The Mena star., 1898-03-30

u,o the Congress of the United States:
 For some time prior to the visit of the Maine ,o Havana harbor our consular representatives roInted out the advantages to flow from the
 i.it of national ships to the Cuban waters in &C., customing the people to the presence of our flag as the symbol of good will and of our ships in the sr,ellment of the mission of protection to American interests, even though no immediate need therefor might exist Accordingly on the a4th of January last, after comforting with the cpansh minister, In which the renewal of visits of our war vessels to Spanish waters was dis cussed and accepted, the peninsular authorities at Madrid and Havana were advised of the pur- nose of this government to resume friendly naval visits at Cuban ports and that in that view. the Maine would forthwith call at the nort of Havana This announcement was re- ceiyed by the Spanish government with appre- ciation of the friendly character of the visit of .he Maine and with notification of intention to return the courtesy by sending Spanish ships to the principal ports of the United States Meanwhile the Maine entered the port of Ha- vana on the 25th 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- yanaduring the three weeks following her ar- rival No appreciable excitement attended her stay: an the contrary, feeling of relief and confidence followed the resumption of the long interrupted friendly intercourse. So noticeable was this immediate effect of her visit that the consul general strongly urged that the presence of our ships in Cuban waters should be kept up by retaining them at Havana or, in the event of her recall by sending another vessel there to take her place
 At9:40 in the evening Of the 18th of February the Maine was destroyed by an explosion by which the entire forward part of the ship was utterly wrecked. In this catastrophe two ofi- cers and 260 of her crew perished. those who were not killed outright by her explosion being penned between decks by the tangle of wreck age and drowned by the immediate sinking of the hull Prompt assistance was rendered by the neighborlng vessels anchored fin the har- bor aid being especially given by the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII and the Ward line steamer City of Washington which lay not far distant The wounded were gener- ously cared for by the authorities of Havana, the hospitals being freely opened to them, while the earliest recovered bodies of the dead were inferred by the municipality in public cemetery in the city Tributes ot grief and sym pathy were offered from all official quarters of the island
 The appalling calamity fell upon the people Of our country with crushing force and for brief time intense excitement prevailed, which in a community less just and seif-con- trolled than ours. might have led to nasty acts of blind resentment This spirit. however, soon gave way Co the calmer processes of reason and to the resolve to investigate the facts and await the material proof before forming Judgment 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 dispassionately ascertained certainty could 1t 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 to national ves- seis Of any maritime state A naval court of Inquiry was at once organized. composed of of- hcers well qualified by rank and practical ex- perience to discharge the onerous duty imposed upon them Aided by strong force of wreck CTS and divers the court proceeded to make thorough investigation the spot. employing every available means for the impartial and exact determination of the causes of the explo- sion.
 The finding of the court of inquiry was reached after 23 days Of continuous labor, on tne zlst of March, instant. and having been ap- proved on the 22d by the eommander-in -chief or the United States naval force on the north Atlantic station, was transmitted to the exec utlve It is herewith laid before the congress to-day with the voluminous testimony taken follows:
 When the Maine arrived at Havana she was
 
 buoy No. {, to which she was moored in from oh to six fathoms of water The state of dis ciphne on board and the condition of her maga- Aines' boilers. coal bunkers and storage com Partments are passed in review, with the con- cluslon that excellent order prevailed and that no indication of any cause for an internal ex- posion existed in any quarter.
 At eight o'clock in the evening of February everything had been reported secure and all was qulet At 40 minutes past nine o'clock the '.sse was suddenly destroyed.
 mere were two distinct explosions, with uriel interval between them. The first lifted W .ue forward part Of the ship very perceptibly; @ ue second which was more prolonged Is at- niputed by the court to the partial explosion ol .wo or more of the forward magazines. The ssnehee of the divers establishes that the -'eer part of the ship was practically intact and .@"A III that condition a very few minutes after oir explosion. The forward part was com petsly demolished
 opon the evidence of concurrent external s"use the finding of the court is as follows
 "straIne V the outer shell of the ship, from
 point llH feet from the middle line Of the
 p ana SIX feet above the keel when in It's
 niai position. has been forced up so as to be ~ "" soout four feet above the surface of the
 i 'e.i therefore, about 34 feet above where it "Vuia De had the ship sunk sninjured.
 nt irame IS the vertical keel is broken in two
 ~ ene Keel bent into an angle similar to the hsaa formed for the outside plates This .a.ak IS about six feet below the surface Of the ,, sa'cf ana about 30 feet above its normal posi- oa.', Tn the opinion of the court this effect os osu'u nave been produced only by the explosion =. . mihs situated under the bottom of the ship s,a asout frame IS and somewhat on the port side of the ship
 ,o. ne conclusions of the court are: That the ,ss, oi the Maine was not in any respect due to arsar or negligence on the part of any Of the wa. 0oIs a or members of her crew; that the ship mis destroyed by the explosion of Q submarine ,wa which caused the partial explosion ol