New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-24
BOILERS DID NOT EXPLODE.
ONE THEORY OF THE MAINE DISASTER
DISPOSED OF.

ERAL LEE CAUSES SOME ANXIETY ~ WASH
INGToN-AN INTIMATToN FROM THE
COURT Dc INQUIRY THAT THE
SHIP MAY BE SAVED.
lsY TELEGRAPH THE TRTBUSE1
Washington. Feb 23.-Perhaps the most I'M
portant information for those who are study
ing the possible causes Of the Maine disaster
which reached the Navy Department to-day
a personal letter from Passed Assistant Engi-
neer Fred c. Bowers OF the Maine who is now
at Key West He says that az the time Of the
explosion steam up on the two after boilers
only This confirms the confident expression in
The Tribune several days ago that the forward
boilers. nearest the point Of greatest destruction.
were not in while the Maine was in Havana
Harbor, the middle boilers never being used In
port and the forward boilers having Just pre-
viously been used for two hundred hours more
than those aft
Engineer Bowers. by furnishing this fact TO
the Navy Department efectually disposes Of
the theory OF boiler explosion causing the blow
ing up OF the forward magazine, as we'll as
demolishing all speculation based on overheated
fre-room bukheads forward The after boilers
which were in use were within ten feet OF the
main magazine. whore stored the eight
hundred pounds OF gun-cotton in the torpedo
according to Captain SIMPSONS latest cable
dispatch to Admiral Sicard, apparently Intact
except In minor matters.
The letter from the Names assistant engineer
also gives considerable comfort TO the numerous
naval officers who combat the theory OF spon-
taneous combustion In the forward 'unkers. for
It is held to confirm the belief that those bunk
ers had been emptied of bituminous coal be-
fore leaving Hey West, the forward boilers
having been continuously in for several
months. as shown by the log. At the Key West
naval station two hundred and sixty tons Of
anthracite were taken aboard, and this is said
to have been put in the forward bunkers. There
Is no recorded instance OF spontaneous COM
bustion In anthracite coal.
The State Department to-day received its
closed mail pouch from Havana bringing advces
from Consul General Lee covering occurrences up
to the time of the steamers departure at noon
last Saturday. The bag also contained the first
relics OF the Maine to reach Washington. chief
among which were the ships medical journal
and some personal belongings OF the men whose
bodies were buried on Friday. and which were
sent for delivery to their relatives There wers
also letters from the survivors to their families
and friends, which were promptly forwarded
to their destinations by the Department
LEES COMMUNICATION KEPT SECRET.
The principal communication in the pouch was
one from General Lee which was taken over to
the White House for the President TO read 1t
Is treated as strictly confidential, and those who
saw II have firmly declined 10 speak concerning
IL. That II is not rcassuring to those who have
wished to minimize the gravity OF the situation
caused by the Names destruction is indicated
by the comparative readiness with which official
dispatches. bcth to the State and Navy Depart
ments. which contain pacific advices have been
promptly made public during the last week.
The only article from the pouch for which per-
mission TO examine could be obtained was the
Names medical journal. a coverless volume Of
300 letter pages damp from partial immersion
In the foul waters Of the harbor This book
tains the daily record BY the ships surgeon Of
the cases Of Illness in his charge. with state
ments as to the nature Of complaints treated
and other memoranda interesting only 10 med
ical officers. It's dates run from February 10.
1897. TO the night OF the catastrophe. Latterly
page was given 10 each DAY. and the handwrit-
ing of all recent entries is that OF Surgeon Lu-
cien c. Heneberger. each being signed by him.
II is explained by naval medical officers in
Washington that this record is usually written
al the close OF the day, especially when a ship
Is as healthy as the journal shows the Maine
to have been. Page pa is dated February IL.
but the record of that date is only half COM
peted and is unsigned Surgeon General Van
Reypen thinks II likely that DR.. Heneberger was
interrupted at his work by the explosion. and
starting up took the book on deck with him, and
90 saved 1t from thorough immersion. It's pages
are clear and clean. indicating that It had not
been completely in the water, and that IL was
taken ashore that terrible Tuesday night Is not
doubted as nothing recovered from the
wreck between the time Of the explosion and the
time the mail pouch left Havana It's wrapper
was also marked from the steamer City OF
Washington which left Havana the day after
the explosion.
THINK THE SHIP MAY BE RAISED.
The most gratifying Official intelligence which
reached the Navy Department during the last
tuenty-four hours was an intmation from the
Court Of Inquiry that the Maine could probably
be raised and saved. This came in the following
telegram from Admiral Scard. at Key West.
about noon:
Merritt-Chapman tug Right Arm arrived at Ha-
yana this morning. Her captain. MCGEE. seems an
experenced man. who Will be able 10 give good
advice CAPTAIN Sampson wires me condition or
wreck is such to require most powerful ap-
pliances Government can secure. Court recon-
mends contract with best-equlpped wrechins
comnany to remove material and lit ship with
out delay Forward half completely DESTROYED
After half apparently intact, except In minor
matters.
Tho latter portion of this dispatch is thought
70 be the first trustworthy information obtained
frono the work Of the divers. who are known TO
have directed their efforts almost wholly 10 the
after half Of the wreck. That they have dscov-
cred no damage there augurs well for the ulti-
mate recovery Of the vessel. With this part
intact a new bow can be built az slight expense
compared with the cost OF new ship. and re-
pairs can be made within reasonable time.
The after part OF the hull contains all the
more costly machinery and constructive feat
ures II its compartments are uninjured or can
be readily made watertight. they will exert