Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-17
Mystery Continues Of the Names
Destruction.
HARD TO ACCOUNT FOR An ACCIDENT
A Bomb Secreted in the Coal or
Submarine Torpedo.
IN MAGAZINE AND BUNKERS

little beyond the construction and testing
OF theories based on expert knowledge. No
| tenabie theory assuming the explosion to
have been the result of an accident has
Daen advanced which could stand the test
OF examination in the light of known con-
oitioDs. Great Importance should not be
attached to the fact that the President
and the Secretary of the Navy advance the
opinion with reservation), that it was an
accident. For either of them to intimate a
suspicion that the destruction of the
Maine had been by design would be equiv
alent to charging treachery upon SPAIN or
at least upon some Spanish subject. They
can entertain no suspicious To them the
catastrophe must appear an accident until
proven otherwise. They must not afrront
Spain by suspicious. For them to do so
would mean war at once.
At the same time 1t is found that the
accident theory is the most difficult to sus-
tain. The burden of evidence tends to
slow that there was nothing in the for
ward magazines of the Maine to cause an
explosion. The ammunition there was OF
character combustible rather than ex-
plosive. A lighted torch thrown into this
magazine would not have caused an ex-
ploSion A man with a hammer pounding
on the ammunition cases could not have
caused them to explode. The theory that
the dynamo engine might have burst ard
caused the explosion by detonation is dis
posed of by the fact that there was no
dynamo engine, and if there had been one,
the engines used for this purpose ara of a
class which have BEEN tested, and found to
be incapable of explosion. the seams part
ing under pressure without an explosion
In the most severe test given. The maya
zine might have been exploded if the coal
in the bunkers surrounding it had caught
on fire AMI been burning for long time
Cases of this coal becoming ignited have
occurred
In one instance heat SO great as to char
shelving in the magazine and ignite some
Of the brown powder was caused by the
ccal bunkers catching on fire, and then no
explosion occur ed, and the fire was put OUT
with hose. Then, the fire had been burning
for hours
magazine and Coal Bunl<ers.
In the case of the Maine the magazine
ard coal bunkers had been examined, ac-
cording to reports, and as is the CUSTOM
about threc-quarters of an hour a lit
tie more before the explosion occurred,
and then there was no sign of fire nor SEN
sation OF heat II there were gun cotton
in the magazine it might be exploded by
detonation or by chemical acton. But, ac
cordlng 10 the dispatches from Havana
whatever gun cotton was Oh the Maine eS-
capcd explosion by being drenched. The
dispatch says that the men were ordered
10 Hood 100 pounds of gun cotton which
Was on board. The order was carried out,
but the men never returned. havana,
however, Was saved from sull more ter
rlbie explosion
1t is also alleged that there was no gun
cotton where The explosion occurred, but
there seems to be uncertainty about this.
The fixed ammunition, explosive shells,
could be exploited, but hardly by any acct.
dental means. Only some terrific shocl
could cause their explosion, unless all in
formation as to their character is at fault
The compartment containing these shells
was located in the very bottom of the Ship
and there appears to be no conceivable way
that the detonation necessary to an eXplo-
sion could be conveyed there, except by
severe explosion from the outside or By
design from within. If torpedo had been
exploded under the 10-inch shell room the
detonation would probably have caused the
explosion within; or if dynamite boml
had been discharged IN the vicinity of the
magazine it might have caused the fxe..
ammunition to explode. No other sugges.
ton seems to meet the conditions surround
ing this explosion, If the character of tn,
ammunition stored in such magazine wa
such as is described.
VI IL lOrpeuO ExDIOkfOn
Authorities differ as to what the effect
Oh torpedo explosion would be- In the
case of the old-time vessels of war tor-
pedo would lift them from the water. leav-
ing no doubt as to the character of the
explosion. But experts are not familiar
with the effect of a torpedo upon vessels
constructed as was the Maine She was
weighted down heavily from the ton with
armament and ordnance. while the bot
"aS =; IL.
readlly be imagined, therefore, that a tor
peuo exploding would simply crush in the
IRAN bottom without overcoming the inn
hlense weight above to lift it from the
water. An examination of the wreck is
relied upon to prove whether the explosion
came from without. Yet this NAV be Inv
no means conclusive, for the reason that
II there was torpedo explosion from
without. that was followed by a still more
terrific internal explosion, which would he
likely to destroy all evidence of the first
There would be better prospect, if a tor
pedo or mine explosion occurred to dei.r-
mine this from its effect upon the hot
tom of the harbor under the vessel.
AS mas been before stated, it has been
repeatedly alleged, not only at this time
but months ago. that the Havana harbor
was planted like checkerboard with tor
pedoes, connected with an electrical
switchboard, ach torpedo having CORE
spending number on the switchboard IL
this be true, fanatic, familiar with the
plans of the torpedo defense, might have
had it in his power to explode a torpedo
OF mine under the Maine This would be
shown, however, by the effect of the ex-
plosion on the bottom of the harbor under
the boat.
Secrcted Bomb.
theory held to with considerable tenac-
ity by some who are astute and well in
formed is that a bomb was secreted in the
coal. This is thing that is known to have
been done in the case of merchant vessels,
and which has been aprrehended in taking
on supplies of coal for the navy. The meth
cd Is well understood, and yet the bomb is
easily overlooked. The method of con-
struction is to have an irregular chunk of
iron, followed to receive the explosive, to
dip 1t in tar and then cover il with the
coal dust, so that by its irregular shape
and external appearance it is not distin-
guishable from the ordinary big chunk of
coal. 1t is known to certainty just how
much coal any particular vessel viii, con-
same in a given number Of hours or a given
distance 1t is KNOWN too, that the coal
from the forward bunkers is first used, SO
that the tightening of the vessel by the con-
sumption of coal will be felt In the bow
rather than in the stern. Such bomb
may, therefore, be placed in the coal bunk
er with practical certainty as to the time
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