Arizona republican., 1898-03-26
SABLE HUE OF WAR The Navy Department Yesterday Ordered the
 Battle Ships Painted Black TUE EXPLOSION WAS EXTERNAL!


 States Minister Woodford at Madrid to notify the Spanish government of this conclusion. The president and his cabinet advisers held two extended sessions today, one at 10:30 a. m. and another at p. m., at which the report was considered in detail. Members of the cabinet stated after the meeting that the discussion was of a grave character and that never since the wrecking of the Maine has the situa- tion seemed so critical.
 The Spanish government has cabled officially to Washington that the Span ish naval commission held the dis aster to the Maine to be of internal origin. The government of Spain, it can be stated positively, is not dis posed to turn back the torpedo fleet now proceeding from the Canaries, and would be disinclined to consider a suggestion from this government tending to interfere with the dispo- sition by Spain of Ter own naval forces. War preparations on an un- precedented scale are being hurried to completion by the war and navy de- partments and the country is prac- tically on war footing. The forego- ing gives the record of one of the most eventful days the national cap ital has seen since the close of the war.
 It was a day of profoundly import ant action and of the deepest anxiety, coupled with naval and military ac- tivity, one step following another in rapid succession. The finding of the court of inquiry was the most vital feature of the day. Commander Mark, judge-advocate of the court of inquiry, delivered the report to Secretary Long early this morning and shortly after wards it was carried to the White House and placed in the hands of the president.
 The cabinet assembled half an hour earlier than usual and began the con- sideration of the momentous docu- ment. Even the rigid rules of secrecy which prevail at cabinet meetings were made doubly strict in this case and no intimation of the results reached by the court were known until 2 o'clock, when an Associated Press bulletin gave the information to the country. These results briefly stated, are that the loss of the Maine was due to an explosion from the outside, the court being unable to fix the respon- sibility for the explosion.
 The court does not express any opinion as to the character of the ex- plosion, but the testimony goes to show that it was a powerful submarine mine, the exact character of which is not determined by the testimony though the belief is expressed that it was floating submarine mine. There were two explosions, the court finds, first from the outside and then of one of the smaller magazines. The report will be transmitted to congress early next week.
 AO cio dhCC Ol IllO 0pdLIioh SOA PSAS fotilla continued to receive the closest attention of the naval officials, and while so far as could be ascertained no definite line of action was deter mined upon, the need of intercepting this fleet was urged by the highest naval authorities.
 Hardly less suggestive than the ap- proach of the torpedo flotilla was the information received today by the highest military authorities that the Spanish government had hurried to completion extensive Notifications on the island of Porto Rico, lying just off Cuba. The instructions issued by the navy department during the day cov- cred every branch of naval armament The Flying Squadron" was definitely established, with Commodore Schley in command. The squadron is to con- sist of five ships, the armored cruiser Brooklyn, the battleships Massa- chusetts and Texas and the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis.
 The following vessels comprise the North Atlantic squadron: The New York, Iowa, Indiana, Miantonomah Fern, Puritan, Terror, MaTblehead Montgomery, Delaware, Castine, Nash vile, Helena, Wilmington and Ve- suvius, the torpedo boats Foote, Du pont, Ericsson, Cushing, Porter, Wins low, and the tugs Leyden and Samosat Acquisitions were made on the maya ordnance bureau for a large number | of quick fire, four-pounder and six pounder guns to be mounted on rev. enue cutters and steam yachts about to be purchased. Captain Bradford