The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-29

was reached after twenty-threG uays
Of continuous labor on the 2lst Of
March and having been approved on
the 22d by the commander-in-c chief Of
the United States naval force on the
corth Atlantic station, was transmitted
- the executive.
1t is herewith laid before the congress-
together with the voluminous testimony
taken before the court It's purport
is. in brief. as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by the regular gov
ernment pilot to buoy No. 4, TO which
she was moored in from FIVE and one
half to six fathoms Of water. The state
of discipline on board and the condition
or her magazines, boilers, coal bunkers
and storage compartments are passed
In review, with the conclusion that ex-
cellent order prevailed and that no in
dication Of any cause for an internal
explosion existed in any quarter.
AT o'clock in the evening Of Feb. Is
everything had been reported secure
and all was quiet. AT forty minutes
past O'Clock the vessel was suddenly
destroyed.
Two Distinct Explosions.
There were two distinct explosions,
with brief interval between. them. The
first lifted the forward part OF the ship
more prolonged. is attributed by the
court 10 the partial explosion of two or
more OF the forward magazines. The
evidence of the divers establishes that
the after part of the ship was practic-
ally intact. and sank in that condition
a very few minutes after the explosion.
The forward part was completely de-
1 molished
Upon the evidence Of concurrent ex-
ternal cause the finding of the court is
! as follows:
"At frame II the outer shell of the
ship, from a point eleven and one-half
| feet from the middle line of the ship
and six feet above the keel when in its
normal position. has been forced up so
as to be now four feet above the sur
| face OF the water therefore, about
thirty-four feet above where 1t would
be lad the ship sunk uninjured.
Outside Bottom Plating Bent.
1.-THE outside bottom plating Is bent
| into a reversed w shape, the after
wing of which, about fifteen feet broad
and thirty-two feet in length Qrom
| frame II to frame 25) is doubled back
upon itself against the continuation OF
! the same plating extending forward.
AT frame Is the vertical keel Is
| broken in two and keel bent into an
angle singular 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.
I'm the opinion of the court this effect
could 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
Conclusions of the Court.
The conclusions of the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not In
| any respect due to fault or negli-
| gence 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
F, caused the partial explosion OF two or
more of her forward magazines; and.
That no evidence has been obtainable
fixing the responsibility for the de-
struction Of the Maine upon any person
| or persons.
| have directed that the finding OF
| the court of inquiry and the views OF
| this government thereon be. communi-
| Gated to the government of her majes-
| ty. the queen, and / do not permit my
| self to doubt that the sense of justice
| OF the Spanish nation will dictate q
| course of action suggested by honor
| and the friendly relations OF the two
| governments.
| TO advise the congress OF the result,
| and in the meantime deliberate consid-
| Grafton is invoked.
| WILLIAM MKINLEY.