The Corvallis gazette., April 01, 1898, Image 1

QUA
VOL. XXXV.
CORVALIilS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1898.
NO. 3.
I Of I
Ship Was Blown Up By
a Floating Mine.
RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT FIXED
Spain Notified of the Findings of the
Naval Court Madrid Kefuses to Re
call the Torpedo Flotilla and Is
Actively Fortifying Pc-rto Rico.
Washington, March 28. The court
rf inquiry appointed to investigate the
cause of the Maine disaster has report
ed that the loss of the battle-ship was
due to an outside explosion. The state
department, by direction of the presi
dent, has cabled Minister Woodford, at
Madrid, to notify the Spanish govern
ment of the conclusion.
The president and his cab'inet ad
visers held two extended sessions today,
one at 10:30 A. M. and another at 3:30
P. M., at which the report was consid
ered in detail. Members of the cabi
net stated after the meetings that the
discussion was of a grave character,
and that never since the wrecking of
the Maine has the situation seemed so
critical.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Span
ish naval commission holds the disas
ter to the Maine to be of internal
origin.
The government of Spain, it can be
stated positively, is not disposed to
turn back the torpedo fleet now pro
ceeding from the Canaries, and would
be disinclined to consider a suggestion
from this government tending to inter
fere with the disposition by Spain of
her own naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent
ed scale are being hurried to comple
tion by the war and navy departments,
and the country practically is on a
war footing.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the national
capital has seen since the close of the
' civil war. It was a day of profoundly
important action and of the deepest
anxiety, coupled with naval and mili
tary activity, one step following another
in rapid succession.
Representative men of the adminis
. tration, public men in all branches of
official and congressional life, no less
than the public in general, shared in
the tension to which the situation has
been wrought. There was no effort
among the highest officials, nor, indeed,
was it possible from what was clearly
apparent in the development of the
day, to minimize the situation.
Verdict of the Court of Inquiry.
Viewed in detail, the finding of the
court of inquiry was the most vital fac
tor. Commander Marix, judge advo
cate of the court of inquiry, delivered
the report to Secretary Long early this
morning, and shortly afterward it was
carried to the White House and placed
in the bands of the president.
At 10:30 the cabinet assembled, half
an hour earlier than usual, and began
the consideration of the momentous
document. Even the rigid rules of
secrecy which prevail at cabinet meet
ings were made doubly strict in this
case, '-and no intimation of the results
reached by the court was known until
2 o'clock, when a press bulletin gave
the information to the country, as well
as to the eagerly waiting officials
throughout Washington. These re
sults, briefly stated, are that the loss
of the Maine was due to an explosion
from the outside, the court being un
able to fix the responsibility for the
explosion.
The court does not express an opin
ion as to the character of the explosion,
but the testimony goes to show that it
;was a powerful submarine mine, the
exact character of which was not deter
mined, though the belief was expressed
that it was a floating submarine mine.
There were two exposions, the court
finds. The first was from the outside,
and that set off one of the smaller
magazines.
It was this, expressed in detail, arid
with the precision of a court deeply
conscious of its responsibility, together
with the evidence upon which it was
based, that occupied the attention of
the cabinet throughout its extended ses
sions of the morning and afternoon.
All other subjects have given way to
this foremost question. There was no
change in. the plan of making the re
port public and transmitting it to con
gress, accompanied by a brief message
from the president.
The afternoon cabinet session lasted
until nearly 5:30. The entire situa
tion was discussed at length, but no
definite point was reached. The situa
tion is regarded as decidedly critical,
and it is feared there will be great
difficulty in avoiding trouble.
While interest was thus centered at
the White House, the navy and war de
partments were hurrying forward their
work of preparation.
The Spanish Flotilla.
The advance of the Spanish torpedo
flotilla continued to receive the closest
attention of naval officials, and while,
o far as could be ascertained, no defi
nite line of action was determined
upon, the need of intercepting this fleet
was urged by the highest naval author
ities. From the standpoint of the Spanish
government, this movement was not a
menace, having been decided upon
many weeks ago. On the contrary, the
Spanish government holds that the ex
tensive armament of Dry Tortugas is a
more direct hostile act against Spain
than any movement ot the flotilla. In
stead of stopping the flotilla, the pres
ent attitude of Spain tends toward re
inforcing it with other Spanish war
vessels, not as a menace, but from
what the Spanish government feels is
a requirement called for by the existing
condition of affairs.
Naval, experts are of the opinion that
it will take the flotilla about 10 days to
make the journey, but it is exceedingly
' likely that it will actually require sev
grJ days longer.
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
No Recommendation Is Made Regarding;
Action to Be Taken.
Washington, March 29. The presi
dent today sent the following message
to congress:
"To the congress of the- United
States For some time prior to the
visit of the Maine to Havana harbor
our consular representatives pointed
out the advantages to follow the visits
of naval ships to Cuban waters in ac
customing people to the presence of our
flag as a symbol of good will and of our
ships in fulfillment of the mission of
protection to American interests, even
though no immediate need therefor
might exist. Accordingly, on the 25th
of January last, after a conference with
the Spanish minister, in which a re
newal of the visits of our vessels to
Spanish water was discussed and ac
cepted, the peninsular authorities at
Madrid and Havana were advised of
the purpose of thi6 government to re
sume friendly naval visits at Cuban
ports, and that with that end in view
the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Havana.
"This announcement was received
by the Spanish government with ap
preciation of the friendly character of
the visit of the Maine and with notifi
cation of an intention to return the
courtesy by sending Spanish ships to
the principal ports of the United States.
Meanwhile the Maine entered the
port of Havana on the 25th of January,
her arrival being marked with no spe
cial incident besides the exchange of
customary salutes and ceremonial visits.
"The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the three weeks fol
lowing her arrival. No appreciable
excitement attended her stay. On the
contrary, a feeling of relief and confi
dence followed the resumption of long
interrupted friendly intercourse. So
noticeable was this immediate effect of
her visit that the consul-general strong
ly urged that the presence of our ships
in Cuban waters should be kept up by
retaining the Maine at Havana, or in
the event of her recall, by sending an
other vessel there to take her place.
"At 40 minutes past 9 o'clock in the
evening of the 15th of February, the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion,
by which the entire forward part of
the ship was utterly wrecked. In this
catastrophe, two officers and 260 mem
bers of her crew perished, those who
were not killed outright by her explo
sion being penned between decks by
the tangle of wreckage and drowned by
the immediate sinking of the bull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by
neighboring vessels anchored in the
harbor, aid being especially given by
the boats of the Spanish cruiser Al
phonso XII and the Ward line steamer
City of Washington, which lay not far
distant. The wounded were generously
cared for by the authorities of Ha
vana, the hospitals being freely opened
to them, while the earliest recovered of
the bodies were interred by the munici
pality in the public cemetery in the
city. Tributes of grief and sympathy
were offered from all official quarters
of the island.
"The appalling calamity fell upon
the people of our country with crush
ing force, and for a brief time intense
excitement prevailed, which, in a -community
less just and selfishly con
trolled, must have led to hatsy acts of
blind resentment. This sprit, how
ever, coon gave way to the calmer pro
cess of reason and to a resolve to in
vestigate the facts and await materia)
proof before forming judgment as to
the responsibility, and if the facts
warranted the remedy due. This
course necessarily recommended itself
from the outset to the executive, for
only in the light of a dispassionately
ascertained certainty could it deter
mine the nature and measure its full
duty in the matter.
"The usual procedure was followed
as in cases of casualty or disaster to
national vessels of any maritime state.
A naval court of inquiry was at once
organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical experi
ence to discharge the onerous duties
imposed npon them, and, accompanied
by a strong force of wreckers and div
ers, the court proceeded to make a
thorough investigation on the spot,
employing every available means for an
impartial and exact determination as
to the cause of the explosion. Its oper
ations have been conducted with the
utmost deliberation and judgment,
and while independently pursued, no
source of information was neglected
and the fullest opportunity was allowed
for simultaneous investigation by the
Spanish authorities.
"The findings of the court of inquiry
were reached after 23 days' continuous
labor, on the 21st of March, and hav
ing been approved on the 22d, by the
commander-in-chief of the naval force
of the North Atlantic station, were
transmitted to the executive. It is
herewith laid before congress, together
with the voluminous testimony taken
before the court, which is in brief as
follows:
"When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by a regular govern
ment pilot to buoy No. 4, to which she
was moored in from b to 6 fathoms
of water. The state of discipline on
board and the condition of her maga
zines, boilers, coal bunkers and storage
compartments are passed in review,
with the conclusion that excellent order
prevailed and that no indication of any
Atlanta, Ga., March 30. Firemen
responding to an alarm found the
bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Briley, white,'
j a nd Robert Wilkinson, colored, in a
; store at 75 Humphrey street, which
1 was being rapidly destroyed by fire.
The bodies were taken out witout being
i marred by the flames. All were hor
j ribly mdtilated, the instruments of
I death, a hatchet and meat knife, being
i found on the floor. Briley was the
; proprietor of the store, and it is be
lieved robbery was the motive. The
police have a number of arrests.
New York, March 30. It is ' now
said that the Mangrove, which sailed
for Havana on Friday, went there
ostensibly to bring away material saved
from the Maine, but in reality to be on
hand in case of an outbreak in Havana
so that Americans could take refuge on
the vessel, says the Key West corre
spondent of the Herald.
Traffic or. the railroad between Tien-1
tsin and Fekin has increased so much
that a doable track must be laid at
once. .. L r. ,
cause for internal explosion existed in
any quarter.
"At 8 o'clock in the evening, on
February 15, everything had been re
ported secure and all was quiet. At
40 minutes past 9 o'clock the vessel
was suddenly destroyed. There were
two distinct explosions with brief in
tervals between them. The first lifted
the forward part of the ship very per
ceptibly, the second, which was more
prolonged, is attributed by the court to
the partial explosion of two or more of
the forward magazines.
"The evidence of the divers estab
lishes that the after part of the ship
was practically intact, and sank in that
condition a very few minutes after the
explosion. The forward part was com
pletely demolished.
"Upon the evidence of concurrent
exteral cause, the finding of the court
is as follows:
" 'At frame 17, the outer shell of
the ship, from a point 113 feet from
the middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in normal posi
tion, had been forced to about four feet
above the surface of the water, there
fore, about 34 feet above where it
would have been had she sunk unin
jured. The outside bottom plating is
bent into a reversed "V" shape, the
after wing of which, about 15 feet
broad and 32 feet long (from frame 17
to frame 25), is doubled back upon it
self against a continuation of the same
plating extending forward.
" 'At frame 18, the vertical keel is
broken in two and bent into a singular
angle, formed by the outside plates.
This break is about six feet below the
surface of the water and about 30 feet
above its normal position.
" 'In the opinion of the court this
effect could have been produced only
by the explosion of a mine situated un
der the bottom of the ship at about
frame 18, and somewhat on the port
side of the ship.'
"The conclusions of the court are:
" 'The loss of the Maine was not in
any respect due to the fault of or negli
gence on the part of any officer or
member of her crew.
" 'That the ship was- destroyed by
the explosion of a submarine mine,
which caused a partial explosion of
two or more of her forward magazines,
and that no evidence has been obtain
able fixing the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any per
son or persons.'
"I have directed that the finding of
the court of inquiry and the views of
this government theron be communicat
ed to the government of her majesty,
the queen regent of Spain, and I do
not permit myself to doubt that the
sense of justice of the Spanihs nation
will dictate a course of action suggested
by honor and friendly relations of the
two governments.
"It is the duty of the executive toad
vise congress of the result and in the
meantime deliberate consideration is
invoked. WILLIAM M'KLNLEY.
"Executive Mansion, March 28, 1898."
PERISHED ON AN ICE FLOE.
Terrible Fate of Forty-Seven Sailor on
a Newfoundland Sealing Steamer.
St. John's, N. F., March 30. The
steamer Greenland has reached this
harbor with a grewsome cargo.'. T wen ty
iour corpses were on deck and 55 men
were moaning in terrible suffering in
the hold in the pain of frostbitten
limbs and bodies. The dead bodies
were on the decks disfigured and almost
unrecognizable. The effects of the ter
rible suffering which they had endured
presented one of the most horrible sight
human eyes ever beheld.
The frostbitten men number 55. All
will recover.
The Greenland set sail from St.
John's about the first of March on her
fateful voyage. She was commanded
by Captain George Barbour, and car
ried a crew of nearly 300 sealhunters.
The steamer proceeded northward with
the rest of the sealing fleet, but after
a couple of hours she diverged on a
separate tack, and reached the hunting
grounds not long after. All went well
until. Tuesday last. Seals were quickly
encountered, and several good packs
were secured.
On Tuesday morning the . hunters
left the ship about 7 o'clock, as usual,
when the lookout reported ice plentiful
around them- The men were clad in
light clothing, for the slaughtering of
seals in exhausting work. Scattered
over the ice field, they wandered far
from the protection of the ship,; and a
gale and snowstorm shut them out from
view. The ice floe parted and they
drifted away from the steamer. Long
ere the storm subsided many of the un
fortunate fellows had succumbed to the
terrible cold and exposure. Those who
did not die were terribly frosbitten and
suffered excrutiating pain.
The long night passed, but morning
brought no help, for the storm still
raged and the atmosphere was thick
with snow driven by the gale. Snow
continued nearly all day, and the
evening brought no cessation to the
high wind. Another night was passed
in untold agony. Some of the victims
had already given up hope, and in de
spair laid down and died. Every hour
witnessed at least two deaths.
Toward morning the storm subsided
and clear weather enabled the survivors
to see that the Greenland was not far
away, searching for the missing. The
steamer bore down on the drifting field
Of ice, and began the work of picking
up the stark bodies, of the dead and the
lifeless bodies of the living.
Summer Garden on Wheels.
Dayton, O., boasts of a "trolley
party" car worthy of the name, one
which is not simply an ordinary car
decorated' with a multiplicity of incandescent-
lamps. This car is provid
ed with charis, instead of seats, and
several tables, all of which are portable
and may be placed in any position that
is mOBt convenient and comfortable.
Another feature of the car is a refriger
ator, where. refreshments may be stored
and served on the car if desired. Awn
ings are also provided to shield the pas
sengers from view or from the sun if
the trip is made in daytime. The
summer garden on wheels rents for $ 19
an evening and has proved extremly
popular in the past.
Cowboys Want to Fight.
Cheyenne, Wyo., March 28. Gov
ernor Richards has an offer from George
Shanlon, a well-known Laramie cow
boy, to raise within 10 days' notice a
company of 50 rough-riders and expert
shots for service in the event of war.
The men will furnish their own mounts
and equipments. The offer will be
accepted if war should come. 4
Barely Admits There
Was an Explosion.
DIFFERS MUCH FROM OURS
A Full Synopsis of the Report of the
Spanish Naval Commission Com
plete Text of the American Court of
Inquiry Into the Maine Disaster.
Washington, March 30. A full syn
opsis of the report of the Spanish naval
commission which investigated the de
struction of the battle-ship Maine is
here given. It is taken from a copy of
the original report, which is now on its
way here from Havana, the synopsis
being cabled and today being in the
hands of this government.
The conclusions are directly opposite
to those in the report of the court of in
quiry submitted to congress today.
The synopsis is as follows:
The report contains declarations
made by ocular witnesses and experts.
From these statements it deduces and
proves the absence of all those attend
ant circumstances which are invariably
presented on the occasion of the explo
sion of a torpedo.
The evidence of witnesses compara
tively close to the Maine at the moment
is to the effect that only one explosion
occurred; that no column of water was
thrown into the air; that no shock to
the side of the nearest vessel was felt,
nor on land was any vibration noticed,
and that no dead fish were found.
The evidence of the senior pilot of
the harbor states that there is abund
ance of fish in the harbor, and this is
corroborated by other witnesses. The
assistant engineer of the works states
that after explosions were made during
the execution of works in the harbor,
he has always found dead fish. The
divers were unable to examine the
bottom of the Maine, which was buried
in the mud, but a careful examination
of the sides of the vessel, the rents andj
breaks, which all point outward, shows
without a doubt that the explosion was
from the inside. ;
A minute examination of the bottom
of the harbor around the vessel shows
absolutely no sign of the action of a
torpedo, and the judge-advocate of the
commission can find no precedent for
the explosion of the storage magazine of
the vessel by a torpedo. ;
The report makes clear that owing to
the. sepcial nature of the proceedings
following, the. commission paa been
prevented from making such an exami
nation of the inside of the vessel as
would determine even the hypothesis
of the internal origin of the accident.
This is to be attributed to the regret
table refusal to permit a necessary con
nection of the Spanish commission with
the commander and crew of the Maine,
and the different American officers
commissioned to investigate the cause
of the accident, and later with those
employed on salvage work.
The report finishes by stating that
an examination of the inside and out
side of the Maine, as soon as such ex
amination may be possible, as also of
the bottom where the vessel rests, sup
posing that the Maine's wreck be not
totally altered in the process of extrica
tion, will wanant the belief that the
explosion was udoubtedly due to some
interior cause.
AMERICAN REPORT IN DETAIL.
Full Text of the Findings of the Maine
Court of Inquiry.
TJ. S. S. Iowa, first rate.
Key West, Fla., Monday, March 21,
1898. After a full ' and mature considera
tion of all the testimony before it, the
court finds as follows: ,1
First That the United States battle-ship
Maine arrived in the harbor of Havana,
Cuba, on the 21st day of January, 1898,
and was taken to buoy No. 4, in 5 to 6
fathoms of water, by the regular govern
ment pilot. The United States consul then
at Havana had notified the authorities
at that place the preyipus evening of
the intended arrival of the Maine.
Second The state of discipline on board
the Maine was excellent, and all orders
and regulations in regard to the care and
safety of the ship were strictly carried
out. AH ammunition was stowed away in
accordance with instructions, and proper,
care was taken whenever ammunition
was handled. Nothing was stored in any
one of the magazines or shellrooms which
was not permitted to be stowed there.
The magazines and shellrooms were al
ways locked after having been opened;
and after the destruction of the Maine
the keys were found in their proper place
in the captain's cabin, everything hav-.
ing been reported secure that evening at
8 P. M. The temperature of the maga
zines and shellrooms were taken dally
and reported. The only magazine which
had an undue amount of heat was the
after 10-inch magazine, and that did nol
explode at the time the Maine was de
stroyed. The torpedo warheads were ail
stowed in the after part of the ship under
the ward room, and neither caused nor
participated In the destruction of the
Maine. The dry gun-cotton primers, and
detonators, were stowed in the cabin aft;
A Famous Inventor.
Salem, Mass.. March 80. Abner
Cheney Goodall. died here, aged 83
years. He perfected the first printing
press that printed on both sides in one
operation. He also invented the
cracker machine and perfected the
preparation of copper and steel plates
for use by engravers.
Great preparations are being made
for the stockgrowers' convention to be
held in Denver next January.
Effort to Save Worden.
San Francisco, March 30. Dr. A. M.
Gardiner, of the Napa insane asylum,
will go East this week to secure in
various localities in the United States
affidavits of a number of people as to
the sanity or insanity of Salter D.
Worden, the trainwrecker, now at
Folsom under sentence of death.
The governor of Connecticut does not
have the power to pardon or to commute
punishment of' -criminals, -the state
board of pajdons of fiye: members hav
ing sole jurisdiction, in such cases.
and remote from the scene of the explo
sion. The waste was carefully looked after
on board the Maine to obviate danger.
Special orders In regard to this had been
given by the commanding officer. Var
nishes, dryers, alcohol and other com
bustibles of this nature, were stowed on
or above the main deck, and could not
have had anything to do with the de
struction of the Maine. The medicar
stores were stowed aft. under the ward
room, and remote from the scene of the
explosion. No dangerous stores of any
kind were stowed below in any of the
other storerooms, or in the coalbunkers.
Of those bunkers adjoining the forward
magazine and shellrooms, four were
empty; namely, B3, B4, B5, B6. A15 had
been in use that date, and A16 was full
of new river coal. This coal had been
carefully inspected before receiving It on
board. The bunker in which it was stowed
was accessible on three sides at all times,
and the fourth side at this time, on ac
count of bunkers B4 and B6 being empty.
This fc;::iker, A16, had been inspected that
day by the engineer officer on duty. The
fire alarms in the bunkers were in work
ing order, and there had never been a
case of spontaneous combustion of coal
on board the Maine. The two after boil
ers of the ship were in use at the time of
the disaster, but for .auxiliary purposes
only, with a comparatively low pressure
of steam and being tended by a reliable
watch. These boilers could not have
caused the explosion of the ship. The
forward boilers of the ship have since
been found by the divers, and are in fair
condition. On the night of the destruction
of the Maine, everything had been re
ported secure for the night at 8 P. M.
by reliable persons, through proper au
thorities to the commanding officer. At
the time the Maine was destroyed the
ship was quiet, and therefore the least
liable to accident caused by movements
from those on board.
Third The destruction of the Maine oc
curred at 9:40 P. M. on the 15th day of
February, 1898, in the harbor of Havana,
Cuba, being at the time moored to the
very same buoy to which she had been
taken upon her arrival. There were
two. explosions, of a distinctly different
character, a very short but distinct in
terval between them, and the forward
part of the ship was lifted to a marked
degree at the time of the first explosion.
The first explosion was more In the na
ture of a report, lika, that of a gun,
while the second explosion was more
open, prolonged, and of a greater vol
ume. The second explosion was, In the
opinion of the court, caused by the par
tial explosion of two or more of the for
ward magazines of the Maine.
Condition of the Wreck.
Fourth The evidence bearing on this
being principally obtained from divers,
did not enable the court to form a defi
nite conclusion as to the condition of
the wreck, although it was established
that the after part of the ship was prac
tically intact, and sank in that condition
a very few minutes after the destruction
of the forward part. The following facts
in regard to the forward part of the ship
are, however, established by the testi
mony r-
That portion of the short' Biae of the
protected deck which extends from about
frame 30 to about frame 41, was blown
up aft and over to port. The main deck
from about frame 30 to about frame 41
was blown up aft and slightly over to
starboard, folding the forward part of
the middle superstructure over and on top
of the floor part. This was, in the opinion
of the court, caused by the partial explo
sion of two or more of the forward maga
zines of the Maine.
Fifth At frame 15 the outer shell of the
ship from a point 11 feet from the mid
dle line of the ship, and six feet above
the keel, when in its normal position, has
been forced up, so as to be about four feet
above the surface of the water, there
fore about 34 feet above where it would be
had the ship sunk uninjured. The outsid
bottom plating is bent into a reversed
V-shape, the after wing of which, about
15 feet broad and 32 feet in length (from
frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon
itself; against the continuation of the
same plating extending forward.
; At frame 80 the vertical keel is broken
In two, and the flat keel bent into an 1
angle similar to the angle formed by the
outside bottom plating. This break is
now about six feet below the surface of
the water, and about 10 feet above its
normal position. In the opinion of the
court, this effect could have been pro
duced only by the explosion of a mine,
situated under the bottom of the ship, at
about frame 18, and somewhat on the
port side of the ship.
Sixth The court finds that the loss of
the Maine on the occasion named was
not in any respect due to fault or negli
gence on the part of any of the officers
or members of the- crew of said vessel.
Seventh In the opinion of the court,
the Maine was destroyed by the explo
sion of a submarine mine, which caused
the partial explosion of two or more of
her forward magazines.
Eighth The court has been unable to
obtain evidence fixing the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine upon
any person or persons.
. W...T. SAMPSON,
Captain, U. s N., President.
A. H. MARIX.
J. S. N., Commander, Judge-Advocate.
The court having finished the inquiry it
was ordered to make, adjourned at 11
A. M., to await the action of the con
vening authority.
W. T. SAMPSON,
Captain, U. S. N., President.
A. H. MARIX,
U. S. N., Lieutenant-Commander, U. S.
N., Judge-Advocate.
U. S. Flagship New York. March 22,
1898, Off Key "West, Fla.
The proceedings and findings of the
court of inquiry . in the above case
are approved. M. SICARD.
Rear-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief, U. S.
Naval Force of the North Atlantic.
Russia in Full Possession.
Peking, March 30. The Chinese gar
risons were withdrawn today from Port
Arthur and Talien-Wan. The Russian
standard and Russian .flag were hoisted
at both places.
Resistance Urged.
Yokohama, March 30. The unoffi
cial section of the press is actively urg
ing the government to resist Russia's
action in China, but the official press
is silent. The diet will meet May 2.
Fannie Davenport Dying.
Chicago, March 30. Miss Fanny
Davenport, the actress, passed a com
paratively comfortable night. Later
jn the day, it was acknowledged by
those in attendance upon the celebrated
actress that the patient was at death's
door, and slender hopes of her recovery
(are entertained. 1
Russia In Full Possession.
Pekin, March 83. The Chinese gar
risons Were withdrawn today from Port
iArthur and Talien-Wan. The Russian
standard and -Russian flag" were hoisted
at both places. .
CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S STORY.
His Detailed Testimony Before the
Board Retarding the Disaster.
WASHINGTON, March 30. Captain
Sigsbee, in testifying before the court of
Inquiry, said that he assumed command
of the Maine April 10, 1897, and that his
ship anchored in the harbor' of Havana
the last time January 24, 1898. The au
thorities at Havana knew of the Maine's
doming, Consul-General Lee having in
formed the authorit'es according to offi
cial custom. After he took on an official
pilot, sent by the captain, of the port of
Havana, the ship was berthed in the man-of-war
anchorage, off the Machina, or the
Shears, and according to his understand
ing, it was one of the regular buoys of
the place. He then stated that he had
been in Havana in 1872, and again in 1S98.
He could not state whether the Maine
was placed in the usual berth for men-of-war,
but said that he had heard remarks
since the explosion, using Captains Ste
vens, temporarily in command of the
Ward Line steamer City of Washington,
as authority for the statement, that he
had never known, in all his experience,
which covered visits to Havana for five
or six years, a man-of-war to be anchored
at that buoy, that he had rarely known
merchant vessels to be anchored there,
and that It was the least used buoy in
the harbor.
The Maine's Surroundings.
In describing the surroundings when
first moored to the buoy, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man-of-war Al
fonso XIII was anchored in the position
now occupied by the Fern, about 250
yards to the northward and westward
from the Maine. The German ship Grie
senau was anchored at the berth now oc
cupied by the Spanish man-of-war Le
Caspo, which is about 400 yards due north
from the Maine. He then located the
German man-of-war Charlote, which came
into the harbor a day or two later, whioh
was anchored to the southward of the
Maine's berth about 400 or 500 yards. In
describing the surroundings at the time
of the explosion. Captain Sigsbee stated
that the night was calm and still. The
Alfonso XIII was at the same berth.
The small Spanish dispatch boat, Le
Caspo, had come out the day before and
taken the berth occupied by the German
man-of-war, the Griesenau, which had
left. The steamer City of Washington
was anchored about 200 yards to the south
and east of the Maine's stern, slightly on
the port quarter.
The Coal Was Safe.
The Maine coaled at Key West, taking
on about 150 tons, the coal being regularly
inspected, and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally
in the forward bunkers. No report was
received from the chief engineer that any
coal had been too long in the bunkers,
and that the fire alarms in the bunkers
were sensitive.
The regulations regarding imflammables
and paints on board, Captain Sigsbee
testified, were strictly carried out in re
gard to storage, and that waste also was
subject to the same careful disposition.
The inflammables were stored in chests
according to the regulations, and inflam
mables in excess of chest capacity, were
allowed to be kept in the bathroom of the
admiral's cabin.
Regarding the electric plant of the
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding, nor sudden
flaring up of the lights before the explo
sion, but a sudden and total eclipse.
As for regulations affecting the taking
of the temperature of the magazines, etc.,
Captain Sigsbee stated there were no spe
cial regulations other than the usual regu
lations required by the department. He
examined the temperature himself, and
conversed with the ordnance officer as
to the various 'temperatures, and the con
tents of the magazines and, according to
the opinion of this officer, as well as Sigs
bee, the temperatures were never at the
danger point.
"I do not think there was any laxity in
this direction," said the captain, replying
to a question of Judge-Advocate Marix.
He had no recollection of any work go
ing on in the magazine or shell rooms be
fore the explosion. The keys were called
for in the usual way on the day in ques
tion, and were properly returned.
Relations With Spanish Authorities.
Speaking generally of the relations with
the Spanish authorities, Captain Sigsbee
stated that with the officials they were
outwardly cordial. The members of the
autonomistic council of the government,
however, seem to have brought to the at
tention of the navy department the fact
that he did not visit them, and that fact
brought embarrassment to the govern
ment at Washington., He took the ground
to the department that it was unknown
etiquette to call on the civil members of
the colonial government other than the
governors. Without waiting for such an
order, Captain Sigsbee made .a visit after
wards, and, as he states, was pleasantly
received and his visit promptly returned
by certain members of the council. A party
of ladies and gentlemen called, and the
president of the council made a speech
which Captain Sigsbee could not under
stand, but which was interpreted to him,
to which he replied.
"My reply," said Captain Sigsbee, "was
afterwards printed in at least two papers
in Havana, but the terms made me "favor
autonomist government in the island. I
am informed that the autonomistic gov
ernment in Havana Is unpopular among
a large class of Spanish and Cuban resi
dents. I have no means of knowing
whether my apparent interference in the
political concerns of the island had any
relation to the destruction of the Maine."
Exhibition of Animosity.
When asked whether there was any
demonstration of animosity by people
afloat, Captain Sigsbee said there was
never on shore, as he was informed, but
there was afloat. He related that on the
first Sunday after the Maine's arrival the
ferry-boat, crowded densely with people,
civil and military, returning from a bull
fight at Regla, passed the Maine, and
about 40 people on board indulged in yell
ing, whistling and derisive calls.
Every Precaution Taken.
During the stay in Havana, Captain
Sigsbee took more than ordinary precau
tions for the protection of the Maine by
placing sentries on the forecastle and
poop, quarter line and single decks, on
the bridge and the poop.
A corporal of the guard was especially
instructed to look out for the port gang
way, and the officer of the deck and quar
termaster were especially instructed to
look out for the starboard gangway, a
quarter-watch was kept on deck all night,
sentries' cartridge boxes filled, their arms
kept loaded, a number of rounds of rapid
fire ammunition kept in the pilot-room
and in the spare captain's pantry, and
under the aft superstructure were kept
additional supplies of shells, close at hand
for the second battery; steam was kept up
in two boilers instead of one, and positive
instructions were given to watch carefully
all the hydraulic gear and report defin
itely. He said he had given orders to the master-at-arms
to keep a careful eye on
everybody that came on board, and to
carefully observe any packages that
might be held, on the supposition that
dynamite or other high explosives might
b employed, and afterwards to Inspect
the routes these people had taken, and
not to lose sight of the order. He states
that very few people visited the ship,
Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright be
ing rather severe on visitors.
Spanish Officers on Board.
There were only two or three of the
Spanish military officers came on board,
but, according to the captain, they were
constrained, and not desirous of accepting
much courtesy. The visit was during the
absence of the captain. He said he made
every effort to have Spanish officers to
visit the ship to show his good-will, ac
cording to the spirit of the Maine's visit
to Havana, but with exceptions stated,
no military officers of Spain visited the
ship officially.
Captain Sigsbee then went Into details
regarding, the precautions in force, and
especially in relation to quarter-watches,
which, he said, had never been rescinded.
One of the cutters was in the water at
the time of the accident, and one of the
steam launches, the first, was riding at
the starboard boom. The captain said
that the night was quiet and warm, and
he remembered hearing distinctly the
echoes of the bugle at tattoo, which was
very pleasant. Stars were out, the sky,
however, being overcast. The Maine, at
the time of the explosion, was riding ap
proximately northwest, pointing toward
the Shears.
Description of the Explosion,
He then went into a description of the
explosion when he felt Lhe crash. He
characterized it as a bursting, rending
and crashing sound or roar of immense
volume, largely metallic in its character.
It was succeeded by a metallic sound,
probably of falling debris, a trembling
and lurching motion of the vessel, then
an impression of subsidence, attended by
an eclipse of electric lights and intense
darkness within his cabin. He thought
Immediately that the Maine had blown
up and she was sinking. He hurried to
the starboard cabin, but changed his
course to the passage leading to the super
structure. He detailed the manner of
meeting Private Anthony, which is much
the same as has been published.
Lieutenant - Commander Wainwright
was on deck when Captain Sigsbee
emerged from the passageway, and turn
ing to the orderly he asked for time,
which was given as 9:40 P. M. Sentries
were ordered placed about the ship, and
the forward magazine flooded. He called
for perfect silence. The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
Hg was informed that both forward and
aft magazines were under water. Then
came faint cries and white floating bodies
in the watec Boats were at once ordered
lowered, but only two were available, the
gig and whaleboat. They were lowered
and manned by officers and men, and by
the captain's directions they left the ship
and helped to save the wounded jointly
with other boats that had arrived on the
scene.
Fire amidships by this time was burn
ing fiercely, and the spare ammunition in
the pilot-house was exploding. At this
time Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright
said he thought the 10-inch magazine for
ward had been thrown up into the burn
ing mass, and might explode any time.
Everybody was then directed to get into
the boats over the stern, which was dne.
the captain getting into the gig. and then
proceeding to the City of Washington,
where he found the wounded in the dining
saloon being carefully attended by the
officers and crew of the vessel. He then
went on deck and observed the wreck for
a few minutes, and gave directions to
have a muster taken on board the City
of Washington and other vessels, and sat
down in the captain's cabin and dictated
a telegram to the navy department.
Spaniards Express Sympathy.
Various Spanish officials came on board
and expressed sympathy and sorrow for
the accident. The representatives of
General Blanco and of the admiral of the
station were among the Spanish officials
who tendered their sympathies. About
four or five men were found that night
who survived. By the time Captain Sigs
bee reached the quarterdeck it was his
impression that an overwhelming explo
sion had occurred. When he came from
the cabin he was practically blinded for
a few seconds. His only thought was for
the vessel, and he took no note of the
phenomena of the explosion. In reply to
the question of whether any of the mag
azines or shellrooms were blown up, the
captain said it was extremely difficult to
come to any conclusion. The center of
the explosion was beneath and a little
forward of the conning tower on the port
side. In the region of the center or axis
of the explosion was the six-inch reserve
magazine, which contained very little
powder, about 300 pounds. The 10-inch
magazine was in the same general re
gion, but on the starboard side. Over
the 10-inch magazine in the loading room
of the turret, and in the adjoining pas
sage, a number of 10-inch shells were per
manently located. According to Captain
Sigsbee it would be difficult to conceive
the explosion involved the 10-inch maga
zine, because of the location of the ex
plosion, and none of the reports show that
any 10-inch shells were hurled into the air
because of the explosion.
Details of the Second Explosion.
The captain went into details as to the
location of the small explosion. He said
that he did not believe that the forward
or 10-inch magazine blew up. The loca
tion of the gun cotton was aft, under the
cabin. He stated that he had examined
the wreck himself, conversed with other
officers and men, but, as the Spanish
authorities were very much adverse to an
investigation, except officially, on the
grounds, as stated by the Spanish admir
alty, that the honor of Spain was in
volved, he fonebore to examine the sub
marine portion of the wreck for the cause
of the explosion until the day the court
convened.
He said the discipline of the ship was
excellent. The marine guard was in ex
cellent condition. The report of the medi
cal department shows that about one
man and a quarter per day were on the
sick list during the past year. In the
engineers' department the vessel was al
ways ready and always responsive. He
paid a tribute to the crew, and said that
a quieter, better-natured lot of men he
had never known on board of any ves
sel in which he had served. He had no
fault to find with the behavior of any
man at the time of the disaster, and
considered their conduct admirable. On
his examination by the court, Captain
Sigsbee said that the highest temperature
he could discover was 112. but that was
in the after magazine, the temperature in
the forward magazines being considerably
lower. There was no loose powder kept
in the magazines. All the coal bunkers
were ventilated through air tubes exam
ined weekly by the chief engineer, and
were connected electrically to the annun
ciator near his cabin door. The forward
coal bunkers on the port side were full.
The forward coal bunkers on the star
boat side was half full, and it was being
used at the time of the explosion.
Coal Bunkers Not Hot.
Captain Sigsbee, being recalled, stated
that he had detailed Lieutenant-Commander
Wainwright, Lieutenant Holman
and Chief Engineer Holman, all of the
Maine, to obtain information in regard
to any outsiders who might have seen the
explosion. Captain Sigsbee also gave as
his opinion that if coal bunkers A16 had
been so hot as to be dangerous to the 6
lnch reserve magazine, that this condition
would have been shown on three sides
where the bunker was exposed, and that
men constantly passing to and fro by it
would have necessarily noticed any un
due heat. Captain Sigsbee was recalled
and examined as to the ammunition on
board the Maine. He stated that there
were no high explosives, guncotton, deto
nators or other material In magazines or
shell rooms which the regulations prohib
ited. He testified that no warheads had
been placed on torpedoes since he had
had command of the ship.
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
It is stated that sharks have now pen
etrated into the Mediterranean through
the Suez canal from the Red sea.
In Franoe there have been found only
two criminals whose measurement by
the Bertillon system coincided.
The Adams homestead at Quincy,
Miss., has been restored under the di
rection of the Quirioy Historical Society.
The largest room in the world under
one roof and unbroken by pillars is at
St. Petersburg. It is 620 feet long by
120 in breadth.
Ginger is a tropical production of
Mexico, where it grows wild. It has
been cultivatded from an early period
to tropical Asia.
The oldest city in the world is Nip
pur, the "Older Bel" of Babylon; the
foundations were laid 7,000 years B. C.
and the ruins have lately been un
earthed. Sardines are now being packed in
glass bottles, low wide-mouthed shape.
They look much cleaner and they are
far handier than the old-fashioned
tins.
A substitute for honey has been in
troduced in Germany under the name
of sugar-honey, and consists of sugar,
water, minute amounts of mineral sub
stances and free acid.
The Rev. Thomas Loxbam, who for
47 years has been reotor of a church
near Bolton, England, has given $60,
000 to a part of his parish for the erec
tion of a church and schools.
Epitome of the Telegraphic
News of the World.
fERSE TICKS FROM THE WIRES
In Interesting Collection of Items From
the New and the Old World In a
Condensed and Comprehensive form
The United States supreme court has
decided that a person born in this coun
try of Chinese parents is entitled to
citizenship.
Chicago Typographical union has tel
egraphed the Illinois representatives in
congress calling for the intervention of .
the United States toward ending the
inhuman war in Cuba.
Prank B. Clark, of Chicago, has pur
chased 1,000 feet of river frontage at
Linnton, a few miles below Portland,
Or., and is negotiating for more. He
will construct a large ehip-building
plant.
A diet kitchen and dispensary, where
2,000 sick will be cared for daily has
been started in Havana. The kitchen
was built by the central committee, and
serves its purpose excellently. The sick
and feeble will find the dispensary a
great source of comfort and help.
The dispatch of the British fleet from
Halifax to Bermuda, following the agi
tation for an Anglo-American alliance,
is considerably commented upon by
diplomats in London. The authorities
explain that it is merely considered de
sirable that the British ships should be
in the vicinity of Cuba in order to
safely guard British commerce and
British subjects, in case of war. The
idea of Anglo-American co-operation in
Cuba is- scouted.
The levee on the Wabash river, near
Sullivan, Ind., went out with a break
of 100 feet, entailing a loss of $100,000.
Twenty thousand acres of land are
overflowed, and hundreds of families
are rendered homeless and destitute.
Citizens are responding for miles
around in the effort to remove families
and stock. Hundreds of cattle and
horses are hemmed in. Such a rush of
water was never known in this section
of the country before.
Deep interest is felt in Havana in
the news received from the United
States. La Lucha, in an editorial,
says: "The United States' note to
Spain demanding that a date be fixed
to end hostilities is simply a declara
tion of war. It was not issued until
after the finding of the United States
court of inquiry had been received,
which finding is without scientific
basis, and is open to question even
upon the part of the most prejudiced."
The most sigirfistaut of the nava' or
ders issued by the navy dejHWnent re
cently was the detachment of Com
mander Horace M. Elmer, from Cramps'
ship yard, and ordering him to duty
"in the mosquito fleet. " This auxiliary
organization of the navy, which is to
he called into service in time of war,
is to be composed of small craft of all
kinds that may be obtainable by the
department upon whioh a gun may be
mounted, and other defensive devices
placed. As far as practicable, it is the
intention of the department that there
shall be a separate set of ships for the
defense of the seaooast cities, the whole
to compose the "mosquito fleet." In
the event of necessity for a rendezvous
of several of these local fleets it can be
arranged, as the primary idea is for
each local fleet to form the "mobile de
fense" of the particular city where it
will be called into service to assist in
furnishing armament for vessels, and
in the event of war, naval officers will
be assigned to the command of each of
the several local fleets.
An explosion occurred at the Mano
wan coal mine near Monongahela City,
Pa. Two men are known to have been
killed. Five were injured, and from
15 to 25 are said to be entombed in the
mine.
An explosion took place at San
Rafael, Cal., at the United States
smokeless powder works, which result
ed in the death of two men, Charles
A. Jenks and Charles Nelson, who were
employed in the material room. Two
buildings were completely destroyed,
and the roofs torn off the other build
ings close by and windows broken for
miles around.
A Havana dispatch alleges that Captain-General
Blanco and General Man
terola have notified the Madrid govern
ment that they will resign their offices
if the Spanish torpedo fleet is to be de
tained at the Canaries in obedience to
the demand of President Merlin ley.
Captain Eulate, of the Vizcaya, is also
alleged to have sent a similar message
to the Spanish admiralty.
Chaplain Chidwick, of the Maine,
has completed his mortuary report,
which shows that 257 men and two
officers perished in the catastrophe.
Six succumbed to their injuries while
lying in San Ambrosio hospital; one
died on the Spanish transport; 171
bodies have been recovered from the
wreck, of which 61 have been identified;
161 have been buried in Colon cemetery
and 11 at Key West. This is the offi
cial report, made public after careful
correction.
After being opened to the publio for
more than five years for recreation pur
poses, Castle island, in Boston harbor,
has been closed. Orders from Wash
ington to this effect have been expect
ed ever since the work of handling ex
plosives was begun at Fort Independ
ence on the island some three weeks
ago. More than a score of men have
been at work painting torpedo shells
and getting ready the wiring and other
necessary preliminaries to laying
them in position in the harbor if
necessary.
A dispatch to the New York Herald
from Valparaiso says: Chile is con
fronted by another ministerial crisis.
Members of the cabinet have been dis
missed, and to Senor Eulojo Altimar
ina has been intrusted the work of
forming a new cabinet. The confi
dence of all political parties is now
sought by the government in view of
the seriousness of internal and foreign
affairs. In private circles one hears
nothing but war talk. Generally it is
believed that a conflict is unavoidable,
but there is good reason to believe that
Chile will not declare war. Argentina,
has too much to lose to do so.