The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-03-31

excitement prevailed. which In Q COM
munity less Just and self controlled
than ours might have led to hasty acts
Of blind resentment. This spirit. how
ever. soon gave way to the calmer pro-
ceases Of reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await mate
rial proof before forming a judgment
as to the cause. the responsibility, and.
as the facts warranted. the remedy.
This course necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive,
for only In the light of a dispassionate-
ly ascertained certainty could II de-
termine the nature and measure Of its
full duty in the mates
The usual procedure was followed.
as In all cases OF casualty or disaster
to national vessels of any maritime
state. A naval court Of inquiry was at
once organized. composed of officers
well qualified by rank and practical
experience to discharge the duty i'm
posed upon them. Aided by a strong
force Of wreckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make a thorough investi-
CATION on the spot employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination Of the cause of
the explosion. Its operations have been
conducted with the utmost delibera-
tlon and judgment and while independ-
emily. pursued no source of informa-
ton was neglected. and the fullest OPP
portunity was allowed for stimuli
taneous investigation by the Spanish
authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after % days of continu-
Gus labor. on the 2lst of March. and
having been approved on the 22d by
the commander-in-chief of the United
States naval force on the North At
lantic station. was transmitted to the
executive.
1t Is herewith laid before the con-
gress. 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 to the regular gov
ernment pilot buoy No 4, to which she
was moored in from five and one-haif
to six fathoms of water.
The state Of discipline on board and
the condition of her magazines. boilers
coal bunkers and storage compart-
ments are passed In review, with the
conclusion that excellent order prevail
ed. and that no indication of any cause
for an Internal explosion existed In
any quarter.
At s o'clock In the evening OF Feb
1b everything had been reported secure
and all was quiet. At 40 minutes past
Q o'clock the vessel was suddenly de-
stroyed.
There were two distinct explosions
with a brief interval between them
The first lifted the forward part of the
ship very perceptibly; the second
| which was more open. prolonged and
| of greater volume. Is attributed by the
court to the partial explosion Of two ol
! 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 ex'
| plosion. The forward part was com
| plctely demolished.
Upon the evidence of a concurren,
external cause the finding OF the court
| is as follows:
At frame II the outer shell of the
| ship, from a point 1lh feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in its normal po.
| sition, has been forced up so as to be
| now about four feet above the sur
face Of the water, therefore about -
feet about where 1t would be had tn
ship sunk uninjured.
| The outside bottom plating Is benz
into reversed v shape, the after wins
of which, about Is feet broad and 3.
feet in length Crane II to frame 25)
Ia doubled back upon itself against th'
continuation of the same placing ex
tending forward.
At frame Is the vertical keel |.
broken In two and the fiat keel BEN
into an angle similar to the angle form
ed by the outside bottom plates. Thi.
break Is now about six feet below the
surface of the water and about 30 fee
above its normal position.
In the opinion Of the court this effec
could have been produced only by thu
explosion. of a mine situated under tn,
bottom OF the ship. at about frame Is
and somewhat on the port side Of tn,
ship.
The conclusions Of the court are:
That the loss OF the Maine was no
In any respect due to fault or neg
ligence on the part Of any OF the Of
fiecrs or members Of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by th'
explosion OF a submarine mine. which
caused the partial explosion Of two O
more of her forward magazines. and
That no evidence has been obtain
able fixing the responsibility for th'
destruction OF the Maine upon an!
person or persons.
have directed that the finding o
the court Of inquiry and the views o
this government thereon be communi
Gated to the government of her ma
jesty. the queen regent, and I do no
permit myself to doubt that the sens
Of justice Of the Spanish nation will
dictate q course Of action suggested
by honor and the friendly relations o
the two governments.
1t will be the duty of the executive
to advise congress Of the result and II
the meantime deliberate consideration
is invoked.
WILLIAM M'KINLEY.