Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-06
AVERSE TO DISCUSSING
BLOWING UP OF MAINE
Naval Officers, However, Seem
to Agree With Views Ex-
pressed by Gen. Bixby.

Naval officers generally deprecate any
public discussion at this time as to what
may be eventually disclosed by the further
examination of the wreck of the Maine.
None Of them seems willing ocomment
publicly on the views attributed to Gen.
Bixby. chief of engineers OF the army
Privately most Of them agree with him
in the general conclusion that the "pri-
mary cause of the explosions which re-
suited in the total wreck Of the vessel
may never be learned.
One of them said that it was i'm
possible under existing conditions to
know the exact condition of the bottom
of the hull, s the pumpings up to this
time had resulted only in uncovering
the superstructure and upper portions
of the hull 1t had been known all
along. he said. that the magazines in
the ship had exploded. and that fact
was stated in the report of the Samp-
son court in 1898. and the only posi-
BILE doubt then, as now. was as to
whether or not they resulted from an
outside explosion.
Sampson Court Finding.
The Sampson court devoted twenty
three days to a thorough investigation of
the destruction of the Maine. On evil
dence secured from divers. and records
as to the condition Of the wreck imme-
diately following the explosion, it was
established that the after part of the
ship was practically intact and sank in
that condition after the destruction of
the forward part. Examination of the
outer shell of the ship forward. the bot
fnvp Not i1c nd ho hoT1l
SO bent and forced upward as to lead
the court to declare that that effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion of a mine under the bottom of
the ship.
The findings Of the Sampson board
was: I'm the opinion of the court. the
Maine was destroyed by the explosion Of
a submarine mine, which caused the
partial explosion Of two or more of the
forward magazines" Beyond that the
court was unable to obtain evidence NIX
ing the responsibility Of the destruction
of the Maine on any person. or persons.
On such evidence and such verdict the
case will rest, according to the naval
view until q further and more thorough
examination OF the keel and bottom of
the hull has been made possible by the
complete uncovering OF the vessel
The subsequent explosions of the maya
zines completed the work of wrecking
the battleship and contributed chiefly to
making IL the mass Oh IdnEi6u steer WUlCil
the pumping operations are gradually re-
vealing.
Opinions Of Gen. Bixby.
1t was pointed out at the Navy Depart
ment that the statements attributed to
Cen Bixby were first made public by him
in an interview at Tampa. Fla, several
DAYS ago. on his return from an inspec-
ton Of the Maine at Havana. At that
time he said that it was his opinion that
while the primary cause of the destruc-
ton of the Maine might never be learned.
there was no doubt that the principal
damage to the ship was caused by the
explosions of the magazines. he said
that an explosion from without. In his
opinion could not alone have caused
such extensive damage.
He also expressed the opinion that
the bodies Of those who lost their
lives are probably buried 200 feet or
more from the wreck in the mud and
may never be recovered.
Since that time. Gen. Bixby has said
repeatedly that the exact cause or the
original explosion may never be de-
termined. but that it certainly will
not be known until IL is possible to
examine the lower portions Of the
hull below the lowest level Of the wa
ter that has yet been reached by
pumping.