The San Francisco call., 1898-03-29

e Spanish people and that would 6 ss secure justice to Cuba and eff 6 6 fective protection to the great cs :. American interests in that is sS :. land. ss :. 2. s 8: s: 5: 5. 5: 5: g. 8 :: 3: 5. 3: g. 5. 8. excess of chest capacity they were allowed to be kept in the bathroom or the Admiral $ cabin.
 Captain Sigsbee stated that there was no se- riOus grounding sudden haring up of the lights before the explosion. but sudden and total eclipse. As for regulations affecting the taking of the temperature of the magazines, etc, Captain Sigsbee stated there were spe- cial regulations other than the usual regula- ined the temperature himself and conversed with the ordnance officer as to the various temperatures and the contents of the maga- zines and according to the opinion of this of never at a dangerous point
 T do not think there was any laxity in this direction,' said the captain, replying to a question of Judge-Advocate Mark. He had recollection of any work going on in the magazine or shellrooms on ,, the day of the exI plosion. The keys were called for in the usual way the day in question and were properly returned. At the time of the disaster the two after berths in the after freroom were in use because the hydraulic system was somewhat Speaking generally of the relations with the that with the officials they were outwardly cordial. The. members of the autonomistic council of the Government, however, seem to have brought to the attention of the Navy Department the fact that he did not visit them Government at Washington. He took the ground to the department that it unknown etiquette to call the civil members of the colonial Government other than the Governors. Without waiting for such an order Captain Sigsbee made a visit afterwards and, as he states, was pleasantly received, and his visit was promptly returned by certain members Of the council. party of ladies and gentlemen called and the President of the council made a speech which Captain Sigsbee could not un- derstand. but which was interpreted to him briefly. to whom he replied.
 My reply" said Captain Sigsbee was afterwards printed in at least two papers in Havana, but the terms made me favor auton- omistic Government in the island. l am in formed that the autonomistic government in Havana is unpopular among a large class of Spanish and Cuban residents I have no means of knowing whether my apparent interference in the political concerns of the island had any relation to the destruction of the Maine.
 When asked whether there was any demon stTation of animosity by people afloat, Captain Sgsbee said that there was never shore he informed. but there afoat. He Maine's arrival a ferry boat crowded densely with people civil and military, returning from about forty people on board induged in yell ing, whistng and derisive calls During the stay in Havana Captain Sigsbee took more than ordinary precautions for the protection of the Maine by placing sentries on the forecastle and poop quarantine and signal boys on the bridge
 corporal of the guard was especially in structed to look out for the port gangway and the officer of the deck and ouartermaste especially instructed to look out. for the starboard gangway; quarter watch was kept deck all night sentries' cartridge boxes were filled, their arms kept loaded, a number of raDd-hre ammunition kept in the pilot room and in the spare captains room and un- tional supplies of shells. close at hand for the second battery; steam was kept up in two boil CTS instead or one ana posiive lnstrueti1ns draulc guns and report defects.
 He said he had given orders to the master at-ar1ns and the order to keep a careful eye everybody that came on board and to care fully observe any packages that might be hed the suppostion that dynamite other high explosive might be employed, and afterward to inspect the routes these people had taken and not to lose sight of the order He states that Commander Wainwright being rather severe on visitors. There were only two three of the Spanish military officers who came board, but, according to the captain, they were constrained and not desirous of accept absence of the captain. He said he made every effort to have the Spanish officers visit spirit of the Maine's visit to Havana. but with the exceptions stated no military officers of Spain visited the ship socially.
 Captain Sigsbee then went into details re- garding the precautions in force, and espe- cially in relation to quarter watches, which, he said, had never been rescinded. One of the cutters was in the water at the time of the accident and one of the steam launches was riding at the starboard boom The cap tain said that the night quiet and warm and that he remembered hearing distinctly 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 approximately northwest, pointing toward the shears He was writing at his port cabin table at the time of the explosion and was dressed
 He then went into description of the ex- plosion when he felt the crash. He character ized it as bursting. rending and crashing sound or roar of immense volume, largely tallc in Its character. It was succeeded by a metallic sound, probably of falling debris a trembling and lurching motion of the yes sel, then an impression of subsistence at tended by an eclipse of electric lights and in- tense darkness within his cabin. He thought immediately that the Maine had been blown up and she was sinking. He hurried to the starboard cabin, but changed his course to the passage leading to the superstructure. Then he detailed the manner of meeting Private Anthony, which is much the same has been
 Lieutenant Commander Wainwright was on deck when Captain Sigsbee emerged from the pa ssa geWay. and turning to- the orderly he asked for the time which given at $40 D. n Sentries were ordered placed about the ship and the forward magazine flooded. He called for perfect silence. The surviving off, ccrs were about him at the time on the poop He was informed that both forward and after maeazines were under water Then came faint Boats were at once ordered lowered. but only two were found available, the gig and whale boat They were lowered and manned by off, cers and men, and by the captains directions they left the ship and helped to save the wounded jointly with other boats that had ar rived on the scene. Fire amidships by this time was burning fiercely and the spare am munition in the pit of the house was explod- ing.
 wright said he thought the 10-inch magazine forward had been thrown mp into the burning mass and might explode. Everybody then directed to get into the boats the stern. which done. captain getting