The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-04-01
FINDING Of THE BOARD
Ship Was Blown Up By
a Floating Mine.
RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT FIXED

Spain Notified of the Findings of the
Naval Court-Madrid Refuses to Re-
call the Torpedo Flotilla and Is
Actively Fortifying Porto Rico.
Washington, March 2S.-The court
II inquiry appointed to investigate the
cause of the Maine disaster has report
ed that the loss of the battle-ship was
due to an outside explosion. The state
department, by direction of the presi-
dent, has cabled Minister Woodford. at
Madrid, to notify the Spanish govern
ment of the conclusion.
The president and his cabinet ad-
visers held two extended sessions today,
one at 1920 A. M. and another at $3.50
P. M, at which the report was consid
cred in detail. Members of the cabi-
net stated after the meetings that the
discussion was of a grave character,
and that never since the wrecking of
the Maine has the situation seemed SO
critical.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Span
ish naval commission holds the disas-
ter to the Maine to be of internal
origin.
The government of Spain, it can be
stated positively, is not disposed to
turn back the torpedo feet now pro-
ceeding from the Canaries. and would
be disinclined to consider a suggestion
from this government tending to inter-
fere with the disposition by Spain of
her own naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent
ed scale are being hurried to compile
tion by the war and navy departments,
and the country practically is on, a
war footing.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the national
capital has seen since the close of the
civil war. 1t was day of profoundly
important action and of the deepest
anxiety, coupled with naval and mill
tary activity, one step following another
in rapid succession.
Representative men of the admins
tration, public men in all branches of
official and congressional life, no less
than the public in general, shared in
the tension to which the situation has
been wrought. There was no effort
among the highest officials, nor, indeed,
was it possible from what was clearly
apparent in the development of the
day, to minimize the situation.
-
Verdict of the Court of Inquiry.
Viewed in detail, the finding of the
court of inquiry was the most vital fac
tor. Commander Mark, judge advo-
cate of the court of inquiry, delivered
the report to Secretary Long early this
morning, and shortly afterward it was
carried to the White House and placed
in the hands OF the president.
At 1890 the cabinet assem- bled, half
an hour earlier than usual, and began
the consideration of the momentous
document. Even the rigid rules of
secrecy which prevail at cabinet meet
ings were made doubly strict in this
case, ,\and no intimation of the results
reached by the court was known until
O'Clock, when a press bulletin gave
bllO W lAC "Oll
as to the eagerly waiting officials
throughout Washington. These re-
suits, briefly stated, are that the loss
of the Maine was due to an explosion
from the outside, the court being un-
able to fix the responsibility for the
explosion.
The court does not express an opin-
ion as to the character of the explosion,
but the testimony goes to show that it
was a powerful submarine mine, the
exact character of which was not deter
mined. though the belief was expressed
that it was floating submarine mine.
There were two exposions, the court
finds. The first was from the outside,
and that set off one of the smaller
magazines.
It was this. expressed in detail, and
with the precision of court deeply
conscious Of its responsibility, together
with the evidence upon which it was
based, that occupied the attention of
the cabinet throughout its extended ses-
sions of the morning and afternoon.
All other subjects have given way to
this foremost question. There was no
change in. the plan of making the re-
port public and transmitting it to con-
gress, accompanied by brief message
from the president.
The afternoon cabinet session lasted
until nearly $50. The entire situa-
tion was discussed at length, but no
definite point was reached. The situa
tion is regarded as decidedly critical,
and it is feared there will be great
difficulty in avoiding trouble.
While interest was thus centered at
the White House, the navy and war de-
partments were hurrying forward their
work of preparation.