Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-29
THE MESSAGE.
No Reparation Has Been De.
manded Of Spain.
VERDICT OF THE COURT
Has Been Transmitted to Madrid
by the President.
1t Now Rests With Spain Whether She
VIII Accord Justice as Dictated by Her
Sense of Honor-No Reparation
Demanded,

Washington, March 2S.-The president
today 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 con
1 sular representatives pointed out the
advantages to flow from the visit of ma
customing the people to the presence OF
our flag as the symbol of good will, and
of our ships in the fulfilment of the
mission of protection to American in
terests, even though no immediate need
Therefor might exist.
Accordingly on the oath of January
last, after conference with the Span
ish minister, in 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 purpose
of this government to resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports, and that
In that view the Maine would forth
with call at the port of Havana.
This announcement was received by
the Spanish government with apprecia-
ton of the friendly character of the
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 25th Of January, her
arrival being marked with no special
incident besides the exchange of GUS
tomary salutes and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the three weeks fol-
1NV 81
citement attended her stay. On the
contrary, a feeling of relief and con-
tidence followed the resumption of the
long interrupted friendly intercourse.
So noticeable was this immediate eff
feet Of her visit that the consul general
strongly urged that the presence of our
ships in Cuban waters should be kept
up by retaining the Maine at Havana,
or in the event of her recall, by send
ing another vessel there to take her
place.
At $40 in the evening of Feb. 10, the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion,
by which the entire forward part of the
ship was utterly wrecked. In the catas-
trophe two officers and 264 of her crew
perished, those who were not killed out
right by her explosion being penned be-
tween decks by the tangle Of wreckage
and drowned by the immediate sinking
of the hull
Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neghboring vessels anchored in the
harbor, aid being especially given by
the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alphon-
SO XII. and the Ward line steamer City
of Washington, which lay not far dis
tant.
The wounded We're generously cared
for by the authorities of Havana, the
hospitals being freely opened to them
~ ~
the dead were inferred by the muni-
cipality in a 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 q COM
munity less just and self-controlled than
ours, might have led to hasty acts of
blind resentment. This spirit, however.
soon gave way to the calmer processes
of reason, and to the resolve to investi-
gate the facts and await material proof
before forming a Judgment as to the
cause, the responsibility and the facts
warranted, the remedy due.
This course necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive,
for only in the light of a dispassionately
aSCeTIalISu Will VI .OStSLI
the nature and measure of it's full duty
in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed, as
in all cases of casualty in disaster to
national vessels of any maritime state.
A naval court of inquiry was at once
organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical expert
ence to discharge the onerous duty i'm
posed upon them. Aided by a strong
force of wreckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make a thorough investi-
cation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination of the causes Of
the explosion. Its operations have been
conducted with the utmost deliberation
and Judgment and, while independ-
emily pursued, no source of information
was neglected and the fullest oppor-
tunity was allowed for simultaneous
investigation by the Spanish authori-
ties
The finding of the court of inquiry was
reached after 90 days of continuous la
bor, on the 21st of March instant, and
having been approved on the 23d by
the ommander-in-chief of the United
States naval force in the North Atlantic
station, was transmitted to the execu-
tive.