The sun., 1898-02-18
EXPERT M'ELROY'S OPINION
Local Attache Of the Navy on
Maine Disaster.
no
MYSTERY IN IT. HE SAYS
His Impression That Outside Force
Caused Explosion Inside, But He
Does Not Favor Wild Theories.

ION ilDuSt, all d(ldttle oI lHc Navy lW-
parment, whose thirty years service in
the navy entities him to the distinction
accorded "naval expert"
lle is Past Assistant Engineer George
W. McElroy. supervisor OF the conslruc-
tion Of the United States torpedo-hoat-
destroyer, Stringlam, at present being
built at the Harlan and Ilolineswouh
yard.
Engineer McI.iroy has served aboard
several American war " ssels. and knows
! what fight between battiesl,irs and be-.
tween cruisers looks like. Fourteen or
fifteen years ago, during tie rupture be-
tween the Chinese and French, he was
an eyewitness Of the total destruction
Of the Chinese fleet at Pagoda Anchor
age.
A representative OF this paper visited
him in his apartment at the hotel last
night, and secured for publication his
view, as an expert Of the appalling dis
aster to the battleship Maine, in the
harbor of Havana. Mr.. McElroy has
read carefully all the news Of the
catastrophe up to date, but does not
think it is sufficient to warrant the
passing Of Judgment as to the real cause
Of the horror However, the impression
he has formed from the newspaper
accounts tends in the direction OF some
thing other than an explosion Of the
magazine on the Maine. a. the primary
cause Of the destruction Of the ship.
81 know several Of the officers Of the
Maine, he said. "and know them to be
careful men, and among them are some
of the best material in the Naval service.
| cannot therefore believe that the acci.
dent wasdue to any neglect on their part.
The regulations Of the Navy service are
very rigid and it seems to me hardly pos
sblc that after the magazines were
locked up anyone would have been able
to get near them to app y any fire. The
regulations Of the navy require that al
ter the inspection OF the magazines,
which are in the bow Of the ship, the
keys be turned over to the captain. In
the construction and location of the
magazines every precaution is taken to
prevent the possibility of an explosion.
No man is allowed in the magazine
rooms who as nails in his shoes or any
thing about him that is apt to cause a
spark Of fire.
The lights, too, are SO located that
there il no chance for them to contribute
to an explosion Beside all this, after
the magazine r, ON is locked and the
keys delivered ever to the captain, Il
guard stands watch over the room, and it
would be impossible for any one, even
him, to get into the room"
Mr. McE'rny cited The above as a con-
tradiction Of the heory that thcmagazines
of the ship cxpIo' cd first.
Il do not think, Judging by what ]
have read. that tie accident occurred
through an explosion Of the boiler. My
impression is that,i in view Of the reports
that the explosion shook the whole city
Of Havana and caused electric lights to
60 out. one "f the magazines OF the ship
exploded. A torpG", striking the ship
under water, as is argued by some,
would not have made Il very heavy re-
port itself nor is it likely that it would
have torn the snip to pieces as des cribed.
My impression il that the magazine eX-
plndcd by some inrcc from the outside,
probably Il torpedo. 1t seems to me,
however, miraculous, Il at it such was
the case that anything was left of the
bow of the ship, though it is possible for
miracles OF that kind to Happen.
Referring to the theory that the ship
was blown up by mine, Mr. McElroy
said: Such Il thing is possible, though
think that the placing OF a mine in Il
peaceful harhor would lave been an rX.
ccedingly unwise preceding in view Of
the danger in which it would place mcr
chant vessels. If the Havara harbor was
a scene Of hostility and open warfare,
then mine under ship would be moth
ing surprising. Still, it is very possible
that a mine was placed under the
! Maine.'
Mr.. McElroy then related experiences
| G had had with mines with which he
rsed to kill sharks. A tin can full Of
! dynamite with an electric attachment
hen submerged would kill school Of
Il G biggest sharks. As to the size Of the
n inc required to cause the destruction Of
the Maine, he judged it contained at
least two hundred pounds of dynamite
Asked his view Of the theory that the
mine under the Maine was fired thrrug,
an attachment with a magazine on the
shore, he SAID such u circumstance was
possible but highly improbable. To
cause such destruction to the Maine, Mr.
McElroy said the mine need not have
been very close under the ship
Mr.. McElroy was exceedingly con-
scrvative in his view of the horrifying
tragedy. lie emphasized, however, his
impression that the ships destruction
was not due to carelessness and that
some outside explosion caused the cx.
plosion of the magazine if it is found
that the latter did explode.
lie praised the action Of ta tain SgS-
bee in cabling his common s'nsr dis
patch asking for II suspension OF public
opinion till thorough investigation is
made. This act on the Captains part,
he said, stamped him u thoroughly
reliable and iudico's commander.
In conclusion Mr. McElroy said:
While my impression Of the disaster
leans to the theory OF an outside IN
fuence in the destruction Of the ship,
yet, before. as an expert, ] can form
anything like definite opinion Of the
matter, must hear the result Of the
work Of the divers and persons in charge
Of the investigation. The persons IN
charge Of the investigation are reliable
and experienced men,