The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-04-02

AtAb III NAAOhA ohAC - ldIlC sD. II NOuOICu
back upon itself against the continuation Of the
same plating extending forward
At frame IS the vertical keel is broken in two
and the keel bent into an angle simailr to the
angle formed for the outside plates This
break is about six feet below the surface Of the
water and about thirty feet above its normal
position.
have been produced only by the explosion Of a
mine situated under the bottom OF the ship at
about frame IS, and somewhat on the port side
Of the ship.
The conclusions Of the court are:
That the loss Of the Maine was not in any re-
spect due to fault or negligence on the part Of
any Of the officers or members of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the explosion
Of a submarine mine, which caused the partial
explosion Of two or more Of her forward maya
zines; and,
That no evidence has been obtainable fixing
the responsibility for the destruction OF the
Maine upon any person or persons.
1 have directed that the finding OF the court
Of inquiry and the views of this government
thereon be communicated to the government OF
her majesty, the queen. and l do not permit
myself to doubt that the sense of justice Of the
Spanish nation will dictate 4 course of action
suggested by honor and the friendly relations Of
the two governments.
1t was the duty of the executive to advise the
congress of the result. and in the meantime de-
liberate consideration is invoked.
[Signed.l WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, March p, 1885.
Report of the Court of Inquiry.
The following is the full text of the
report of the court of inquiry:
Z. S. s. Iowa. FIRST RATE.
KEY WEST. Fla.
MONDAY, March 81. lS9S.
After full and mature consideration of all the
testimony before it. the court finds as follows:
/. That the United States battleShip Maine
arrived in the harbOr OF Havana. Cuba. on the
twenty-ffth day of January. 1898. and was taken
to buoy No. 4. in from five aad a half to six
fathoms OF water, by the regular government
pilot.
The United States consul general at Havana
had notified the authorities at that place, the
previous evening, Of the intended arrival Of the
Maine.
9. 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.
All ammunition was slowed away in accord
ance with instructions. and proper care was
taken whenever ammunition was handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one of the maya
zines or shell rooms which was not ermitted
to be slowed there.
The magazines and Shell-roomS were always
lOChtu dlJtT Hdh lHp DCtU Optutu. anu after lle
destruction of the Maine the keys were found in
their proper place in the captains cabin. every
thing having been reported secure that evening
al 8 p. m.
The temperatures OF the magazines and she'll
rooms were taken daily and reported. The only
magazine which had an undue amount of heat
was the after ten-inch magazine. and that did
not explode at the time the Maine was de-
stroyed.
The torpedo warheadS were all slowed in the
after part of the ship, under the ward room. and
neither caused nor participated in the destruc-
ton OF the Maine.
The dry gun cotton primers and detonaters
were slowed in the cabin aft, and remote from
the scene OF the explosion.
The waste was carefully looked after on board
the Maine to obviate danger. Special orders in
regard to this had been given by the command
ing officer.
Varnishes. dryers, alcohol and other COM
bustibles OF this nature were slowed on or
above the main deck, and could not have had
anything to do with the destruction of the
Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft under the
ward room, and remote from the scene Of the
explosion.
No dangerous stores Of any kind were slowed
below in any Of the other store rooms.
The coal bunkers were inspected. OF those
bunkers adjoining the forward magazines and
smell rooms, Tour were empty, namely, 81, B4,
BIS, BIG.
AIS had been in use that day, 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 slowed was a~ccessi-
BILE on three sides at all times,a and the fourth
side at this time, on account of bunkerS b and
Be being empty. This bunker 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 boilers of the ship were in use
at the time of the disaster. but for auxiliary
purposes only, with a comparatively low pres
sure of steam, and being tended by a reliable
watch.