New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-28
THE MAINE COURTS REPORT
COMPLETE A BSTRA CT CIV EN.
A MINE EXPLODED UNDER THE SHIPS
PORT SIDE.

A MINE EXPLODED UNDER THE SHIPS
PORT SIDE.
CAPTAIN STGSBEE EIONERATED.
AN OUTSIDE EXPLOSION SET OFF TWO OF
TIE MAGAzINEs-No EVIDENCE TO FIX
THE REsPoNsIBILITY-THE RE-
PORT A DIsPAssIONATE RE-
CITAL OF FACTS.
CThe Associa,el Abstract ot tho Court o. inquiry
Report, Copyright 1888 by The Associated Pre'')
Washington. March 21.-Thr Associated Press
presents an abstract of the report OF the
Court OF Inquiry which investigated the wreck
ing Of the battle ship Maine. This abstract Is
made from the report itself. access to whch
was obtained today. despite official secrecy un-
parallcled in the handling of official papers
The report IS made up Of eight parts. as fol
lows
First-Thc Court finds that at the time or the
explosion the battlc-ship Maine was lying III
five and one-haf to six fathoms Of water.
second The discipline aboard the ship was
excellent: everything slowed according to or
derS ammunition, guns. stores, etc.
The temperature of the magazines at ) p IN.
was normal except in the after 10-inch maya
zine, and that did not explode.
Thlrd-Thc explosion occurred at o4O O'Clock
on the evening Of February H. There were
two explosions, with very short interval be-
tween them: the ship lifted on the first eX-
ploslon.
Fourth--Thc Court can form no definite opin-
ion of the condition of the wreck from the
divers evidence.
Fiflh-Technical details of wreckage from
which the Court dcduccs that n mine was cx-
plodcd under the ship on the port side.
Slxth-Thc explosion was due to no fault Of
those on board.
Scvcnth-Opirion Of the Court. stating that
the explosion OF the mine caused the explosion
Of two magazines
Eighh-The Court declares that II cannot find
evidence to fix responsibility
The report il unanimous and is signed ny NIL
the members of the Court. 1t does not refer to
the existence or non-eXistcnce OF mines IN the
IIarbor of Havana, except in the specihc hnding
that n mine was exploded under the ship and
the opinion that the explosion Of the two maya
zines was caused by the explosion Of mine
The report. as a whole. is a formal, dlSpas-
slonatc recital Of facts. and bears the stamp
of that siic; oftiriasm which marks naval pro-
cedurc. II Is brief. not exceeding eighteen
hundred words and among the eight parts goes
to the greatest length under the second head
ng which deals with the discipline and order of
the ship.
This. the Court specifies with extreme mi
nutcncSs. the least detail Of the satisfactory
condition Of everything on board being given.
The normal temperature of the large forward
magazines at = o'clock only IN hour and forty
minutes before the explosion -disposes of the
question Of accidental combustion within these
magazines.
While the Court holds that these magazines
did not explode from internal causes. they
nevertheless are Of the opinion that the eX
plosion of the mine under the port side Of the
ship caused the explosion Of the two magazines
This will explain the remarkable destruction
wrought the explosion thus being shown to
lave combined the force of mine without and
two magazines within The two explosions
which the Court finds to have occurred, with
very short interval between them, is an add
tlonal detail showing that two forces operated
in causing the destruction.
The finding that the ship lifted on the first ex
plosIon indicates IN external source, and one
Of tremendous power. to be able to lift battle
ship Of thousands Of tons.
The character of the wreCkagc. technically
described in the fifth part of the report. from
which the Court deduccS that mine
ploded under the ship on the port side. sustainS
the view taken by some experts shortly after
the disaster that the force of the explosion
vas cxertcd from port to starbDard
The feature of the report of the deepest inter
est to the Navy Is the complete exoneration Of
Captain Sgsbce and all on board. contained in
the second finding, setting forth the perfect
der ana discipline prevailing on the ship. and
more directly stated in tn" sixth finding. which
declares the disaster to be due 10 no fault Of
those on board.
The inability of the Cour; 10 find evidence 10
fix responsibility as stated in the eighth part
makes the report guarded in expression of
blame that neither Spain nor the Spanish are
mentioned throughout.
SPANISH REPORT on IT'S WAY HERE
, MEssENGER BRINGING 1T POST HASTE FROM
HAVANA TO WASHINGTON
Iondon. March 2S.-The Madrid correspondent
Of The Times" noting that Spain at present
pn mar In t,n ol