The record-union., 1898-04-03
SPANISH REPORT OF MAINE DIS
,ASTER.

kAD
The State Depar tment to day received
the full report of the Spanish Com
mission which investigated the destruc-
ton of the battleship Maine. This
document has been expected for some
days, but it was not until to-day that
it reached Washington by a special
messenger from Havana. 1t proved to
be most bulky and voluminous docu-
ment, of far greater length than that of
the Court of Inquiry. The text, as de-
livered, is in Spanish, and it will take
some time for .the elaborate document
to be translated. 1t covers at least
hfteen closely written pages Of official
paper. double the size of foolscap. The
Associated Press early in the week gave
a complete and official synopsis of this
Spanish report, the result of which is
that the explosion of the Maine occur
red inside the ship, and no evidence ex-
listed of any exterior explosion.
Admiral Irwin was to-day among the
witnesses before the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations, which is max
ing a thorough inquiry into the Maine
disaster. His testimony was regarded
as important in meeting the position or
the Spanish Commission that a mine
had not exploded under the Maine, as
no dead fish were found in the harbor.
Admiral Irwin is an expert on torpedo
and submarine explosions, and he told
the committee that he never knew fish
to be killed by such explosions.
GREAT ACTIVITY AT WHITE
HOUSE.
The White House was as usual CEN
trail point in the great activity of the
day, and the President saw many pub
lie men. Some of them urged upon the
President that tA Maine incident be
put forward as a casus belh, the Cuban
subject being subordinated to it.
Among them was Representative
Marsh of Illinois, who said, after talk
ing with the President: i went to
see the President to tell him that the
basis OF our declaration of war should
be the destruction of the Maine and the
slaughter of American sailors. That
was a foul and intentional blow at the
American people, the American flag and
American honor. 1t was done by Span
which aroused the American people.
The general condition of affairs is a
blow at humanity; the other was
blow at us"
Many Senators, including members of
the Foreign Affairs Committee and
members of the House, to-day received
kilograms from conservative men in
their States counseHpg pacific action
in Cuba Some of them commented
quite vigorously regarding them and
on the fact that they seem to come
simultaneously from different sections.
SAILING OF SPANISH WARSHIPS.
Late this afternoon the Navy De-
partment was informed of the sailing
- the Spanish ships Pelayo and the
Carlos V. from Havre and Toulon.
France, for Carthagena, Spain. The Of
ficials Of these vessels have been at
the French ports for some necessary
repairs. and are returning to Cartha-
gena, where there is a Spanish naval
station, for such additional work on
them as may be necessary preliminary
to any service they may be called upon
to perform.
TORPEDO DEFENSES.
Secretary Alger to-day authorized an
allotment of S1,000,0 600 from the emer-
gency fund for the office of the Chief
Engineer. The entire amount will be
srent in purchasing materials for the
torpedo defenses connected with the
sea coast fortifications.
General Wilson, Chief of Engineers,
acted promptly as soon as he received
the allotment, and authorized the COM
nanding officer at Willett's Point. n.
Y, to proceed Immediately to contract
for the material required. 1t will be
shipped promptly to the places needing
the defenses, and work on them will
be pressed with all possible speed.