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


pectally In relation to quarter WoGGnGn
which he said had never been roocon1~
I'd. One OF the cutters was IN the Wotoy
at the time OF the, accident. and ono %
the steam launches. the FIRST. was riding
at the sthrboard boom. The captAtu
said that the night was quiet and wasA-A
and that he remembered hearing dis
tincty the echoes OF the bugle at tattoo.
which was very pleasant. Stars wese
out. the sky. however, being overcast.
The Maine at the time OF the explosion
was heading Immediately northwest.
pointing toward the Shears. lie was
writing at the port cabin table at the
time OF the explosion, and was dressed.
He then went into description OF his
experience when he felt the crash. he
characterized IL as q bursting. rending
and crashing sound or roar OF immense
volume largely metallic In its charac-
ter. IL was succeeded by metallic
sound, probably of falling debris, trsrn-
bling and lurching motion Of the vessel
then an impression OF subsistence. at
tended by an eclipse OF electric lights
and intense darkness within the cabin.
He knew Immediately that the Maine had
been blown up and that she was sink
ing. He hurried to the starboard cabin
ports. bur changed his course 10 the pas
sage leading TO the superstructure. Then
he detailed the manner OF meeting Pri-
vate Anthony. which Is much the same an
has been published. Lieutenant Conn
mander Wainwright was on deck when
Captain sigsbee emerged from the pas
sagcway. and. turning TO the orderly. he
asked for the time. which was given A.
9:40 y. IN. Seriries were ordered placed
about the ship and the forwarded maga-
zine flooded if possible. He called for
perfect silence. The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
lie was informed that both forward and
after me gazines were under water Then
came faint cries and he saw dimly white
ioating bodies I'm the water. Boats were
at once ordered lowered. but only two
were found available, the gig and whale-
boat They were lowered and manned by
officers and men and by the captains
direction they left the ship and assisted
in saving the wounded Jointly with
other boats that had arrived On tne
scene. Fire amidshps this time was
burning fiercely, and the spare ammuni-
tion in the pilot house was exploding In
detail AZ this time Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright whispered 10 the
captain that he thought the l0-inch mag
axine forward had been thrown up into
the burning mass and might explode at
any time. Everybody was then directed
to get into the boats over the stern.
which was done, the captain getting in
the gig, and then proceeded to the City
of Washington. where he found the
wounded In the dining saloon being care
fully attended by the officers and crew
..f q
anL observed the wreck for few min
utes. lie gave directions to have a
muster taken on board the City Of Wash
ington and other vessels. and sat down
In the captains cabin and directed .
telegram to the navy department.
Various Spanish officials came on
board, and expressed sympathy and
sorrow for the accident The rcpresen-
tatives OF General Blanco and of the
admiral OF the station were among the
Spanish officials who rendered their re-
spects. About "a or So men were found
that night who survived. BY the time
Captain Sigsbee reached the quarter
deck 1t was his impression that anover-
whelmng explosion had occurred.
When he came from the cabin he was
practically blinded for 3saw seconds.
he took no note Of the phenomena OF the
explosion. In reply TO the direct ques-
tion Of whether any of the magazines
or shell rooms were blown up. the cap
tain said II was extremely difficult TO
come to any conclusion. The center OF
the explosion was beneath and little
forward of the coming tower, on the
port side. In the region Of the center
vi ,f hn ,,Io al ha a fxxx,t
serve magazine. which contained very
little powder. about 800 pounds. The To-
inch magazine was in the same general
region. but on the starboard side. Over
the 10-inch magazine. in the loading
room OF the turret and in the adjoining
passage. number of 10-inch shells were
permanently placed. According to Cap
tain slgsbee 1t would be difficult to con-
ceive that the explosion involved the To-
inch magazine, because Of the location
Of the explosion, and that no reports
show that any l0-inch shells were hurled
into the air because Of the explosion.
The captain went into details as TO the
location of the small arm ammunition.
He said that he did not believe that the
forward 6-inch magazine blew up. The
location OF the guncotton was aft. under
the detonators We're always kept in the
cabin. He stated that he had examined
the wreck himself, conversed with 9TH
er officers and men. but, as the Spanish
authorities We're very much averse TO an
investigation. except officially, on the
grounds, as stated by the Spanish ad-
miral, that the honor OF Spain was In
volved he forbore TO examine the sub
marine portion OF the wreck for the
cause of the explosion until the day the
court convened.
He said tat the discipline Of the ship
was excellent. The marine guard was
In excellent condition. The reports OF
the medical department show that about
enc man and a quarter per day were on
the sick list during the past year. In
the engineers department the vessel was
always ready and always responsive. He
paid tribute TO the crew and said that
q Quieter. better natured lot OF men he
had never known on board any vessel
In which he had served.
He had no fault to find with the behav-
Tor of any officer or man at the time OF
the disaster, and considered their con-