Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-29
ALL IN ONE
DIRECTION


tain, in reply to question Of Judge Ad-
vocate Mark.
He had no recollection of any work
going ON in the magazine or shell rooms
on the day Of the explosion. The Keys
were called for in the usual way on the
day in question and were properly re-
turned. At the time Of the disaster the
two after boilers, in the after fire room,
were in use, because the hydraulic sys-
TEN was somewhat leaky.
Speaking generally Of mis- relations
with the Spanish authorities, Capt.
Sigsbee stated that the officials were
outwardly cordial. The members of the
autonomistic council Of the government,
however, seemed to have brought to the
attention of the navy department the
fact that he did not visit them, ana that
fact brought some embarrassment to the
government at Washington. He took
the ground to the department that it
was unknown etiquette to call on the
civil members of the colonial govern
ment other than the governor. With
out waiting for such an Order Capt.
Sigsbee made a visit afterward and, as
he states, was pleasantly received and
his visit promptly returned by certain
members of the council. Later party
of ladies' and gentlemen called, and the
president of the council made a speech,
which Capt. Sigsbee could not under
stand, but which was interpreted to him
briefly, to which he replied. MY reply,
said Capt Sigsbee was afterward
printed in at least two papers in Hava-
ma, but the terms made me favor au-
tonomistic government in the island.
81 am informed that the autonomistio
government in Havana is unpopular
among among large class of Spanish
and Cuban residents. I have no means
of knowing whether my apparent inter-
ference in the political concerns of the
island had any relation to the destruc-
tion of the Maine"
When asked whether there was amy
demonstration of animosity by people
afioat, Capt. Sigsbee said that there
was never on shore, as he was inform
ed, but there was afloat He then re-
lated that on the first Sunday after the
Names arrival, a ferry boat crowded
densely with people, civil and military,
returning from a bull fight in Regla,
passed the Maine and about 40 people
on board indulged in yells, whistles and
derisive calls. During the stay in Hav-
ana, Capt. SigSbee took more than ordi-
nary precaution for the protection of the
Maine by placing sentries on the fore
castle and poop, quartermaster and sig
nal boys on the bridge and on the
poop. A corporal of the guard
out for the port gangway, and the officer
of the deck and quartermaster were es-
pecially instructed to look out for the
-starboaTd gangway; a quarter watch
was kept on deck all night; sentries car
fridge boxes were filed. their arms kept
loaded, number of rounds of rapid-fire
ammunition kept in the pilot house, and
in the spare captains pantry, under the
after-superstfucture, was kept addition
nj 70 of hGl n11 OF nd fn14t bp
second battery; steam was kept up on
two boilers, instead of one, and positive
instructions We're given to watch care
fully all the hydraulic gear and report
defects. He said he had given orders
to the master-at-arms and he ordered
the sergeant to keep a careful eye on
everybody that came on board, and to
carefully observe any packages that
might be held, on the supposition that
dynamite or other high explosives might
be employed, and after to inspect the
route these people had taken, and never
to lose sight of the importance Of the
order He stated that very few people
visited the ship, Lieut-Commandel
Wainwright being rather severe on de
sultory visitors, There were only two
visits of Spanish military officers. Once
a party of five or six Spanish officers
came on board, but, according to the
captain, they We're constrained and mot
desirous of accepting. much courtesy
This visit was during the absence of the
captain He said he made every effort
to have the Spanish officers visit the
ship to show good will according TO the
spirit of the Names visit to Havana
but with the exceptions stated no mill
tary officer of Spain visited the ship
socially.
Capt. Sigsbee then went into details
regarding the precautions in force, es-
pecially 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 distinctly
the echoes of the bugle, tattoo which
were very pleasant. Stars We're out, the
sky, however, being overcast.
The Maine at the time of the eXplo-
sion was heading Immediately north
west, pointing toward the shears. The
captain was writing at the port cabin
table at the time of the explosion, and
we s.dressed. He then went into de-
scription of his experience when he felt
the crash He characterized it as a
bursting, rending and crashing sound OF
roar of immense volume, largely metal
lie in its character. 1t was succeeded
by a metallic sound, probably of falling
debris, a trembling and lurching motion
of the vessel, then an impression of sub
sidence, attended by an eclipse of elec-
tric lights and intense darkness within
the cabin. Capt. Sigsbee knew imme-
diately that the Maine had been blown
up, and that she WIS sinking. He hur-
ried to the starboard cabin ports but
changed his course to the passage lead
ing to the sul)ersstructtre. Then he
detailed the manner of meeting Private
Anthony which is much the same as
has been published. Lieut.. Com. Vain
wright was on deck when Capt Sigsbee
emerged from the passageway, and he
asked for the time, which was given as
$40 Sentries were ordered placed about
the shin, and the forward magazine
flooded if practicable. 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 Their
came faint cries, and he saw dimly
white, floating bodies in the water.
Boats were at once ordered lowered
but only. two We're found available the
gig and whale boat They were low
cred 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 thai
had arrived on the scene. Fire amid.
ships this time was burning fiercely
and the spare ammunition in the pilot
house was exploding in detail At this
time Lieut.. Com; Wainwright whispered
to the captain that he thought the ten.
inch magazine forward had been thrown
up into the burning mass, and might
explode in time.
Everybody was then directed to ge
into the boats over the stern. which was
done, the captain getting in the gig, an6
then proceeded to the City of Wash
ington where he found the wounded ir