The record-union., 1898-03-13

Anchored.
HAVANA (via Key West), March -.
1t is impossible to send direct from
Havana anything III reputation of Can
tain Perals statement Of yesterday re-
garding the views OF the Spanish court
of inquiry regarding the Maine disas-
ter. However, an American officer VINO
is an expert, says in effect. and his
words are worthy of all weight, as he
knows absolutely of what he is talk
ing:
Il am a graduate of the torpedo
school, and have studied the effects Of
torpedoes and mines from observation
and experiments. A torpedo exploded
at depth of six feet would throw a
column of water 100 feet into the air;
at twelve feet ten feet in the air. and
at thirty feet would hardly raise a
small wave. a detonator of gun cot
ton in the open air makes a mark of its
own size in steel or blows stone into
fragments. In the water a torpedo it
self would not be felt at any great
distance 1t requires the resistance
of a solid body, and would be dissi
pated in water or mud This dispOses
Of the wave theory, and the affecting
of shore or boats in the harbor.
As to the hole in the Maine. the ex-
pert IN question makes the most inn
portant statement that the Maine drew
twenty light to thirty feet at the time
of the explosion. and had about ten
feet of water below her bottom TO the
surface of the harbor mud. On the
port side, where the United States
divers are now at work, there is at
present forty-seven feet of water. May
not this be the hole which Captain
Peral says could not be found? If it
is the hole was more than seven feet
deep when the explosion took place,
and had greatly flied with mud since.
AS TO the finding of dead fish. the
United States court of inquiry has not
seen solitary fish since work began
on the wreck. The bodies recovered
from the Maine have not been touched
by fishes. Some of the fishermen in
Havana testified that there were no
fish inside the harbor. the waters being
too foul for them.
Further as TO the alleged discoveries
of Spanish divers reported to Captain
Peral. four American divers have been
working on the port side of the wreck
on an average Of seven hours per day
each for nearly three weeks, in a space
fifty feet long and twenty feet wide.
The Spanish divers have never been in
side the wreck at all: neither have they
ever been on the port SIDE devoting the
short hours which they have been un-
der water to the starboard and for.
ward and outside the huh. Recently
a their own S11fr,rica tbayr l,,ot,nl,+ ,,,,
two cans of ammunition for the 6-inch
guns not exploded. They dropped them
back. when the light of the surface
showed that they We're unexplcded and
what their nature was
Further. the Spanish divers often go
down only long enough to wet their
suits, and then come up and hide be-
hind a blanket on the barge. where
they sleep or rest for a couple of hours.
and then go ashore and report that thew
cannot see anything in the mud and
water. They could not have found the
ram of the Maine, since they have not
been down in the locality of that part
OF the wreck. They have not located
the turret with the 10-inch guns. though
the spot has been pointed out by Car
tain sharp, III charge of the wreckers.
All of these facts are known by the
United States court of inquiry, having
been elected in the examination #
those in a position to know
The expert interviewed by the cor
respondent expresses the belief that the
Maine was blown ~ by what is known
as Newport torpedo, stationary tor
pedo or something of the same nature.
This engine of destruction is the Joint
production of the labors of Commander
Converse. commander Of the Montgom-
cry; Lieutenant-C Commanded Mclean.
now ii command of the torDedo station
at Newport. and Lieutenant Holman.
Ordnance Officer of the Maine al The
time Of the explosion
The Newport torpedo can be planted
from q small boat, and the expert be-
lieves that this one was exploded bv
being struck on the port side of the
Maine forward of amidships as she
swung TO her moorngs He thinks this
paore likely than that wires were laid
from the shore. as the wires if of any
length would sink deep in the harbor
mud.
1t would be singular if il should prove
that the Maine was blown up by a tor
pedo. in the invention of which one Of
her principal officers, Lieutenant Hol-
man, here notable part
All of the foregoing statements Of
facts and surmises come from authority
upon which the court depends for much
OF its evidence. and is given to the cor
respondent without reservation. except
as to the name and rank OF the giver.
The expert further believes that the de-
stroyins mine was made up OF four tor
peeioes OF 50 pounds each Of wet and dry
gin cotton. or 1Ii pounds IN all.
In the judgment of the correspondent.
the United States court of INQUIRY is
fully aware of the views which the
Spanish Court viii promuigate. and has
also made a careful investigation on the
same lines, SO as 70 be able either to
fefute or confirm the Spanish state-
ment.
a story is current here but Is not
confirmed, that Captain Sampson has
been advised from washington that
President Mckinley is ready at any time
to receive the courts report. and that
Cantain Sampson replied by long
cipher cablegram to the Secretary of the
Nay. Captain Sampson IS not look