Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-09

president of the army board charged with
the raising Of the wreck; Commander Jo-
seph StrauS, powder expert of the navy,
who was formerly in charge of the naval
now assistant to the aid for material, and
Commander CharleD Hughes of the naval
board of inspection.
The findings of the board, which COIN
eide with the conclusions reached by the
Sampson board, which examined the
wreck Immediately after the explosion.
eliminate the most important element of
the mystery that has surrounded the dis
aSter. The other element, the agency
responsible for the exterior explosion, win
probably never be cleared UP.
An Answer improbable.
The disaster might have been caused by
Spanish mine. but whether the mine
was exploded by the Spanish or by Gu
bans who desired the Intervention Of the
United States to bring about their free
dom Is question that still remains to be
answered.
Many naval experts are of the opinion
knowing the location of the mines in the
harbOr. either by gaining access to the
classmates from which the mines were
controlled or by making connections with
the submerged wires outside the case
mates. No light whatever has been shed
upon this phase of the disaster
The report of the Sampson board was
as follows:
AT frame II. the outer shell Of the
ship, from a point eleven and half feet
from middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in it's normal posi-
ton. has been forced up. SO as to be now
about four feet above the surface of the
water, therefore about thirty-four feet
above where 1t would be had the ship
sunk unfnjured.
Outside bottom plating is bent into a
reverse V shape, the after wing Of which,
about fifteen feet broad and thtrty-two
feet in length drom frame il to frame
2o). is doubled back upon itself against
the continuation of the same plate, ex-
tending forward.
AT frame 10 the vertical keel is broken
in two and the fiat keel bent into an an
gle similar to the angle formed by the
outside bottom plate. This break is now
six feet below the surface of the water
and about thirty feet above its normal
position.
I'm the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by explo-
sion of a mine situated under the bottom
of the ship at about frame Is. and some
fastened Spanish War.
The battleship Maine was sunk by an
explosion in Havana harbor on the night
of February ID. 1898. The lives of 2GO of
her crew were lost The situation in
Cuba had already caused strained reia-
tons between Spain and the United
States. and popular sentiment at once
attributed the -wrecking of the American
warship to Spanish treachery. "Remem-
Der the Maine" became the cry that has
tened the Spanish-American war
But even in America it was by no
means agreed that this charge against
Spain was a just one. Capt. Sigsbee, her
commander. Immediately after the ex-
pIosion sent to the Secretary Of the Navy
this message: Public opinion should be
suspended pending further report" Some
sent her to the bottom. Others main
tanned that the Cuhans had perpetrated
the outrage means of inflaming
American sentiment against Spain.
March -. 1898. court Of inquiry. con-
slsting of Capt. w. r. Sampson. Capt
F.. e. Chadwick and Lieut.. Commander
William p. Potter, with Commander A.
| Mark judge advocate, reported that in
| its opinion the initial explosion had been
| an external one.
| No evidence was found fixing the re-
| sponsibility for the explosion on any per-
| son or persons. and for thirteen years it
has been widely debated question.
Removal Long Delayed.
From time to time it was urged in vari-
GUS QUARTERS tnat the wreck should be
raised and the question as to the nature
of the explosion definitely settled. Not un-
til a little more than year ago did Con-
gress take defi..ite action appropriating
100000 for the work October Ii, 1910,
Mr.. Taft approved the cofferdam plan
calling for the completion Of the work on
or before February ID last. 1t was then
| believed that the Maine could be fioated
again. She was found, however. so great
ly broken up and corroded that this hope
| proved vain
Many delays came up in the work, and
it was not until July 20 of this year that
the water was finally all pumped from
the cofferdam. The clearing away Of
mud and wreckage has consumed much
| of the time since them
Well Worth Reading.
In our Sunday Magazine tomorrow: