The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-29
anything save an explosion on the OF
side.


timony related 10 the official formalities
preceding the Names arrival On Jan
uary 24th he received message from lhe
State Department. saying that the Maine
would be sent on a friendly WISH 10 re-
sumo the regular status OF na'a Ieia-
lions between the two countries anu ne
was ordered to make arrangements AT tho
place for the interchange OF onhGlai cour-
teses. After visit he sent the fresidehl
the following message:
'The authorities pretend TO believe that
the United States had Interior mouNe III
sending the ship. Say 1t will obstruct au-
tonomy and produce excitement. and most
probably a demonstration; ask that
not be done till they can get instructions
from Madrid. Say that II for friendly pur-
pose as claimed. delay IS unimportant'
II was too late, however; the Name
had already sailed. She arrived next Jay
and Lee reported her arrival to the state
Department. 1900
sIGSBEE'S TESTIMONY.
A mass OF testimony Is suphll'su -
show the care exercised on poa.u lne
shin by Captain Sigsbee and his oihcers'
and the apparent impossibiity Of the ac-
cidcnt occurring by any interndl 0auS
such as the heating Of ths bunhefs' spoh-
taneous combustion. or from other causes
rpon which so many theories have Deen
based The testimony or captain Sisa-
bee Is Of the greatest impoItanc ~. slln
perhaps is OF more general lnteicS1 'iia"
that Of any other man called before the
board.
With great care and minuteness ne
gives account Of the management OF the
ship. how she was handled, and what
was done from day TO uay on
board. how she sailed into havana, hsr
anchorage and what he knew ABOUT H.
and, in fact, every point upon "hicn inc
government and the country desires 70 De
informed Nothing I'm Captain Sigsbee's
testimony shows that the anchordse was
changed or that II was considered dan
gerous by any one.
ENSIGN POWELSON.
Second 10 the importance OF the tesu-
mony of Captain Sigsbee Is that OF I'm
sign Powelson, who had charge OF the
divers and knew from day 10
day what these divers round
His testimony was. 10 certain
extent. technical, bearing upon the
construction Of the ship, her plates,
etc. but It was from these plates ana
this technical knowledge that ne was
able TO disclose that the explosion TOOK
place from the outside.
The divers-Morgan. Olsen ana smith
all contributed important evidence. lhey
testified that the plates were bent IN
ward on the bottom port side ana out
ward on the starboard side.
The story of the explosion IS told by
different witnesses and adds little TO
what Captain Sigsbee and Commander
Wainwright related.
Nothing in the testimony fixes the re-
sponsibility. no conspiracy is apparent
no knowledge Of the planting OF the mlle
is shown.
A witness. whose name is suppressed,
tells OF overhearinga conversation among
Spanish officers and citizen indicating
a foreknowledge Of the destruction Of the
Maine by intention 20 blow her up.
An official of the American consulate
tells Of information received anonymously
tending 10 show that a conspiracy eX-
listed. But nothing is definitely stated
which fixes any responsibility upon Spain
or her subjects.
THE BUOY RARELY USED.
Captain Sigsbee started his testimony
by describing the arrival Of the Maine
in Havana harbor and her anchoring TO
what he understood to be one of the reg
ular buoys Of the place. He could not
state whether the Maine was placed in
the usual berth for men-of-war. but said
that he had heard remarks since the ex-
plosion. using Captain Stevens tempo
rarily in command Of the Ward Line
Steamer City Of Washington. as authority
for the statement. that he had never
known in all his experience which cover
ed visits to Havana for five or six years
man-of-war 10 be anchored at that
| buoy: that he had rarely known mer-
chant vessels to be anchored there and
that II was the least used buoy
in the harbor.
In describing the position at the time
o the explosion, Captain Sigsbee declared
lm kfr.h. h. IA
berth about 80 yards 10 the nOrthward
and westward of the Maine. The Maine
coaled at Key West taking on about $50
tons the coal being regularly inspected
and taken from the government coal pile.
THEORIES EXPLODED.
No report was received from the chief
engineer that any coal had been too long
i'm the bunkers and that the fire alarms
I'm the bunkers were sentative In so
far as the regulations regarding iniam-
mables and paints on board. Captain Sigs-
bee testified that the regulations were
strictly carried ont I'm regard to stowage.
and that the waste also was subject 10
the same careful disposition Regarding
the electric plant OF the Maine. Captain
Sgsbee stated that there was no serious
grounding nor sudden naring up OF the
lights before the explosion, but "A sudden
| and total eclipse. Captain Sigsbee said
he examined tho temperature OF the mag
azines himself and conversed with the
ordnance officer as TO the various tenn
peratures and the contents OF the maya
zines and according 20 the opinion Of this
officer as well as Captain Sigsbee. the
temperatures were never at the danger
point.
AT the time Of the disaster the two after
boilers in the after fire-room were in use
because the hydraulic system was Leak
ing.
RELATIONS WITH SPANIARDS.
Speaking generally Of his relations with
the Spanish authorities. Captain Sigsbee
stated that with the officials they were
outwardly cordial
When asked whether there was any
demonstration Of animosity by people
ahoat, Captain Sigsbee said that there
never was on shore, as he was informed
but there was afioat. He then related
that on the first Sunday after the Names
arrival a ferry-boat. crowded densely
with people, civil and military. returning
from bull fight In Regla, passed the
Maine, and about forty people on board
INDUCED in yells. whistles and derisive
calls. During the stay in Havana Cap
tain Slgsbee took more than ordinary
precaution for the protection OF the
Maine.
The Maine at the time was heading APP
proximately northwest. He was writing
at his port cabin table at the time Of the
explosion, and was dressed.
HIS EXPERIENCE.
He then went INTO description OF the
explosion when he felt the crash He
characterized it as a bursting. rending
and crashing sound or roar of immense