El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-03-22


NEW YORK, March 22.-1n an extra
edition this morning the New York
Sun prints the follow ing version of the
board of iuq uiry report as telegraphed
from Key West:
cipline maintained by Captain Sigsbe g
on board the Maize at all times was of
the highest character.
1T will note that a full compleme u t
of guards and look outs were maintained
and that the men fully did their duty.
and that no precau,ion was ommit-
ted.
1T will say that the ammunition
magazice- were found To be in perfect
order. ans; thai it looked as if at the
hour provided for in the regu ations
the ke Us 10 the magazines were de-
livered 10 Captain Sigsbee on the right
of the disaster.
SIT will find that the coal bunkers
had been examined during the after
noon preceding the night of the disas-
ter: and, in short, will-stete t. at at 9
o'clock on the night of the disaster
that the ship and crew without an ex-
cep.ion were in perfect order.
"FOllOwing the above report will
relate briefly the facts Regarding the
explosion. Then will come a resume
of the testimony regarding the condi
tion of the ship after the explosion, as
di scovered by the expert divers who
exau ined tie shattered hull. The
Maine officers will be relieved of all
responsibility.
''The opioion of the board will then
be given as TO the cause of the disas-
ter. It will say it was an external
agency. However, many guesses are
being made as to what the board will
say on this matter, but no one knows
except the ms mbers of TIE board,
chief of staff and Admiral Scard."
The ST. Louis Republic which arriv-
today says:
1t has been ascersaiued that the court
OF inquiry was divided in its OPT ion
the first work of Investigation COM
menced. Captain Chadwick was under
the impression eat the Maine was
blown up by accident, and it was not
Until after several We eks of hard work
on the part of the divers and experts
that he was convinced of the contrary.
First of all be insisted that the elk
and teE-in:h powder magazine had ex-
ploded, but the divers went down and
brought up the powde-.
The court took up the theory that
the explosion was caused by the heat
ing of the coal. The divers found th at
the coal was in pc RECT shape.
Finally, the theory that the boilers
exploded was advanced but the
divers proved this to be false.
At this time came the discovery of
Epsign Powell He found the Maine S
keel aud bottom plates on the upper
decks and pro iucsd them as absolute
proof that nothing but au underblow
could have caused the disaster. This
was accepted by the court as fiuality,
and since that time it's efforts have
been devoted to discovering the cause
of the explosion.
The hole found in the keel of the
vessel was just under the forward coal
bunkers and the six-inch powder ma
gazine. The explosion was of such
force that it tore out the port side for.
ward, mencing at the boi er rooms
extending diagonally to the deck, from
that diagonally to the deck
almost under the bridge and then
backward and downward through the
aft end of the six iuch magazine.
Ap immense break also was TO nd in
the vessel le aiding from the eek nearly
directly under the military mast, back
ward through the compartment Just
aft of the six inch mGgaz,re. The
force of the explosion was SO terr tiG
that it is clear that noting but sub
marine mire could have produced it
The court also will report that the ar
NOR piercing shells were found intact
Its last work was .hs examination O
the wood work of h. vessel, it's powder
taoks and It's ehellroom. Having re
ceived reports from divers on these
>ubjects the court returned to Kel
West, where is has been preparing it,
report for the last few days and from
whi h point an abst a It, it is under
st cd, has been forwarded for Wash
ibgtcn.
The report will further deal with
be terrible condition of affairs al
found in the sunken wreck. This d 8
criptiou will be the most harro yVin g
ever prese ted by naval court O.
American officers to the Ame icar
navy department. Outside thu loss o.
life the picture drawn is one of appal
ling destruction.
None but rugged American divers
have been aole to work taeir way