Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-03-31

iesirous of accepting much courtesy
| This visit was during the absence of the
ca plain. He said he made every effort
10 have the Spanish officers visit the
ship, to show good will, according to thu
spirit of the Names visit TO Havana
but. with the exceptions stated, no mill
tary officer Of Spain visited socially.
Captain Sigsbee then went into detail.
regarding the precautions in force, es
tecially in relation TO quarter watches
which he said had never been rescind-
ed. One of the cutters was in the water
at the time of the accident, and one OF
the steam launches, the first, was riding
at the starboard boom. The captain
said that the night was quiet and warm
and that he remembered hearing dis
tinctly the echoes of the bugle at tattoo.
which was very pleasant Stars were
out, the sky, however, being overcast
The Maine at the time of the explosion
was heading Immediately northwest.
pointing toward the Shears. He 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 H.
characterized ii as a bursting, rending
and crashing sound or roar of immense
volume, largely metallic in its charac-
ter. 1t was succeeded by a metallic
sound. probably of falling debris, trsm-
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. but changed his course TO the pas
sage leading to the superstructure Then
he detailed the manner of meeting Pri-
vate Anthony, which is much the same as
has been published. Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright was on deck when
Captain Sigsbee emerged from the pas
sageway, and, turning TO the orderly, he
asked for the time, which was given at
$40 p. m. Sentries were ordered placed
about the ship and the forwarded maya
zine flooded If possible. He called for
perfect silence. The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
He was informed that both forward and
after magazines were under water Then
came faint cries and he saw dimly white
floating bodies in 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 the
scene. Fire amidships this time was
burning fiercely,, and the spare ammuni-
tion in the pilot house was exploding in
detail. AT this time Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright whispered to the
captain that he thought the 10-inch mag
azine forward had been thrown up into
the burning mass and migis explode at
any time. Everybody was zen 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
OF the vessel He then went on deck
and 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 a
telegram to the navy department.
Various Spanish officials came on
board, and expressed sympathy and
sorrow for the accident. The represen-
tatives of General Blanco and Of the
admiral of the station were among the
Spanish officials who rendered their re-
spects. About "a or SIS men were found
that night who survived BY the time
Captain Sigsbee reached the quarter
deck IL was his impression that an over
wheming explosion had occurred.
When he came from the cabin he was
practically blinded for a few seconds.
His only thought was for the vessel. and
he took no note of the phenomena of the
explosion. In reply to the direct ques-
ton of whether any Of the magazines
or shell rooms were blown up. the cap
tain said it was extremely difficult to
come to any conclusion. The center Of
the explosion was beneath and litts
forward of the coming tower, on the
port side. In the region of the center
axis of the explosion was the 6-inch re-
serve magazine. which contained very
little powder. about 500 pounds. The 10
inch magazine was i'm the same general
region, but on the starboard side. over
the lO-inch magazine. in the loading
room or the turret and in the adjoining
passage. number of l0-inch shells we're
placed. According TO Cap
tain Sigsbee it would be difficult TO con-
,eiVe that the explosion involved the 10
inch magazine, because of the location
Of the explosion. and that no reports
show that any 10-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.
lie said that he did not believe that the
forward 6-inch magazine blew up. Ths
oca lion of the guncotton was aft, under
the cabin. The guncotton primers and
The detonators were always kept in the
cabin. He stated that he had examined
The wreck himself. conversed with 9TH
II officers and men. but, as the Spanish
were very much averse to an
investigation. except officially, on the
as stated by the Spanish ad-
niral. that the honor of Spain was in
'olved, he forbore to examine the sub
marine portion of the wreck for the
,ause Of the explosion until the day the