Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-03-31
MAINE REPORT.
Associated Press Abstract Of What
the Official Document Contains.
Was Blown Up by n Mine--rbe Court De-
olares IL Cannot Find Evidence to Fix
Responsibility ON.
GERS ExOnerated.


WASHINGTON, March 2s.-The Assoc
ciated press presents herewith n COM
plete abstract of the report of the court
of inquiry which investigated the
wreckage of the battleship Maine.
The abstract is made from the report
itself, access to which was obtained
yesterday, despite official secrecy un-
paralleled in the handling of official
papers The report is made up of eight
parts, as follows:
First-The court finds that at the time OF the
explosion the battleship Maine was lying in
| Ave and one-half TO six fathOms OF water
Second-The discipline aboard the ship was
excellent; everything slowed according TO Or
contamination, guns, stores, etc The tenn
perature OF the magazines at eight p. m. was
normal, except in the ten-inch magazine and
that did not explode
| Third-The explosion occurred at 9:4O o'clock
on the evening OF February To- There were
two explosions with very short interval be-
| tween them; the ship lifted on the first eXplo-
sion.
Fourth-The court can form no definite opin-
| ion OF the condition OF the wreck from the
divers evidence.
| Tlfth-TechnlcHl details OF wreckage from
which court deduces that mine was exploded
under the ship on the port side.
| Sixth-The explosion was due to no fault OF
| those on board
the explosion Of the mine caused the explosion
OF two magazines.
| Eighth-The court declares that II cannot
find evidence to fx responsibility.
The report is unanimous and is
signed by all the members of the
court. 1t does not refer to the exist
ence or non-eXistence of the mine in
the harbor of Havana except in the
specific finding that mine was ex-
ploded under the ship and the opinion
that the explosion of the two maga-
zines was caused by the explosion of a
mine. The. report as whole is for
NAL, dispassionate recital of facts,
and bears the stamp of that strict Off
cialism which marks naval procedure.
1t is brief, not exceeding 1900 words,
and among the eight parts goes to the
greatest length under the second head
ing, which deals with the discipline
and order of the ship. This the court
specifies with extreme minuteness, the
least detail of the satisfactory condi-
ton of everything on board being
given.
The normal temperature of the large
forward magazines at eight o'clock
only an hour and 40 minutes before the
xplosion-disposes of the question of
accidental combustion within these
magazines. While the court holds
these magazines did not explode from
internal causes, they nevertheless are
of the opinion that the explosion of
the mine under the port side of the
ship caused the explosion of the two
magazines This will explain the re-
markable destruction wrought, the ex-
plosion thus being shown to have COM
bined the force of mine without and
the two magazines within. The two ex-
plosions, which the court finds to have
occurred, with very short interval
between them, is an additional detail
showing that two forces operated in
causing the destruction. The finding
that the ship lifted on the first ex-
plosion indicates an external source
and one of tremendous power to be
able to lift battleship of thousands of
tons. The character of the wreckage,
technically described in the fifth part
of the report, from which the court
deduces that mine was exploded un-
der the ship on the port side, sustains
the view taken by some experts short
ly after the disaster that the force of
the explosion was eXerted from port to
starboard.
The feature of the report of deepest
interest to the navy is the complete ex-
oneration of Capt. Sigsbee and all on
board, contained in the second finding,
setting forth the perfect order and dis
oipline prevailing on the ship, and
more directly stated in the sixth find
ing, which declares the disaster to be
due to no fault of those on board. The
inability of the court to find evidence
to fix responsibility, as stated in the
eighth part, makes the report so
guarded in expression of blame that
neither Spain nor the Spanish are men
toned throughout.