Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1898-04-06

dent to-day 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 advan-
tages to follow visits of national ships
to the Cuban waters, in accustoming
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 there
for might exist.
Accordingly, on the Goth of Janu-
airy last, after a conference with the
Spanish minister, III which the renewal
of visits of our war vessels to Spanish
waters was discussed and accepted
the peninsular authorities at Madrid
and Havana were advised of the pur-
pose of this government 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 government with appreci-
alton of the friendly character of the
visit of the Maine and with notifica-
ton of intention to return the cour-
tesy 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
special incident besides the exchange
of customary saIutes 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 feeling of relief and conf
dence followed the resumption of the
long interrupted friendly Intercourse.
so noticeable was the immediate eff
feet of her visit that the consul gen
eral strongly urged that the presence
OF our ships in Cuban waters should
be kept up by retaining the Maine at
by sending another vessel there to take
her place.
AT forty minutes past 8 in the even
ing of the 10Th of February, the Maine
was destroyed by an explosion. by
which the entire forward part of the
ship was utterly wrecked. In this ca
tastrophe two officers and 2G0 of her
crew perished, those who were not
killed outright by her explosion being
penned between decks by the tangle
or wreckage and drowned by the i'm
mediate sinking of the hull. Prompt
assistance was rendered by the neigh
boring vessels anchored in the harbor.
ald being especially given by the boats
of the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII.
and the Ward line steamer City of
Washington, which lay not far distant.
The wounded We're 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 muni-
cipality 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 crushing
force and for brief time an intense
excitement prevailed, which in a com.
munity less just and self-controlled
than ours must 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 te
investigate the facts and await til,
material proof before forming a iudg
ment as TO the cause, the responsibilit,
/ and, II the facts warranted, the rene
! dy due. This course necessarily rec
commended itself from the outset to tn,
executive, for only in the light of ;
dispassionately ascertained certaint,
could it determine the nature an,
measure of its full duty in the matter
The usual procedure was followed
rs in all cases of casualty or dlsaste
10 national vessels of any MARTINI
state. naval court of inquiry wa
at once organized, composed of officer
well qualified by rank and practica
experience to discharge the onerou
duty imposed upon them. Aided b
a strong force of wreckers and diver,
the court proceeded to make a tho,
ough investigation on the spot. en-
ploylng every available means for tn
impartial and exact determination q
the causes of the explosion. Its opers
tions have been conducted with tn
utmost deliberation and Judgment, an
While independently pursued, n
source of information was neglecte
and the fullest opportunity was a
lowed for a simultaneous investigate
by the Spanish authorities.
The finding of the court of inuuir
was reached after twenty-three day
of continuous labor, on the 21st {
March, instant, and having been al
proved on the 22d by the commando
in-chief of the United States nav,
force on the North Atlantic station
was transmitted to the executive.
1t Is herewith laid before the Coz
gress, together with the voluminor
testimony taken before the court. II
purport is in brief, as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havan