The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-29
When Spain Replies to the Finding
of the Court, Which Has Been
CabIed to Madrid.
MESSAGE At ONCE REFERRED
TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMIT
TEE OF EACH HOUSE.
Court Unanimous in Support of the
ExternaI-EXpIOsiOn TheOry-Scenes
in Congress Yesterday.

WASHINGTON, March 2S.-President Nc
Kinley to-day transmitted to Congress the
the destruction of the battle ship Maine in
Havana harbor on the night of Feb. Is
ult Accompanying the report was a mes
sage reviewing the incident. Both houses
referred the message to appropriate COM
mittees without debate The Presidents
message follows:
ITO the Congress of the United States
For some time prior to the visit of the
Maine to Havana harbor our consular repre-
sentatives pointed out the advantages to
follow from the visit of national ships to
Cuban waters, in accustoming the people to
the presence of our flag as the symbol of
good will and of our ships in the fulfillment
of the mission of protection to American
interests, even though immediate need
Therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the 24th Of January last,
after conference with the Spanish minister,
in which the renewal of visits of our war
vessels to Spanish waters was discussed
and accepted, the Peninsular authorities al
Madrid and Havana were advised of the
purpose of this government to resume
friendly naval visits at Cuban ports, and
that in that view the Maine would forth
with call at the port of Havana. This an
nouncement was received by the Spanish
government with appreciation of the friend
Iy character of the visit of the 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 Havana on the 18th of January her ar
rival being marked with no special incident
besides the exchange of customary salutes
and ceremonial visits. The Maine continued
in the harbor of Havana during the three
weeks following her arrival No apprecia-
BILE excitement attended her stay; the
contrary, a feeling of relief and confidence
followed the resumption of the long inter-
rupted 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 the Maine at
Havana, or, in the event of her recall by
sending another vessel there to take her
place.
''At forty minutes past o'clock 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 officers
and 264 of her crew perished, those who
were not killed outright by the explosion
being penned between decks by the tangle
of wreckage and drowned by the immediate
sinking of the hull Prompt assistance was
rendered by the neighboring vessels an
chored in the harbor, aid being especially
OiU nv no nf hp
Alfonso XII and the Ward line steamer City
of Washington. which lay not far distant.
The wounded were generously cared for by
the authorities of Havana, the hospitals be-
ing freely opened to them, while the earliest
recovered bodies of the dead were inferred
by the municipality in a public cemetery in
the city. Tributes of grief and sympathy
were offered from all official quarters of the
island.
The appalling calamity fell on the peo-
pie of our country with crushing force,
and for a brief time an intense excitement
prevailed, which, in d community less just
and self-controlled than ours, might have led
to hasty acts of blind resentment This
spirit, however, soon gave way to the calm
er processes of reason and to the resolve
TO Investigate the facts and await 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 d dispassionately ascertained certainty
could it determine the nature and measure
of its full duty in the matter
The usual procedure was followed, as
in all cases of casualty or disaster to ma
tional vessels of any maritime state. A
naval court of inquiry was at once organ
lied, composed of officers well qualified by
rank and practical experience to discharge
the onerous duty imposed on them. Aided
by a strong force of wreckers and divers,
the court proceeded to make a thorough in
vestigation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and exact
determination of the causes of the explo-
sion. It's operations have been conducted
with the utmost deliberation and Judgment,
and, while Independently pursued no source
of information was neglected, and the full
est opportunity was allowed for stimuli
taneous investigation by the Spanish au-
thorities.
The finding of the court OF inquiry was
reached after twenty-three days of contin-
uous labor, on the 21st of March inst, and
having been approved on the ed by the
or the United States
naval force the North Atlantic station
was transmitted TO the executive 1t is
herewith laid before the Congress, together
with the voluminous testimony taken before
the court. Its purport is. In brief as fol-
lows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana she
was conducted by the regular government
pilot to buoy No. 4. to which she was
in fre haTf
fathoms of water. The state of discipline
on board and the condition of her maga-