The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-23
SAYS MAINE BLOWN FROM
 THE OUTSIDE
Gunner Carroll Argues Against
 Inside Explosion

Hartford, June 2S.-"Bones?" said William F. Carroll, retired gunner of the United States navy. who lives at No. 2S3 Sergeant street, 'I doubt if the searchers will be able to gather good sized basket of human bones from the wreck of the battleship Maine" MT. Carroll has had experi- ence as a diver and his varied career upon the sea makes his words of some weight. He was gunner on the bat tleship Iowa at the time of the ex- plosion of the Maine, and a few days after the explosion he went with Cap tain William T. Sampson on the mem orable expedition of investigation, tn . verdict of which brought on the war with Spain. AS retired member of the naval service, MT. Carroll cannot divulge any information of his own knowledge, but he is free to express his opinions, and in view of the re- cnt general interest in the raising of the Maine. his opinions are of decid- ed interest
 Havana harbor," said MT. Carroll yesterday afternoon, lis infested with sharks and dogfish. It is notorious ly dangerous place to fall overheard. It is my opinion that practically all the bones were gone within year after the wreck. What, the action of the warm salt water. would not de- stroy, the ravenous fish would finish. They would not hesitate to dig into the mud. If bones are found they would be those that were covered in such a way that they can not be re- moved. Fish could get anything which barnacles could reach. In all my ex- perience, I have never known of bar nacles growing on bones. These stor- ies of bones being discovered should be vouched for by good authority be- fore they are believed.''
 The bone subject is not the only one which arouses the interest of Gunner Carroll. Like most of those connected with the navy, he is strongly of the opinion that the explosion which de- side and not from within. Rear-Ad- lEiral William T. Sampson, now dead was the captain of the Iowa at the time of the explosion and immediately after the explosion took charge of the investigation. MT. Carroll, as gum ner of the Iowa. and gunners of other tattleships then in Key West, with present and assisted in the investiga- tion. which was very thorough and lasted for a considerable time. The gunner of a ship must have had ex- perience as diver himself, as it is essential to his knowledge of explo- sives and their results.
 The report of Captain Sampson which excited the nation, was that the opinion of the board was that the ex- plosion was from the outside. Gunner Carroll has heard nothing yet from the investigation now being made which causes him to change his opin- ion. which coincides with that of the board. Considering the location and precautions surrounding the maga- zines and the havoc caused by the explosion. he would want god deal of evidence to make him think that the explosion was from within
 ''The location of the magazines said Gunner Carroll "are by this time well known. Each gun had it's mag azine below the location of the gun, and the magazine contained copper cylinders containing 250 bags of pow Ger each. The cover of each recep- :acle was tightly locked. The keys were in the captains possession and the orderly in front of the cabin al- and get the keys without the cap- tain's permission. Regular tests were made of the temperature of the air ir the ma gazine. Matches and fire were not allowed in the magazines and even if they were in the room they could not reach the powder. It was reported that not only was the upper part of the ship injured by the force of the explosion, but that the keel under the magazine was bent up- W Mir ~ Carol, does not expect that rluch real information will be ob- tained as to the cause of the wreck until the water in the cofferdom has heen lowered to a distance of twenty two feet. Even when the mud is com rletely removed. the original cause my never be known. Thirteen years iS long time and the mud shoal formed about the ship would be of