The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-04-08
PRESIDENT WILLIAM M'KINLEY.


OF Havana This announcement was received
BY the Spanish government by appreciation OF
the friendly character OF the visit 81 the Maine
and with notification OF intention TO return the
courtesy by sending Spanish ships to the prin-
cipal ports OF the United States. Meanwhile
she Maine entered the port OF Havana on the
18th OF January. her arrival being marked with
no special incident besides the exchange Of
customary salutes and ceremonial visits
The Maine continued in the harbor OF Ha-
vana uring the three weeks following her ar
rival No sppreciable excitement attended
her stay. on the contrary. feeling 81 relief
and confidence followed the resumption of the
ong-interrupted friendly intercourse SO no.
eiceabe was this immediate effect of her visit
shat the consul general strongly urged that the
presence OF our ship in Cuban waters should be
kept up 10y retaining il at Havana or. in the
event OF her recall. by sending another vessel
ehere to take her place At forty minutes past
mine in the evening Of the 18th OF February. the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion by which
che entire forward part OF the ship
utterly wrecked. In this catastrophe two
officers aud go OF her crew persisted. those who
were not killed outright by her explosion being
penncd bctwe n de ks by the tangle % wreck
age and drowned by the immediate sinking Of
che hull Prompt assistance rendered by
She neighborng vessels anchored in the harbor.
lid being especially given by the boats of the
Spanish cruiser Alphonse XII and the Ward
4lue Ntenfucr lily OF MA>ntuItDu. winch lay not
Gar distant The wounded were generously
cared for by the authorities OF Havana. the hos
pitfalls being freely opened 70 them. while the
earliest recovered bodies OF the dead we're in
terred by tho municipality In q public cemetery
In the city Tributes OF grief and sympathy
were offered from all oficial quarters OF the is
hand.
The appalling calamity fell on our people
With crushing force. and for q brief time an in
tense excitement prevailed which. in n COM
munlty less just and self-controllcd than ours.
might have led to hastv acts Of blind resent
nent This spirit. however soon gave way TO
ealner processes OF reason and the resolve to in
vestigate the facts and await the material proof
before forming Judgment TO the cause.
che responsibility and IL the facts warranted.
che remedy due. This course necessarily recon-
mended itself from the outset to the executive.
Cor only In the light OF a dispassionately ascer-
tained certainty could II determine the nature
and measure OF It's full duty In the matter. The
usual procedure was followed. as in all cases Of
casualty or disaster 10 national vessels OF any
maritime state. A naval court OF INQUIRY was
et once organized. composed OF officers well
qualified by rank and practical ex-
perience TO discharge the onerous
duty imposed upon them Aided
By q strong force OF wrcckers and divers, the
court proceeded to make thorough investiga-
Bion on the spot. employing every available
means for the impartial and exact determine
Sion Of the cause OF the explosion. Its opera
eions have been conducted with the utmost de-
liberation and judgment. and while indepen-
Gently pursued source OF Information .was
neglected. and the fullest opportunity was al
bowed for simultaneous investigation by the
Spanish authorities
The finding OF the court OF inquiry was
reached. after twenty tn rec days OF continuous
labor. on the 2ist OF March, instant. and having
been approved on the I'D by the commander-in-
chief OF the United States naval force on the