The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-03-31

lected and the fullest opportunity was
allowed for a simultaneous investiga-
ton by the Spanish authorities
The finding of the court of inquiry was
reached after % days of continuous la
Dor, on the 2lst of March. and. having
been approved on the ed by the. COM
mander-in-chief of the United States
naval force In the north Atlantic sta
ton. wasstransmitted to the executive
1t is herewith laid before the congress
together with the voluminous testimony
taken before the court.
Its ,purport is, in brief as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana she
was conducted by the regular govern
ment pilot to buoy No. 4, to which she
was moored in from 5l1 To six fathoms
of water
The STAG of discipline on board and
the condition of her magazines, boilers.
coal bunkers and storage compartments
are passed in review with the conclusion
that excellent order prevailed and that
no indication of any cause for an inter
nal explosion existed in any quarter.
Al o'clock in the evening of Feb. Is
everything had been reported secure and
all was quiet. AT 40 minutes past 9
o'clock the vessel was suddenly de-
stroyed There were twoldistinct explo-
sions, with brief interval between
them. The first lifted the forward part
of the ship very perceptibly; the sec
ond which was more open, prolonged
and of greater volume, is attributed by
the court to partial explosion of two or
more of the forward magazines.
The evidence of the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was
practically intact and sank in that con
dition. a very few minutes after the
explosion the forward part was COM
pletely demolished.
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 liz feet from the middle
line of the ship and six feet above the
keel, when in it's normal position, has
been forced up so as to now be about
four feet above the surface of the wa
ter; therefore about "a feet above where
it would be had the ship sunk unin-
jured.
The outside plating is bent into re-
versed V shape, "a" the after wing of
which, about Is feet broad and 80 feet in
length Crane II to frame 25) is doubled
back upon itself against the continue
ton of the same placing extending for
ward.
At frame Is the vertical keel Is broken
in two and the fiat keel bent into an an
gle similar to the angle formed by the
outside bottom plates. This break is
now about six feet below the surface of
the water and about 80 feet above its
normal position.
In the opinion of the court this eff
feet 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 Shore side of the
ship.
The conclusions of'the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not In
any respect due to fault or negligence on
the part of any of the officers or mem
bers of her crew. 81
That the ship was destroyed by the ex-
plosion of submarine mine, which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more or her forward magazines; and
that no evidence has been obtaineble
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 communicated
to the government Of her majesty, the
queen regent and do not permit my.
self to doubt that the sense of justice
Of the Spanish nation will dictate a
course of action suggested by honor and
the friendly relations of the two govern
ments.
II will be the duty of the executive tc
| advise the congress of the result, and in
| the meantime deliberate consideration
| Is invoked.
William Mckinley.