The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-08-22
NEGLIGENCE"
THE FINDING
Bennington's Boilers Not De.
fectiVs, Court Of Inquiry Says.
C0URTMARTlAL FOR WADE
This Ensign Is Only Survivor Of Officers
and Men Whom Court Accuses Of
Responsibility.
COURTMARTIAL FOR WADE

washington, aug S,-Se ecretary Bona
parte yesterday received and made public
the proceedings and findings of the court
OF inquiry which investigated the explo-
sion on the gunboat Bennington at San
Diego Cal. on July q. The hndings were
a complete surprise, for they at once set
at rest the stories which had been circu-
lated 10 the effect that the Benningtons
boilers. and perhaps those OF other naval
vessels OF the same age. were defective.
As matter OF fact, the court found
the explosion resulted from the closing
or a valve which connected the exploded
boiler with It's steam gauge, so that the
pressure on that boiler may have been
several hundred pounds 20 the square inch
when the accident occurred.
While praise was accorded 10 the Of
fcers and ships company for their con-
duct during the narrowing scenes follow
ing the accident. the officers and men who
were responsible I'm the opinion OF the
court. are pointed out and court-martial
proceedings suggested In the case OF the
only one of them surviving, Ensign
Charles T. Wade.
The court consisted OF Commodore Ste
venson, retired, and Capt e. J. Moore
rectes the arrival OF the Bennington AT
San Diego and says: The ship was I'm an
excellent state Of discipline and in a good
and efficient condition. with the exception
OF her boilers. which were in fair cond-
lsbout Il years. aud the use 10 which they
had been subjected"
CLOSED THE VALVE.
Continuing. the court SAYS: About a.2o
on July p. after both boilers had been
filled and the furnaces started II was
observed that the steam gauge on boiler
B showed about nve pounds OF steam
pressure. and at this time Oiler Frank
-. Courtenai acting as water tender. di-
rected d. n. Holland. fireman. second
class 10 close the air cock on boiler Il
that the said Holland climbed up and
closed a valve. and almost immediat
the steam gauge on boiler b failed to
register any pressure. that this was ap-
parently not noticed by either the water
tender or the fireman, and no attention
appears to have been paid 10 the fact that
the steam gauge failed 10 register. but
they kept on working the fires and dring
heavily; that when the steam gauge on
boiler showed 1885 pounds there was no
pressure showing on the steam gauge OF
boiler r."
The finding then goes on to state that
at about 1890 o'clock a small leak was
found I'm boiler II. A request had been
sent TO the boilermaker 10 come and at
tend 10 the leak when the explosion oc-
Cured. What happened after the ex-
plosion is described at considerable
length. The court says:
NO ESCAPE OF STEAM.
cape OF steam from the safety valves
OF any OF the boilers and no one can
state that any OF the safety valves blew
of AT any time that morning; that we
can find no record for safety valve OF
boiler r having been overhauled since
July. 1874, nor any positive evidence OF IL
having been done, though orders had been
given for this 10 be done in March 1906:
that there is no record Of the sentinel
valves having been o~rhauled since July.
1904; that the safety valves were set at
1s5 pounds. but en- route from Honolulu
20 this port orders were given TO carry
the steam pressure at from 1870 to l35
pounds, not 10 exceed the latter, but the
safety valves were not changed: that this
order had been clearly understood. that
the hand gear for lifting the safety
valves was not in working order and
there Is no record nor direct evidence
that the safety valves had been tested
in accordance with the navy regulations;
that the discipline seems TO have been
excellent. and everything that could be
done by the surviving officers and crew
was done in a cool and courageous man
ner. no one thinking Of himself. but OF
what he could do for his injured ship
mates and the safety OF his ship.
PLACES RESPONSIBILITY.
The opinion Of the court follows:
explosion was caused by excessive press
ure in boiler r. which came about. first
by shutting the valve connecting the
boiler with the steam gauge instead OF
the valve OH the air cock alone. az was
intended. so that the steam gauge did
not indicate the pressure in the boiler
second by unusual and heavy firing I'm
the boiler 10 get up a pressure which
the gauge failed to show. third by the
failure of the sentinel and safety valves
10 HIT at the pressure for which they
were set,and the pressure increased with.
out relief until II was beyond the strength
of the boiler, which gave way I'm It's
weakest part aftervard found 10 be the
corrugated fue Of No ?, the yowest or
middle fur lace which collapsed
The court /. also OF the opinion that
=. y. Holl1nd. fireman, second class. L.
s. N, who was the fireman on duty fir
ms boiler r, at and before tho time OF
the explosion. did ty mistake shut of
the steam valve connecting boiler r with
Its steam gauge instead Of the air cock.
rs directed, thus preventing the gauge
from recording the steam pressure on It's