The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-25
PROVEN.
New York Herald Has Advices
Which State
There is No Longer Any Reason
to Doubt
That the Explosion That
) Wrecked the Maine
IN HARBOR OFHAVANA
Came From Underneath the
Vessels Bow.
Ensign POwellsOn of the Fern
Makes the Discovery.
None of the Large Magazines
Exploded at All.
THE MAINE HAS SUNK
Eight Feet in the Soft Mud Of
the HarbOr.
THE MAINE HAS SUNK
Eight Feet in the Soft Mud Of
the HarbOr.

New York. Feb. 25.-A dispatch to the
Herald from Havana, says: There is
no longer any reason to doubt that the
explosion which wrecked the Maine
came from underneath the vessel, and
that her maga zines had nothing to do
with the initial explosion and played
much smaller part in the general dis
aster than was at first supposed.
The evidence that has served to con-
vince the board was obtained by Ensign
Powellson, an officer attached to the
Fern Mr. Powellson was formerly in
the construction corps and made
two years special course in the Glas-
gov school of naval architecture. He
is therefore a competent witness.
What he discovered was that the for
ward keel of the Maine with it's ribs
and plates was stove upward so far
that parts of the shattered doubled
bottom show out of the water and in
places sections of the green painted out
er hull are visible. COrrObOratiVe of
evidence given by Ensign Powellson and
of equal significance and Importance is
the result of the close examination
made by the divers. What they found
indicates that the explosion came from
a point beneath the keel. A plumb line
dropped from a point just forward of
the coming tower would have laid the
lead exactly on the spot where the ex-
plosion occurred, that hove keel and
plates and ribs almost to the surface.
The main fact force of the explosion
seems to have been eXerted on the port
side of the vessel This is consistent
with the facts hitherto ascertained.
Collectively these now indicate that
the contents of the reserve sinch mag
azine were exploded by the initial blast
and that there was no explosion in eth
er of the other two In the reserve
magazine was stored $500 pounds of
powder in copper tanks, each of which
contained 200 pounds.
Several of these tanks have been found
by the divers, all in crushed and shape
less masses 1t is important to note
that the six inch and ten inch tanks
recovered, the excelsior used for pack
ing the charges shows no injury from
flame, or gases. The powder slowed in
the six inch magazine was used for sa-
luting purposes only. The magazine it
self appears to have been utterly de-
strOyed only a few traces being left to
show the spot where it was once lOca-
ted The under part of the 1O-inch
ers- In the upper part is tightly wedg-
ed, a mass of powder cylinders too
heavy for divers to extricate, but ap-
parently containing unexploded charges
of powder. The Dow torpedo tube of
the Maine was located in the wreck. 1t
lies in the debris forward submerged
several feet under water.
The hull is now impeded in the mud
to the depth of eight feet. The divers
sink TO their arm pits in the mud and
have the greatest difficulty in prosecut-
ing their work Those engaged on the
forward part of the ship are under the
charge of gunner Charles Morgan, an
officer especially detailed from the flag
ship New York. for that purpose and
who has the reputation of being the
most efficient of his rank.
New York. Feb. 25.-A dispatch to the
Tribune from Havana, says: Patience
IS necessary on the part of the people
of the United States Maine investiga-
ton Notwithstanding VeXatiOus DELAY
real progress is being made by the div
ers- The decision regarding the cause
of the disaster ultimately rests on the
work. Captain SIMPSONS naval board
has been able to gain the fullest in
formation showing that an accident
through lack of discipline was impOssi-
Die. This branch of the inquiry brings
out, what was well understood that Of
hcers and crew of the Maine were un-
der the stricteSt discipline. because. al
though on the surface the visit of the
Maine was friendly, Captain Sigsbee
mad taken proper precautions against
hostile action.
The work of clearing out the bodies
under the hatch proceeds. The sights
there are pitiful and almost beyond the
endurance of the divers accustomed as
they are to such experiences. The con
dluOn in which the bodies are found
shows that The men sleeping in their
bunks, Eiust have been driven against
the beams overhead with terrific force
In many instances the bodies are char
red beyond the possibility of recogni-
tion.
The board has not vet directed the
examination of hull plates. While div
ers' examinations show that some OF the
smaller magazines may have exploded
the tact of the Maine 10-inch maya zines
were not exploded seems to have been
cOnclusiVely established.
The story of the finding of a 1O-inch
copper cylinder was correct. The Span
1sh authorities adhere to the story of n
fire in the ship first and the explosion
afterwards. The result of the divers
work is conclusive against that theory.
1hough their reports are carefully
guarded, it is known that what they
nave found in the interior of the wreck
mad demolished the theory of fire before
the explosion.
New York, Feb. 25.-A dispatch to the
World from Madrid says:
Admiral Tern snnref M r,.a .,t,inf ,e