The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-23

boN" "
the ships company pass between these two de.
partments Of the vessel. Tho third group,
known as the after magazines, began just under
the stepping of the mainmast and extended
thence toward the stern of the ship under the
steam steering gear room.
Tho Maine was 80 feet long. Beginning,
then. at her bow and going aft flfty.four feet,
one comes to the first of these store rooms for
explosives and projectiles. This room was twenty
feet wide. across the ship, and ran twelve feet foro
andsaft, with a seven foot ceiling. In this was
kept ammunition for the six-inch guns. On
the starboard side were slowed tho shells, and
on tho port side the powder for these guns. Aft
Of this room was another Of the same dimen-
sions. This was the storeroom for ammuni-
ton for the SIX FOUNDER and one-pounder Hotch-
kiss rapid-lre guns. The spare space in tho
bows on either side of these two rooms was
used for ordinary storage and not for coal. Tho
Two magazine rooms were also just forward Of
the. part OF the ship provided with a double
bottom. and to mako up for this and to insure
dryness and greater safety from outside causes,
floor. caulked wstertight, which was four or
five feet above the bottom of the ship.
bacE OF the hotchkiss gun magazine, was the
walls Of this were twenty eight feet long
ethwertship and twenty.four feet fore and at.
but this magazine was sub-divided into three
keel. The hr9t OF these partitions was directly
oNOI thc ACctt II luO bLHTDOhTQ nAlI OF tho
room thus cut off was lott as ono room. In this
was. stored powder for the ten-inch guns. Tho
port half of tho compartment was divided into
halves by a second partition. In the half fur
thest to port. another lot of shells and DO wder
for the siI-inch guns was stored. while the com.
ment ,treating'of. the three rooms combined-
double bottomed part of The ship.
Beginning at It's forward end on either side
and separating Il from tho .skin of the ship
IN from each of these bunkers and partly ACROSS
the end Of the magazine were two square coal
fore tho coal:in the bunkers coHld:be gpt at. but
Mr.. bowles says that,ss the Maine had q tenden-
cy TO- &c down BY the head. II was the custom to
magazine among the first. The end of this mag.
azi,ne is lo2 fcet aft Of the ships bow and a third
OF her wholelength back. Here begin the boiler
rooms and tho coal pockets mentioned open Into
the first of these. There are two boiler rooms
each forty.four feet long. with coal bunkers Dor
Now we come to the midship magazine. This
Is an exact duplicate Of the last one described,
feet wide across the ship and eight feet deep.
Il rests on the double bottom and is divided IN
IN this case tho arrangement is reversed On
me port SIDE Is the big room used for powder
noxt.and the room to starboard wS Sne FOR r0 sbell -
and ammunition for tho 0-inch guns. Coal
pockets similar to those at the aft corners OF
the other big magazine stood at the forward
corners OF this room, and these connected with
the last of the coal bunkers. which ran between
the sides of this room and the skin Of tho ship.
The after end OF this magazine formed the far.
ward partition Of the engine room. and a mar
row passaEeway through the centre of the mag
azlne connected the engine and boiler rooms.
The engine room. thirty six feet long, SOP.
arated the midship magazine from the after
first OF these next to the engine room was only
about nvc or SIX feet square,; In this was kept
gun cotton and torpedoes. .Inclosing this room
magazine for small arms ammunition. Back
OF this again was q room fourteen feet long and
other lot Of shells and powder for the 6inch
guns. With allowances for partitions, this
brin s. the after end of the last magazine within
The manner IN which the shells and ammuni-
ton are carried IL interesting. The shells are
rolling sideways by wooden cnocks nailed to
strips of iron. which are laid between the rows. |
The powder Is all put up at first in long cotton
intended for. and then each Of these full bags is
placed In a round copper can and sealed up air.
OF preserves. Copper cans are used because
they VIII not make sparks when they are
one Of the Dispatches which it is said were
received at tho Navy Department In Washing.
ton from Capt. sigsbee yesterday called for the
through the forward teninch magazine and
ffsi. T r9G% ns sahoT X. bt sss Ro9iSs s yS SSol G3onLsrS:
OF a guess that the c SSss OF y t naS siI %SI ' ionEins
up the possibility OF q bomb In the buniers.
Ono OF the moro rational differences as to what |
line OF Inquiry that would suggest ITSELF TO
those ~ who sSo are eGgnizant Of the danger there
Are room and the forward 1aEnzinei TbbIIs ana In
tTHtsfyisw printed IN ThE sun last Sunday.
Maine; His belief 8 to the cause Of the dc.
p Strf tie coal q f SSat na,n sd Ea I saAt he e f SsI In 9ns
had heated the Intervening bllkhead OF pari. |