Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-09
War WITH SPAIN
FOUND JUST One
Names Magazines Discharged
by Exterior Blast, Ex-
perts Report.
SAMPSON IS SUSTAINED
Facsimile of the Wrecked Vessel
May Be Taken to the White
House.

Washington, Dec. 9.-"The board
finds that the injuries to the bottom Of
the Maine was caused by the explosion
of low form of explosive exterior to
the ship between frames % and 81,
strake B, port side. This resulted in
igniting and exploding the contents of
the pinch reserve magazine A-14-M.
said contents including large quan-
tity Of black powder. The more or
less complete explosion Of the contents
of the remaining forward magazine
followed. The magazine explosion re-
suited in the destruction Of the yes
SELL
This report, settling officially and for
all time the question as to how the
Maine was blown up in Havana har-
Dor in February, 1898, was made yes
terday by the Joint army and navy
board appointed by the secretary of
the navy and dispatched to the scene
of the explosion to determine the real
| facts.
Admiral vreeland, chairman of the
board, who has just returned from Ha-
vana, called on President Taft with
Secretary of the Navy Meyer. He
brought with him the full report of the
| board.
Admiral Vreeland explained to the
president just how, according to the
| findings of the board, the explosion
took place. Later in the day the sec.
retary gave out the foregoing state
ment.
SAMPSON BOARD SUSTAINED.
A rent 20 feet wide and extending
for S5 feet athwartship on the bottom
of the vessel was discovered about 10C
feet from the bow. The fact that the
frames were still in position, though
much bent and twisted. convinced the
members of the board that a low form
of explosive was used in bringing abou,
the destruction of the vessel. Had 6
high explosive been employed there
would have been nothing left as evi
dence of how the explosion occurred.
The report sustains the findings o.
! -tlae- -Saaspseashaaxa (which was appoint
ed shortly after the Maine was blown
up. The Sampson board located the
exterior force which had been applied
to the battleship at about frame Is OF
the port side. The cofferdam which
the present board to pursue its inves
I legations made it possible to locate tht
explosion more exactly.
The board brought with it from Ha
vana a model of the ruined battleshiI
as it stands today.
The model, which is about IL fee
long, shows the ship practically sun
dered between frames "a and 81. Thi
model and another showing the for
ward part of the vessel as it existe,
before the explosion have been used IL
demonstration of the explosion.
/ MAGAZINES WRECK COMPLETE.
| Last night Secretary Meyer Gale,
Z before him Admiral Vreeland and Rea
: Admiral Watts, chief naval construc
: tor, and also a member of the board
t These two officials, by means of tn
models, explained the explosion to tn
l secretary and to Admirals Cane an
: Wainwright, Read Admiral Porter
: Commander Philip Andrews and al
E the high officials of the department.
D The report Of the board states tha
e the explosion which caused the de
struction of the vessel came from tn
3 outside, and that low and not hig
4 form Of explosive was used in what
9 ever engine of destruction was en-
5 ployed.
8 The terrific force which brough
( about the complete demolition of tn
+ ship, piling up great masses of wrecl
s age on either side and wrenchin
/ asunder like so much sheet iron tn
massive plates and frames that con
= posed the battleship, proceeded fror
Y the Names own magazines, whic
+ were exploded by the force that cam
from the initial explosion under tn
vessels bottom.