Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

liable persons. through the proptr author
| tics, to the commanding officer ~ the
| time the Maine was destroyed the ship was
| quiet ard therefore least liable to accident
caused by movements from those on board.
Were Two Explosions.
| 8. The destruction of the Maine occurred
| at $40 p. m. on the 18th day of February,
| 1898, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, be-
| ing at the time moored on the same buoy to
which she had been taken upon her ar
rival.
| There were two explosions of a distinctly
different character with II very short but
distinct interval between Them and the
forward part of tho ship was lifted to q
marked degree at the time of the FIRST ex-
| plosion.
| The first explosion was more In the ma
| ture of u report. like that of gun, while
the second explosion was more open, pro-
| longed and of greater volume. This Sec
ond explosion was. In the opinion OF the
court. caused hy the partial explosion OF
| two or more OF the forw ard iuasaH!aes of
| the Maine.
Condition OF the Wreck.
| 4. The evidence bearing on this being
| principally obtained from divers did not
enable the court TO form definite con-
| cluson as to the condition CT the wreck,
| although 1t was established that the after
part of the ship was practically intact,
and sank in that condition II very few
| minutes aItcr tile destruction OF the Tor.
| ward part.
| The following facts in regard 10 the for
| ward part of the ship are. however, es-
| tablished by the test imony:
That portion of the port side Of the pro-
| tective deck which extends from about
frame 80 to about frame Il was blown up
aft and over to port The main deck
from about frame 80 to about frame IL
was blown up aft and slightly over to
starboard, folding the forward part of the
middle superstructure over and on top Of
the after part.
This was. in the opinion of the court,
caused by the partial explosion of two or
more OF the forward magazines of the
Maine.
Plates Forced Up.
B. AT frame II. the outer shell of the ship
from point 111a feet from the middle
line of the ship and six feet above the keel
when In its normal position has been
forced up so as to be now about four feet
ABOVE the surface of the water, therefore
about 81 feet above where 1t would be had
the ship sunk uninjured. The outside bot
tom plating is bent into reversed v
shape. the after wing Of which, about Is
feet broad and go feet in length (from
frame II to frame 25). Is doubled back upon
ITSELF against the continuation of the same
plating extending forward
At frame is the vertical keel Ia hrol,en IN
two, and the fiat keel bent into an anglia
similar to the angle formed by the outside
bottom plating. This break is now about
SIX feet below the surface of the water. and
ABOUT ~ feet above its normal position
Caused by Mine.
In the opinion OF the court, this effect
could have been produced only by the ex-
plosion OF mine situated under the bot
tom of the ship at about frame is, and
somewhat on the port side of the ship.
6. The court finds that the loss OF the
Maine, on the occasion named, was not in
any respect due to fault or negligence on
the part Of any Of the officers or members
of the crew of said vessel.
T. In the opinion of the court the Maine
was destroyed by the explosion Of a SUBJ
marine mine. which caused the partial ex-
plosion of two or more Of her forward
magazines.
g. The court has been unable to obtain ev-
ioence liking the responsibility for the de-
struction of the Maine upon any person or
persons.
w. T. SAMPSON,
Captain. U. 8. N. President
A. MARK,
Lieutenant Commander, U. s. NJ, Judge
Advocate.
The Findings Approved.
The court. having finished the inquiry 1t
was ordered 10 make, adjourned at IL a. M
to await the action of the converting au-
thority.
w. T. SAMPSON,
Captain. U. s. N, President
A. MARK,
Lieutenant Commander. U. S. N. Judge
Advocate.
u. s. Flagship New York, March %, 1898,
Off Key West. Fla--The proceedings and
findings of tho court of inquiry in the above
case are approved.
A. sICARD,
Rear Admiral. Commander in Chief of the
Y. S. Naval Force on the North Atlantic
Station