The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-03-31
only in the light of a dispassionately

only in the light of a dispassionately
ascertained certainty could it deter
mine 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
national vessels of any maritime state.
A naval court Of inquiry was at once
organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical expe-
rience to discharge the onerous duty
imposed upon them. Aided by a strong
force of wreckers and divers the court
proceeded to make thorough investi-
cation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination of the causes
of the explosion. Its operations have
been conducted with tie utmost
elaboration and judgment, and
while independently pursued no source
of information was neglected and the
fullest opportunity was allowed for a
| simultaneous investigation by the
| Spanish authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after % days of continuous
labor, on the 21st of March and having
been approved on the 22d by the com.
! mander-in. chief of the United States
naval force on the North Atlantic sta
| ton, was transmitted to the executive.
Findings of the Board.
1t is herewith laid before the con.
gress, together with the voluminous
| testimony taken before the court. Its
purport is in brief as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by the regular gov
eminent pilot to Buoy No. 4, to which
she was moored in from five and one.
| half to six fathoms af water.
The state Of discipline on board and
| the condition OF her magazines, boilers,
coal bunkers and storage compartments
are passed i'll review with the conclu-
sion that excellent order prevailed, and
that no indication Of any cause for an
internal explosion existed in any quar-
ter. At O'Clock in the evening of Feb.
10 everything had been reported secure
and all was quiet.
At 40 minutes past o'clock the YES
| sci was suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct explosions,
with brief interval between them.
The first lifted the forward part of the
ship very perceptibly; the second,
which was more prolonged, is attrib-
uted by the court to the partial explo-
sion of two Or more Of the forward
magazines.
The evidence OF the divers establishes
| that the after part of the ship was prac-
| tically intact and sank in that condi-
ton a very few minutes after the ex-
plosion. The forward part was COM
| pletely demolished.
Outer Shell Forced Inward.
Upon the evidence of concurrent OK
ternal cause the finding Of the court Is
as follows:
''At frame II the outer shell of the
ship from point liz feet from the
middle line of the ship and feet above
the keel when in its normal position,
has been forced up SO as to be now
| about feet above the surface Of the
water; therefore about 81 feet above
where it should be had the ship sunk
| uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into a reversed ~" shape. the at ,er
wing of which, about 10 feet broad and
80 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 is broken in two
| and keel bent ilr,o an angle similar to
the angle formed for the outside plates.
This break is about feet below the
surface of the water and about 30 feet
above its normal position. In the opin-
ion of the court, this effect could have
been produced only by the explosion of
| a mine situated under the bottom of
the ship at about frame Is and some.
| what on the port side of the ship.
Conclusions of the Court.
The conclusions of the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not
in any respect due to fault or negli-
gence on the part Of any officers or
members Of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of a submarine mine which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines; and,
that no evidence has been obtainable
fixing the responsibility for the de-
struction of the Maine upon any per.
son or persons.
1 have directed that the finding of
the court of inquiry and the views of
this government thereon be commun-
icated to the government Of her maj.
esty, the queen, and do not permit
myself to doubt that the sense Of jus
tice of the Spanish nation will dictate
a course of action suggested by honor
and the friendly relations Of the two
governments.
1t was the duty of the executive to
advise the congress of the result, and
in the meantime deliberate considera-