Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13

An American torpedo expert at Habana
gives out views strongly controverting
the statements made Friday by Captain
Peral. OF the Spanish court OF inquiry,
as 20 the cause of the Maine explosion.
BE thinks the cause was mine OF four
Newport toTpedo-station torpedoes, in the
Invention OF which, by the way. Lieu
tenant Holman. one of the officers Of the
Maine, had notable part, and says the
mine might have been planted from q
pmall boat lie thinks the mine was ex-
poded by being struck by the ship as
be swung at her moorings.
IL is reported In Habana but the story
lacks confirmation, that Captain Samo-
Jon has been advised from Washington
hat President Mckinley is ready to re-
ceiye the courts report. and that Cap
tain Sampson has replied by sending a
long cipher cablegram to the Secretary
u the Navy.
Commander Converse. of the Mont
gomery. characterizes as absolutely
false" the. report circulating in the
United States that the cruiser has been
damaged.
II is also denied by authority that Cap
tain Slgsbee is indisposed. and that Con-
sul-General Lee and DR.. Drummer the
United States sanitary officer at Ha-
bana, are on bad terms.
The court OF inquiry did little work yes
terday.
Arrangements are being made for dis
fribution OF the relief supplies sent to
1he reconcentradoes.
HABANA, via KEY WEST. FLA,
March 12.-It is impossible to secure any
thing from Habana in refutation Of Cap
tain PeraPs statement Of yesterday, re-
garding the views of the Spanish court OF
inquiry as to the Maine disaster. HOW
ever, an American officer. who is an eX-
pert. says in effect, and his words are
worthy Of weight. as he knows absolute
~ of what he is talking:
II am a graduate OF the torpedo school,
and have studied the effects Of torpedoes
or mines from observation and expert
pcnts.
"a torpedo exploded at a depth Of
feet would throw a column OF water 100
feet in the air; at IL feet deep, 10 feet in
the air, and at 30 feet deep, ii would
hardly raise a small wave. A detonater of
guncotton in the open air makes a mark
its own size in steel, or blows stone 10
fragments. In the water torpedo itself
would not be felt at any great distance.
1t requires the resistance OF a solid body.
and would be dissipated in water or mud.
This disposes of the wave theory, and
Tie affecting OF the shore or boats in the
harbor."
AS 10 the hole in the Maine. the expert
fn question make the most important
statement that the Maine drew rs to 80
feet at the time of the explosion, and had
about 10 feet Of water below her bottom
10 the surface cf the harbor mud. On
the port side, where the United States
divers are new al work, there Is at pres
ent AZ feet of water. May not this be the
hole which Peral says could not be found?
II IL Is. The hole was more than feet
deep when the explosion took place. and
has been greatly filled with mud since
Az to TIE finding of dead fish, the United
States court Of inquiry has not seen 8
solitary tish since work began on the
wreck. Tie bodies recovered from the
Maine have not been touched by fish
Some OF the fishermen in Habana testi-
fed that there we're no fish inside the
harbor, the waters being too foul fol
them. Sometimes they come. part way In
ALLEGED SPANISH DISCOVERIES.
Further, as to the alleged discoveries o
Spanish divers reported to Captain Peral
I'VE American divers have been working
on the port side Of the wreck an averag
OF seven hours each per day for nearl!
three weeks. IN a space OF 80 feet lonj
and 20 feet wide. The Spanish divers hav
never been inside the wreck at all
side, deyoting the short hours work the,
have spent under water to the starboar
side forward and outside the hull. Re
Gently, 10 their own surprise, the,
brought up two cans OF ammunition 70
the 6-inch guns. not exploded. They drop
ped them back when the light of the sur
face showed they were unexploded. an
what their nature was.
Further. the Spanish divers often &
down only long enough to wet their suits
and then come up and hide behinc
blanket on the barge, where they slee
or rest for couple Of hours. and then &
ashore and report that they cannot Sc
anything in the mud and water rhe
could not have found the ram of IN
Maine. since they have not been down 4
the locality OF that part OF the wreck
They have not located the turret with tn
pointed out by Captain Sharp, in charg
Of the wreckers. This spot is outside IN
hull on the starboard side. II Is probabl
that the turret Is there. partly buried 4
The mud. All of these facts are xnown b
the United States court OF inquir,
having been elected by those in a posl
ton 10 know.
NEWPORT TORPEDO THE CAUSE
The expert interviewed by the CORE
spondent expresses the belief that tn
Maine was blown up by what is know
as a Newport torpedo-sfation torpedo, o
something OF the same nature. This en-
glne Of destruction is the Joint production
Of the labors OF Commander Converse
commander OF the Montgomery Lieu
tenent-Commander Mclean, now in com
rand OF the torpedo station at Newport
ana Senior Lieutenant Holman. ora
nance officer OF The Maine at the time q
the explosion. The Newport torpedo ca,
be planted from small boat, and IN
expert thinks this one was exploded n,
~ being struck on the port side Of the Main
forward OF amidshos, as the Nessa
bwung AZ her moorings. He thinks thi
more likely than that wires were lai,
from the shore as the wires 81 LAID 70,
any length OF time. would have sunk deer
In Tho loose barbor mud.
~ would be singular II II should nrov,
that the Maine was blown up bv a Tor
pedo. IN the invention OF which one q,
her principal officers, Lieutenant Hol
man. bore a notable part
All OF the above statements Of fact and
suFrniaes come from an authority upor
which the court depends for much O,