New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-17
NOT AN INTERNAL EXPLosIoN.
THE VIDWs OF ENPDRTs REIARDING TliD -
PROBABILITY OF ANYTHING ~ THE SHIP

PROBABILITY OF ANYTHING ~ THE SHIP
HAVING BLOWN UP THE MAINE.
One Of the officers stationed at the Lyceum, the
cornrnandants headquarters IN the Navy Yard. who
IS said 70 be one OF the best-nformed young off,
GERS Of the Navy. said 10 a Tribune reporter.
I 90 not entertain for ora moment the thought
that any Spanish Official implicated In any way
with sinking the Maine. Either as & method Of
beginning war or as a cowardly destroying OF
ship on a friendly visit. IL would have been madness
on the part OF the Spanish GOyernmen, 10 do this
The probabilities strongly against on acct
dental explosion from the inside. notice That
dispatch suggests that the dynamo boiler exploded
] don't think tho Maine had a donkey boiler aboard
ana in that case her dynamo would be operated
from one OF the main boilers. The engines and
boilers are constantly under the supervision o.
engineers lremen and mechanics. should con
tder an explosion of q boiler such as the Maine
carries as verging near 70 an imposs.bAity' The
boilers are tested 10 $50 pounds pressure and II IS
hard fob to SET the engineers 10 keep the pressure
rp 70 sixty pounds. Assuming that the boiler was
allowed by those IN charge 10 BECOME heated to the
dance- point while the vessel was At anchor, tho
blowing of would have made such a noise that the
officers would have been inquirng abou; Il long be-
fore an explosion could occur.
The fact that the explosion occurred forward Is
Of course SHOWN .uferentaly By The fact that the
oeice.s escaped ard some Of the men wero killed.
Now. the explosives forward on the Maine would
the magazines on either side Of The powder maya
Zines, containing The rapiQ-nrrG cartridges and the
loaded shells The peinrcOm is forward, but the
explosives Of the paint department are at the rear
% the vessel and as high as they can get them.
For her large guns the Maine carried the crown
NeSagOral powder ga copper tubes. and the Dla *
'owdeg neither or WA.-h VIII explode from an
would Il be possible for the hexagonal powder
30 explode by becoming overheated In its alright
compartnent, owing 20 its proximity 70 the boil
ers?' asked the reporter.
1T Is not uAely. The s.x-inch steel wall Of the
Inasazinc - eighteen feet from the boilers Or9inE-
ry magazine never reaches 100 cesrees, IN fact. &
does rot 10 higher M temperature tnau ~ teg:ces.
y ths powder suOuld continue az 100 degrees
s. would become quasi higa explosive. and the re-
SUI ~ iSat De- serious.
rs /, possible Nat d submarine magazine might
have exploded accidentally under me Maine?"
Yes, Thai j. possible. ia ole " experiments
On old hull was shattered that was placed fifteen
fafhJ4-s above ana rteen feet 20 one side Of a
;n!nc Al explosion % this sOrt il intensely local In
- result. 50 b. IS possible that It might shatter the
Prov OF vessel and injure the rear part mIcl,
may have attacked the Maine with torpedo Be
ing IN friendly port. the Maine could not guard
a. objectionable proceeding Oh ne part Of the
Nalno as for d man 20 enter the house OF friend
watch .n his boot"
Another officer said regarding the explosion:
Il can think Of fifty possible causes f0Y the OK
plosion, but we have no facts OF importance yet on
which 10 base conjecture Tho coal hurkers
could nave got ahre by spontaneous combustion.
That often happens 20 vessels st Vessels Ike
The Maine have electric signals 70 give warning o.
Just such FIRE that, but IN this the signal
hay not have worked Then az Internal machine
may have been carried aboard The ship either BY
mercenary sailor. or sent by some ~ the men
when they went ashore 20 got provisions ma
chine with time Arrangement might have been
sent aboard with some cans OF tomatoes Of the
came size. and escaped detection. II would be
saiicent 20 account for the sinking Of the ship