Fair play., 1898-04-02
DESTROYED YSPAN|ARDS
Official Synopsis of the Report Of
the Board of Inquiry on
the Maine Disaster.
SPANISH AGENCY CLEARLY SHOWN.
However, Not Established The Evil
dence, Ii is Said, is Much More DAM
sjinG to Spain than the Boards Find
ings Suggest.


ajinG to Spain than the Baard's Find
ings Suggest.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-The follow
ing is officially sanctioned as a synop-
Sis of the findings ON the destruction Of
the Maine:
The board of inquiry into the loss
Of the Maine finds that the explosion
which destroyed the Maine was from
the outside, and does not fix the re-
spon>ibility for the disaster. 1t does
not express an opinion as to the char
acter of the explosive, but the testi-
mony goes to show that it was pow
erful submarine mine, the exact char
acter of which is not determined by
the testimony, though the belief was
expressed that it was what is known
as Il floating submarine mine. There
Were two explosions, the board finds
! The first was from the outside. and
that set OFF one OF the smaller maga-
zines.
Authority FOR the statement that this
is what the findings show was gwen at
the White House late this afternoon,
just before the second cabinet meeting
OF the day began. 1t seemed best to
the president that the public should
know at once the substance OF the re-
port. Hence this action was taken.
Report and Findings.
a distinction must be made between
the findings and the report. This was
pointed out Monday morning in the
forecast which was then given, and
which is borne out by the official an
nounccment this afternoon. The
findings are the conclusions which
the court felt justified in reach
ing. The report is review
and an explanation OF the tes-
timony. 1t is more sensational than
the findings. In the testimony. state
mcnts far more damaging TO Spanish
authority than the findings indicate
were made. Assertions We're offered
and suspicious circumstances report
ed. which, however, We're not sutti-
cient!y we'll supported to warrant the
court in accepting them as proven.
The report and the testimony will
make a much graver impI eSSi"n on the
public than the findings. The average
reader viii not stop 10 weigh testi-
mony with the judicial discriminate
ut the court. He will very quickly ac-
cept the drift Of the testimony. The
American people will feel that. while
Blanco and the higher officials of the
government may have been ignorant
of the plot, the Maine wa, destroyed
with the cpnnivance of Spanish Off
cials ut sufficient rank to make
Spain more responsible than the
+ findings indicate. The findings are
guarded. The report goes farther. re-
viewing testimony which seems to
have a bearing on the conspiracy. The
testimony itself is startlingly sugges-
( tive OF the not fully proven details OF
J the. shameful deed
/ \ member of the cabinet, speaking
with Il close personal friend. this even
ing, said, with Il manner most serious:
/ The test imonv is far worse than the
( report. 1t is very bad.
( Unless there shall be a change in the
/ presidents 5 intentions. the findings.
/ the report and the testimony will go to
congress at l. o'clock on Monday. The
! papers will be received and referred
, to the committees on foreign relations
and foreign affairs without debate.
| The fact that. with the reception of the
/ papers. the Maine affair becomes the
| business of congress, has not attracted
attention.