The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-29

iNoh'iiN'N
found by the divers, and are In a fair
condition.
On the night of the destruction of
the Maine everything had been report
ed secure for the night at s p. m. by
reliable persons, through proper au-
thorities. to the commanding officer.
At the time the Maine was destroyed
the ship was quiet. and therefore the
least liable to accident caused by move
ments from those on board. 4
The Explosions.
The destruction of the Maine oc-
Cured at $40 p. m. on the 18th day OF
February. 1898, in the harbor of Ha-
vana, Cuba, being at the time moored
at the very same buoy To which she
had been taken upon her arrival
There were two explosions OF a ois-
tinctly different character, a very short
but distinct interval between them. and
the forward part of the ship was hfted
TO a marked degree at the time of the
first explosion. The first explosion was
more i'm the nature of a report, like tina
of a gun. while the second explosion
was more Open, prolonged ana OF a
greater volume. This second explosion
was, in the opinion of the court, caused
by the partial explosion OF two or more
of the forward magazines OF the Maine.
Condition of the Weck-The evidence
bearing on this being principally OBJ
tanned from divers, did not enable the
court to form a definite conclusion
as TO the condition of the wreck, al
though il was established that the art
part of the ship was practically IN
tact. and sank in hat condition a very
few minutes after the destruction Of
the forward part.
The following facts i'm regard to the
Onward part of the ship are, however,
established by the That
norton of the short side of the pro-
tective deck which extends from about
frame 30 to about frame Al, was blown
M aft and over to port. The main
deck. from about frame 30 to ABOUT
frame Al was blown up aft. and slight
" over to ~starboard, folding the for
ward part of the middle superstructure
over and on top of floor part. rms
was. i'm the opinion of the court, caused
nv the martial explosion of two or more
of the forward magazines of the Maine.
At frame Is the outer shell of the snip.
from a point 11l2 feet from the middle
line of the ship and six feet above the
keel, when i'm its normal position, mas
been forced up so as to be about -FOUR
feet above the surface OF the wafer
therefore about "a feet above where II
; would be had the ship sunk uninjured.
: The outside bottom plating is bent into
"A reverse V shape, the aft wing OF
which is about Is feet broad and 81 feet
in length (from frame IL to frame 25'
is doubled back upon itself against the
continuation of the same plating ex-
tending forward.
At frame so the vertical keel Is
broken in two, and the fiat keel bent
into an angle similar to the angle
formed by the outside bottom plating
This break is now about six feet be
low the surface of the water and about
30 feet above its normal position. III
the opinion of the court this efec'
could have been produced only by tbs
explosion of a mine situated under tn
bottom of the ship at about frame is
and somewhat on the port side of tn
ship.
The court finds tina the loss of tn
Maine. on the occasion named, was no
i'm any respect due to fault on negl
gence on the part of any of the officer
or members of the crew of said vesse
In the opinion of the court. the Main
was destroyed by the explosion OF
I ubmarlne mine which caused the par
tiaI explosion of two or more OF he
: Onward magazines.
The court has been unable TO obtai
evidence fixing the responsibility G
the destruction of the Maine upon an
I, person or persons. (Signed)
w. T. SAMPSON.
n Captain L.. s. N. President.
A. A. MARK,
L. s Commander. Judge-Advocate.
: The court. having finished the II
n curry. IL was ordered TO make adjourn
ment at IL a. m. to await the actio
: of the converting authority.
4 w. 7. SAMPSON,
b. President.
4. \. MARK,
u lieutenant Commander. L. 5. \
Il Judge Advocate.
L. :. Flagship New York. March :
- 1898. of Key West.
U The proceedings and findings of Il
= court of inquiry in the above case a
= annrovad NJ. SICARD.
Rear Admiral. Commander-in-Chiet
y the l.. $. Naval Force OF the Nor
Atlantic.
y couMrNT nm TuF MESSAGE,