The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-03-31

Report of Board of Inquiry Sent to
Congress With All tho Testimony Taken.
Our warship Was Blown Up by Mine.
External Explosion Caused One In In
terior-Discipline on Board the Ship
Was ExceIlent-Full Message and Re
port and Abstract of Testimony.
Washington, March 28.-The president
today sent the following message TO con-
gress:
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 advan-
tages to flow from the visit of national
ships to the Cuban waters, in accustom-
ing the people to the presence of our flag
as the symbol of good will and of our
ships in the fulfillment of the mission of
protection to American interests, even
though no immediate need therefor
might exist.
Accordingly, on the oath of January
last, after conference with the Spanish
minister, in which the renewal of visits
of our war vessels to Spanish waters
was discussed and accepted, the PENN
sular authorities at Madrid and Havana
were advised of the purpose of this gov
erAment to resume friendly naval visits
at Cuban ports, and that in that view
the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Havana. This announcement
was received by the Spanish, govern
ment with appreciation of the friendly
OBJ Of ha iSi Of he Mai NJ nd
with notification of 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 18th of jan
uary. her arrival being marked with no
special 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 ex-
citement attended her stay; on the con-
trary, a feeling of relief and confidence
followed the resumption of the long in
terrupted friendly intercourse. So no
ticeable was this immediate effect of her
visit that the consul general strongly
urged that the presence Of our ships in
Cuban waters should be kept up by re-
tanning the Maine at Havana or, in the
event of her recall, by sending another
vessel there to take her place.
At $40 in the evening of the 18th of
February the Maine was destroyed by
an explosion, by which the entire for
ward part of the ship was utterly
wrecked. In the catastrophe. two Off
GERS and 264 of her crew persisted. those
who were not killed outright by her ex-
plosion being penned between decks by
the tangle of wreckage and drowned by
the immediate sinking of the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by the
neighboring vessels In the harbor, aid
being especially given by the boats OF
the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII. and
the Ward line steamer City of Wash
ington, which lay not far distant. The
wounded were generously cared for by
the authorities of Havana the hospitals
being freely opened to them, while the
earliest recovered bodies of the dead
were inferred by the municipality in a
public cemetery in the city, Tributes OF
grief and sympathy were offered from
eli official quarters of the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people of our country with crushing
force, and for brief time an intense
excitement prevailed, which, in com
munity less just and self
than ours, might have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment This spirit, how.
ever soon gave way to the calmer pro
cesses of reason and to the resolve to in.
vestigate the facts and await materia
proof before forming judgment as to
the cause, the responsibility and tht
facts warranted, the remedy due This
course necessarily recommended itsel
from the outset to the executive for only
in the light of a dispassionately ascer.
tanned certainty will ii determine the
nature and measure of it's full duty In
the matter
The usual procedure was followed, al
in all cases of casulty to a disaster t.
national vessels of any maritime state
A naval court of inquiry was at one,
organized, composed of officers wei
qualified by rank and practical expert
ence to discharge the onerous duty i'm
posed upon them. Aided by a stron,
force of wreckers and divers, the cour
proceeded to make thorough investisa
ton on the spot, employing every avail
able means for the impartial and exac
determination of the causes of the ex
plosion. Its operations have been con
/ Quoted with the utmost elaboration ant
judgment, and. while INDEPENDENTLY nnr