The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-09-22
EXPLOSIONS ON WARSHpS,
A Matter Which is Being
Closely Investigated.
MONROE DOCTRINE AGAIN.
Venezuela Looking For Trouble
-Santo Domingo.


WEEKLY LETTER FROM WASHINGTON
News OF the fearful accident to tha
japanese battlcship. Mikasa, which
according to the latest advices result
ed IN the death OF 256 men with an
addltl. nal 343 injured, has startled
tho expert naval constructors in
Washington and they are eagerly
looking for details OF the disaster
With view to Judging the extent Of
danger which may exist on American
naval vessels from fre and the ex-
plosion OF the magazines. All Amer
can naval vessels are fitted with ap.
pl!ances which are supposed to render
possible the immediate flooding Of the
magazine 10 the event Of Are but it is
now learned that when the turret ex-
pl0siun occurred on the Missouri,
some months ago, 1t required half an
hour to food her magazine to depth
OF two feet 80 that had Il fire in the
hold followed the accident In the
turret the magazine would almost
inevitably have exploded before its
contents could have been sufficiently
dampened to have prevented. Siuce
the Missouri incident, the naval con-
structors have devised an appliance
for sprlnkling the entire contents or
the magazine which could be accom-.
plished much more rapidly than flood
ing. although the flood valves would
be operated simultaneously Of course.
The naval experts are also puzzled
as to how Il Gre on the Mikasa could
have gained such headway as IT was
supposed that, being u modern vessel
she would have comparatively little
who'd In her interior. American ma
val vessels, it Is true, have extensive
wooden fixtures in time OF peace, but
they are constructed Of wood for the
very reason that they can be easily
removed and IN time of war they are
all dispensed with, a course which
presumably, must have been followed
10 the japanese navy.
II is recalled in this connection
that there are some experts who still
believe that the ill.fatedf Maine was
blown up in Havana harbor as re-
suit OF the explosion OF her magazine
and they are of the opinion that the
magazine exploded as result OF
fire started by spontaneous C0mbus-
tlon In her coal bunkers. or course
there are comparatively few who hold
this view. Nevertheless since the
Maine was destroyed no vessel has
been constructed with the defect
known to have existed in her, namely
The placing Of coal bankers so that
the coal rested against the wall OF
The magazine. Now, all naval yes
sells are provided with an air chamber
AZ least one inch thick between the
magazine and the next compartment
Whatever It may be used for. Fire at
Sea always has had and probably al
ways will have Its terrors and parti-
cularly on naval vessels which are
required to carry magazines filed
with powerful explosives and now
there Is no doubt that the naval en-
perts will make very thorough investi'
cations with view to rendering the
ignition Of the contents Of the maga-
alnes as remote as possible.
Rumors regarding Venezuela ana
The possible necessity of this country's
having to administer severe lesson
10 President Castro or else permit
such lesson to he administered bv
some Europeap power, or powers are
beginning to be revived with unpleas'
apt frequency. Just at present CAS-
tro's high handed course in attempt
ing to con1scate the French sub.Ina'
flhe cable threatens to bring him IN
10 violent collision with that nation
and it Is believed that some COM
mnnication on this subject has al
ready been made to tho American
Ambassador at Paris. It Is dificult
10 see how this country can take any
actlou until the special commissioner
Whom the President sent to Caracas