The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-04-01
President McKinley's Message.

President McKinley's Message.
President Mckinley submitted the
report of the Maine board and bis
message to Congress Monday noon.
The message may appear unsatisfact-
DRY, but on analysis it will be seen that
it is "loaded" just as heavily as though
cOuched in iercer+Aerms. Following
is a summary of the report
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by regular govern
anent pilot to buoy No. 4, to which she
was moored in from five and one-half
to SIX fathOms.
The state of discipline on board and
the condition of her magazines, oil
ers, coal bunkers and storage &C part
ments, are passed"in review, with the
result that excellent order prevailed
and no cause for internal explosion
existed III any quarter.
At s o'clock on the evening OF Feb
ruary Is everything had been reported
secure and all was quiet. At ~
minutes past 9 o'clock the vessel was
suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct eXplosi' rs
with brief intervals between them.
The first lifted the forward part of the
ship very perceptibly; the second
which was more prolonged, is attribut-
ed by the court to a partial explosion
of two or more forward magazines.
The evidence of divers establishes
that the after part of The ship was
practically intact, and sank in that
condition very few minutes after the
explosion. The forward part was com
pieiely demolished
Upon evidence of concurrent exter-
nal cause, the finding of the court is
as follows: =.
At frame II, the outer shell of the
ship, from joint III feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel, when in normal posi-
ton, had been forced up so as to e
about four feet above the surface Il
the wafer therefore about 81 feet above
where it would be had she sunk I'M
injured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into a reversed "V" shape, the after
wing of which, about Is feet broad and
80 feet in length Qrom frame II to
frame 25), is doubled back upon itself
against continuation of the same
plating extending forward.
At frame Is the vertical keel is bro
ken into and bent into similar angle
formed for outside plates. This break
is 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 explosionof mine situated under
the bottom of the ship at about frame
Is and 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 any fault or
negligence on the part of any officers
or members of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of submarine mine, which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines, and
That no evidence is obtainable fix
ing the responsibility for the destruc-
ton 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 communi-
Gated to the government of her males
ty, the queen, and do not permit m,
self to doubt that the sense of Justice
of the Spanish nation will dictate a
course of action suggested by the hon
or and friendly relations of the two
governments.
1t is the duty of the executive to adj
wise congress of the result and i'm the
meantime deliberate consideration IS
invoked.
(Signed) WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, March %, 1895