The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-04-01

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as to the cause, the responsibility and
If the facts warranted, the remedy due
This course necessarily recommended
! itself from the outset to the executive
for only in the light Of dispassionatelv
ascertained certainty could it determine
the nature and measure of it's full duty
in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed, az
in all cases of casualty or disaster tc
national vessels of any maritime state
A naval court Of inquiry was at once
organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical expert.
ence, to discharge the onerous duty i'm.
posed upon them. Aided by a strong
force OF wreckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make thorough investiga.
ton on the spot, employing every avail
able means for the impartial and exact
determination of the causes of the ex-
plosion. Its operations have been con-
Quoted with the utmost deiberation and
Judgment, and while independently
pursued, no source of information was
neglected and the fullest opportunity
was allowed for simultaneous investi-
cation by the Spanish authorities.
Findings of the Board.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after % days Of continuous
labor, on March ri, and having been
approved on the 22nd by the comman.
der III chief Of the United States naval
force on the North Atlantic station, was
transmitted to the executive 1t is here
with 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 government pilot to buoy No.
4, to which she was moored in from
nve and one-half to six fathoms of
water
The state of discipline on board, and
the condition of her magazines, boilers,
coal bunkers and storage compartments
are passed in review, with the conclu-
sion that excellent order prevailed, and
that no Indication of any cause for an
internal explosion existed in any quar-
ter
At s o'clock, on the evening of Feb.
10, everything had been secure and all
was quiet. At 8 40 o'clock the vessel
was suddenly destroyed. There were
two distinct explosions, with brief in
terval between them. The first lifted
che forward part of the ship very per-
ceptibly the second, which was more
prolonged, is attributed by the court
to the partial explosion of two or more
OF the forward magazines.
line evidence of the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was prac-
lcally intact. and sank in that condi.
ton very few minutes after the ex.
plOsion.
At frame II, the outer shell of the
ships, from point ~ feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in it's normal DO
sitiion. has been forced mp so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
OF the water; therefore, about "a feet
above where it would be had the ship
sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into reversed 'V' shape, the after
wing of which, about Is feet broad and
81 feet in length (from frame II to
frame 25), is doubled back upon itself
against the continuation of the same
plating extending forward,
At frame IL the vertical keel is broken
IN two and the keel bent into an angle
similar to the angle formed for the
outside plates. This break is about six
feet below the surface OF the water and
about 30 feet above it's normal position.
In the opinion of the court thi, effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion Of mine situated under the
bottom of the ship, at about frame 1S
md somewhat on the port 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
members of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of a submarine mine, which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines and,
That no evidence has been obtainable
fixing the responsibility for the des-
truction of the Maine upon any person
or persons.
1 have directed that the finding of
the court of inquiry and the views of
this government thereon be communi-
Gated to the government of her majesty,
the queen, and I do not permit myself
to doubt the sense of justice Of the
Spanish nation will dictate course of |
action suggested by honor and the
friendly relations of the two govern
ments
1t was the duty of the executive to !
advise the congress Of the result. and