Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-26

In a Course IQaC Leaves NO OGnor
Avenue Open to t h United
States-A Day of Rapid and Mo-
mentous Developments = t h Q
Maine Was Blown Up From With
ont Spain Says 1t Was Blown
Tn From Within-Spain Will Not
Turn Back the Torpedo Flotilla.
War Preparations Are Being Hur-
ried Forward With All Possible
speed T h e Flying Squadron
Practically Ready to Sail
Washington d. c., March 25.-The
o,rrf of inquiry appointed to investi-
care to the cause of the Maine disas-
rsr has reported that the loss of the
batrleship was due to an outside ex-
plosion.
Tbe State Department, by direction
of the President has cabled United
states Minister Woodford at Madrid
10 notify the Spanish government OF
his conclusion. The President and his
cabinet advisors held two extended
.csssions to-day, one at 1890 a. m.
and another at $3.50 p. M, at which
NE report was considered in detail.
Members of the cabinet stated after
fbe meeting that the discussion was
of grave character and that never
since the wrecking of the Maine was
the situation seemed so critical.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Span
ish naval commission holds the disas-
Tor 10 the Maine to be of internal or
igin. The government of Spain, it can
he stated positively, is not disposed to
turn back the torpedo flotilla now
proceeding from the Canaries and
would be disinclined to consider sug-
gestion from this government tend
ing to interfere with the disposition
BY SDain of her own naval forces.
war preparations on an unprece-
daated scale are being hurried to COM
pletion by the War and Navy Depart
ments and the country practically is
On a war footing.
The foregoing gives the record OF
one Of the most eventful days the ma
tional capital has seen since the close
OF the civil war. It was day of pro-
foundly important action, OF the deep
est anxiety. coupled with naval and
military activity, one step following
another in rapid succession. Repre-
sentative men of the administration,
public men in all branches of official
and Congressional life. no less than
the public in general shared in the,
tension to which tie situation has
been wrought.
At 1890
THE CABINET ASSEMBLED,
half an hour earlier than usual. and
began the consideration of the momen-
tous document Even the rigid rules
OF secrecy which prevailed at cabinet
meetings We're made dcubiy strict in
TINS case, and no intimation of the re-
sult reached by the court were known
Until o'clock, when an Associated
Press bulletin gave the information
10 the country as we'll as to the eagerly
waiting officials throughout Washing
ton.
These results, briefly stated are that
the loss of the Maine was due 10 an
explosion from the outside. the court
oeing unable to fix the responsibility
l9r the explosion. The court does not
express an opinion as to the charac-
Vf Ct the explosive, but the testimony
goes to show that it was powerful
submarine mine, the exact character
ot which is not determined by the tes-
Umony, though the belief was ex
pressed that it was a floating subma-
IIhe Nine There were two eXplo-
SoAs, the court finds. the first was
"om the outside, and that set off one
vi lhe smaller magazines. 1t was this
'eSQlt, expressed in detail and with
we precision of a court deeply con-
So'ous OF its responsibility, together
WITH the evidence on which it was
oaSed, that occupied the attention of
The cabinet.
ne orders issued by the Navy De
garment during the day covered every
ranch CT naval armament The "fly-
"s squadron" was definitely estab-
'''Aed, with Commodore w. S. Schley
:" Command He viii hoist his COM
Aa Al liz, al