The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-24
WHAT SUNK THE MAINE
Further Proof That 1t Was An Out
side Explosion.
SPANISH HULKS VIEWED
EFFECT OF THE EXPLOSION OF
MAGAZINES.
Conditions Entirely Different From
Those On the Maine-The Record
of Damage Also Proves the Skill
of American Gunners-How the
Cruisers Were Riddled.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
Off Santiago de Cuba, July 12.-''Any
doubt that may have existed that the
Maine was blown up by an outside ex-
plosion has been dissolved by the ex-
ships" said a member of the board of
survey that examined the remnants of
Admiral Cervera's fleet.
"Of four ships examined, three had
been blown up by their magazines" he
continued, and of these one had every
magazine exploded and a torpedo in
addition, yet on none of them was there
the same effect as that produced by
the explosion on the Maine. There was
no upheaval of the keel and little bulg-
ing of the plates, except in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the explosion The ef-
feet was nearly altogether upward in
some cases the protective deck being
lifted, but outside of the springing of a
few plates the hulls were intact"
The examination of the wrecks of the
Spanish ships, three of which We're
burned, and all their magazines ex-
ploded, was made first, for the purpose
of ascertaining the effect of American
gunnery, and, secondly, to find the eff
feet of internal explosion. Both sub
jectS bore upon the Maine incident, as
noted above, and the awful effect of
well aimed shots was demonstrated in
the rapid sinking of the fleet. When it
is remembered that the Almirante
Oquendo and the Infanta Maria Teresa
were both sunk within 40 minutes of
the time they left the entrance of San
tiago harbor, the work of American
gunners may well be considered as re-
markable. The Almirante Oquendo was
struck over SO times, and the Infanta
I-,,N - n.-r
projectiles.
RECORD OF DAMAGE.
The record of damage to these ships
is one of great interest. The fight
started at a range of 5000 yards, or
three miles. AT 1900 yards or $500
yards, two torpedo boats and two cruis-
ers were annihilated. The closest fight
ing was done at LOO and 1000 yards by
the Brooklyn and Vizcaya, with an
initiating effect on the Spanish ship.
But two projectiles larger than eight
inch struck a vessel, both of these,
either u or 13-inch, being put through
the Infanta Maria Teresa. The eight
inch, six-inch, ~five-inch and six-pound-
er projectiles did the bulk of the work
and were frightfully destructive.
Some idea Of the effect can be OBJ
tanned from a brief summary of the
injuries to each ship found by the ex-
aiming board. The board had upon it
such capable men as Executive officer
Rogers of the Iowa. Executive Officer
Mason of the Brooklyn, an expert on
the effect of shells on armor; Lieuten-
ant Huessler Of the Texas, who has
made some splendid Improvements in
gun firing on that ship, and Naval Con-
structor HObson of Merrimac fame,
who has a reputation for knowledge of
ship construction. Briefly these officers
found:
Cristobal Colon, battleship, first-class,
with six inches of steel for protection,
not only on the water line, but around
the siX-inch guns. This ship was hit
with large projectiles but six times, as
it kept out of range nearly the whole !
time, passing behind the other ships for
and finally making run for !
it. The hits were made by the Brook |
Ign and Oregon. One eight-inch shell 1
went into the port side of the ward |
room and left on the starboard side |
without exploding, but cleaned out /
everything in the room. A five-inch 4
hit above the armor belt, and a six /
inch struck her on the bow. None of /
the injuries was sufficient to put her /
out of action, nor as serious as those |
received by the Brooklyn, at one time /
her sole antagonist. The assertion that (
The Brooklyn was overhauling her and .
the Oregon's terrific 13-inch guns were |
getting nearer and nearer and that es- (
cape was impossible, seems to be the
correct solution of her surrender.