Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-26
MAINE DESTROYED
FROM OUTSIDE:
Records Show Rattleship Had No
Smolicless Powder on Board
az the Time.

Washington. Oct. lS.-washington I.
Caps, former chief constructor Of the
navy, has submitted a report TO Secretary
Meyer tending TO corroborate the opinion
Of the court OF inquiry that the battle
ship Maine was destroyed in Havana
harbor BY an external explosion. Mr.
Capps was sent to Havana by Secretary
Meyer to Identify certain parts Of tho
wreckagc which had been exposed through
tho lowering Of the water In tho Golfer
dam surrounding the Maine
The testimony before the court o.
inquiry. which met IN 1898 Immediately
following the destruction Of the vessel
was based upon the reports Of naval ant
civilian divers who examined the hull
Mr. Camps, however, had much better
opportunity to Inspect the wreck. He
was especially familiar with the Names
construction, having superlntended her
building. and was selected for this reason
by Mr.. Never His report will probably
he made public, and naval officers who
have read It say that Mr.. Capps con
firms the decision OF the court OF inquiry
that the condition Of the wreckase leads
to the conclusion that the primary ex-
plosion was beneath the hull Of the Maine
at about frame IS.
Since the recent destruction OF tho
French battleship Iiberte and the &C
cident on the Jena several years ago
there have been many references in
the newspapers and technical period
calls suggesting an analogy between
the French disasters and the explosion
which destroyed the Maine. The jena
and Liberte accidents we're prohablY
due to the decomposition and spon-
taneous com bustion of smokeless pow
der of type designated as 81 and
of old manufacture. A search Of tho
records Of the bureau of ordnance,
made by order of Secretary Meyer,
brought out th~ fact that no smoke
less powder Of this kind was in the
magazines Of the Maine at the time
of her destruction.
TT is to be deplored." said Secretary
Meyer to-day that parallels have
| been drawn between these two dis
asters to French vessels and certain
accidents which unfortunately occur
the combustion Of powder was the
known or alleged cause Of the destruC-
ton OF vessels or loss Of life. on
..
was destroyed by an explosion In tho
harbor OF Havana. Tho cause OF the
explosion which destroyed her ha !
never been ascertained definitely. but
the naval court Of inquiry which in
v.s,ira,ad +bo c,-cuustoroas ra,o-+ad
that the initial explosion was due to
a mine or other cause external TO the
ship.
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