The herald., 1898-03-26

REPORT ON MAINE
PLACED IN THE HANDS OF THE
PRESIDENT
CONTENTS MADE KNOWN
TO MEMBERS OF M'KINLEY's
CABINET
CONGRESS 70 GET 1T MONDAY
Pending Full Information the Public
Is Made Aware of the Nature
of the Findings
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON. March 25.-The report
of the Maine Court of Inquiry is now in the
hands of President Mckinley. The for
NAL transmission of this momentous doc
ument was accomplished at 940 o'clock
this morning. 1t was delivered by Lieut.
Commander Mark, Judge-Advocate Of the
Court Of Inquiry, to Secretary Long, ana
by tho latter taken to the White House
and handed to the President.
Lieut.. Commander Mark and Lieut..
Carl Jungen left the Ebbtt House, where
they had kept the report through the night,
a few minutes before o'clock. They were
in civilian dress and attracted little atten-
tion along the street as they proceeded to-
ward the Navy Department. Lieut.. Jun
gen carried q large canvas bag or portfolio
enclosed by straps, containing the report.
They arrived at the department at exact
ly 8 o'clock.
Secretary Long was already at his desk
in anticipation of their coming. The two
officers proceeded to the office of the Judge
Advocate General. in accordance with the
naval regulations.
Judge Advocate General Lemly greeted
the officers and together they went direct
to the Secretary's office q colored messen-
ger going ahead with the report. They
were ushered into the Secretary's office.
where the formal delivery was made by
Lieut. Commander Mark.
Captain Lemly then retired. and for 20
minutes Messrs. Long and Mark were to-
gether. Tho Secretary did not, however,
open the report.
At 9:35 o'clock Secretary Long came
from his office with Mr. Mark and pro-
ceeded to the White House. The report
,A;1l ,so1 H..
mander, while Mr.. Long had in his hand a
long sheet of transparent paper, such as
maps are made on, wound on wooden
roller The Secretary also carried large
black bag.
Mr.. Long cordially greeted the group of
newspaper correspondents and remarked
that he had not opened the report and knew
no more than they did of it's contents. Then
they stepped into the Navy Department
brougham and were driven around 10 the
main entrance of the White House. 1t was
9;SS as the Secretary and Mr.. Mark entered
the White House doors They did not go
direct to the Presidents office but passed
through to the private corridor on the
first floor and thence to the blue room to
await the President. He had been in his
office before their arrival, but at the mo-
ment was in the residence portion of the
house. Two minutes later the Secretary
and Lieutenant-Com Mark Joined
the President in his library and the report
of the Maine Court was formally delivered
to the Chief Executive.
The arrival of the report hardly created
q ripple of excitement at the White House
except among tho newspaper correspon-
dents gathered there.
Assistant Secretary Day had called about
9 o'clock but as the President was at
breakfast he retired and returned at TO-
Secretary Alger also came about half an
hour later and was followed by the Post
master-General and Secretary Bliss.
The other members of the Cabinet did not
arrive until about the usual hour for meet
ing, II o'clock.
Secretary Long remained with the Presi-
dent continually up to the assembling of
the Cabinet Secretary Long and Com
mander Mark, it was understood, did not
exchange word regarding the contents of
the report UP to the time they met the
President. After formally receiving the
report the Secretary invited Commander
Mark to wait until he had gone through the
important dispatches and reports arriving
during the night and early morning. This
done, Mr.. Long asked Commander Mark to
accompany him to the White House and
the report was formally delivered to the
President In the manner already stated.
There were no callers at the White
House this morning, either from the Sem
ate or the House, and other visitors were
told that the President was engaged and
could not be seen.
Secretary Long returned to his depart
ment about o'clock. About Ills the Cabi-
net took a recess until o'clock.
In answer to inquiries 1t was stated that
after the report had been carefully read a
general discussion followed Of it's principal
features. Lieutenant Commander Marix
was called in, and in answer to queries ex-
planned some matters not fully covered by
the report. Further than this no state
ment would be made or ifitimation given
by any Cabinet officer as to the contents of
the report until 1t was transmitted to Con-
gress next Monday.
WHAT 1T SHOWS
WASHINGTON, March 2.-One of the
highest officials in the service of the gov
ernment said definitely today that the re-
port OF the Main Court of Inquiry shows
that the explosion was due to external
causes. 1t was impossible to get from him
any additional exact information though
the impression was gathered after a series
OIL questions tnat the board had not located
the cause beyond that it was external.
The Board of Inquiry into the loss Of the
Maine finds that the explosion which de-
stroyed the Maine was from the outside
and does not fix the responsibility for the
disaster. 1t does not express an opinion
as to the character of the explosive. hut
the Testimony goes to show that was
powerful submarine mine, the exact char
acter of which is not determined by the
testimony, though the belief was expressed
that it was what is known as floating SUBJ
marine NINE
There were two explosions. the board
finds.
The first was from the outside, and that
set of one of the smaller magazines.
THE SPANISH REPORT
MADRID, March 25.-The Spanish. Min
lister Of Marine, Admiral Bermeio. was
engaged all night in deciphering the dis
patch from the admiral in command of
Cuban waters, containing complete details
of the findings of the Spanish INQUIRY
Commission into the loss of the Maine.