has been
pushed out to starboard.
|
room hatch were blown Off. A COM
pensation strainer was picked up from
the bottom on the starboard quarter at
point about opposite the poop dapstan
and about 20 feet from 1t. The chief
engineer thought the strainer was for
the hremens wash room. Ii was not a
strainer I'm the ships side.
Near the piece of outside plating TO
which witness referred above. he said
there were pieces OF red shallaced
planks. On these planks was bolted a
composition track two inches wide and
an inch thick.
Ensign Powelson then asked IL the
court meant for him to say anything
about what the divers reported or just
what he saw.
The Judge advocate replied that he
would like to have him state important
discoveries which might lead the court
to draw some conclusion as to the cause.
and II a diver gave such information to.
state the divers name. Before doing SO
the Judge advocate asked witness to
state II the forward and after part Of the
ahip We're In line Ensign Powelson re-
piled that. as far as he could judge, they
were not. The end where the explosion
occurred seemed to be pushed from port
to starboard from five to 10 degrees, he
should Judge. with the apex to the star
board. The divers reported to witness
that at the point where the 10-inch
shell room should be they discovered 10
inch shells regularly arranged, but the
ship had sunk down to much that some
OF the shells were in the mud. Gunner
Morgan reported that in walking on
bottom he fell into hole on the port
side and went down into the mud. He
also reported that, as far as he could
Judge. everything seemed to be bent up
ward In the vicinity os this hole. He
also reported that plates seemd TO have
been pushed over to starboard and bent
down.
Consul General Fitzhugh Lee ap-
peared before the court on March 8. His
testimony related to the official formali-
ties preceding the Names arrival On
Jan. "a he received a message from the
state department saying that the Maine
would be sent TO Havana on friendly
visit, TO resume the regular status Of ma
val relations between the two countries,
and he was ordered to make arrange
ments at the palace for the interchange
Of official courtesies. After call at the
palace he sent to state department q
cipher message. saying:
Authorities propose to think the Uni
ted states has ulterior purpose in seno-
Ing the ship. Say 1t will obstruct au-
tonomy, and produce excitement, Dad
most probably a demonstration. Ask
that IT not be done till they can get
Instructions from Madrid. Say that if
for friendly purposes. as claimed, delay
IA unimportAnt"
It was too late. however; the Maine
had already sailed. She arrived next
day and Lee reported her arrival to the
state department.
Captain Sigsbee. in testifying before
the court OF inquiry. which convened In
the harbor OF Havana Monday, Feb. 21,
said that he assumed command of the
Maine on April 10, 1897. and that the ship
arrived In the harbor Of Havana the
last time Jan. ~. 1888 The authorities
at Havana knew OF the Names coming,
Consul General Lee having informed the
authorities. according to Official custom.
After ne took on an official pilot, sent
~ xka IN M IL, of the porf NJ Havana