The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-03-31

and being tended by reliable watcn-
These boilers could not have caused the
explosion of the ship. The four for
ward boilers have since been found py
the divers and are in a fair condition.
On the night of the destruction of the
Maine everything had been reported Sc
cure for the night at 5 p. m. by reilaDie
persons through the proper authorlties
to the commanding officer. AT the tiine
the Maine was destroyed the snip was
quiet and therefore least liable TO acci-
dent caused by movements from those
on board.
Third.-The destruction of the MAINE
occurred at $40 p. m. on the 10Th day
of February. 1885, In the harbor of Ha-
vana, she being at the time moored 10
the same buoy to which she had peen
taken upon her arrival.
There were two explosions of ols-
einctly different character, with very
short but distinct interval between
them, and the forward part of the snip
was lifted to a marked degree at the
time of the first explosion. The nrst
explosion was more in the nature OF
report like that of a gun. while tne sec
ond explosion was more open, proions
ed and of greater volume. This second
explosion was, in the opinion OF the
court, caused by the partial explosion
of two or more of the forward maga-
zines Of the Maine.
Condition of the Wreck.
The evidence bearing upon this, being
principally obtained from divers, dld
not enable the court to form a definite
conclusion as to the condition of the
wreck, although it was established that
the after part of the ship was practi-
cally intact and sank in that condition
very few minutes after the destruc-
tion OF the forward part.
The following facts in regard to the
forward part of the ship are, however,
established by the testimony.
That portion of the port side of the
protective deck which extends from
about frame 80 to about frame Al wa.
blown up aft and over to port. The
main deck from about frame 30 to about
frame Al 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.
Fifth.-At frame II the outer shell Of
the ship from point 1l1k feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in it's normal po-
sition has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
Of the water, therefore about "a feet
above where it would be had the ship
sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent into
reversed v shape, the after wing of
f1i oh Oh nd aaf
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 18 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 feet below the surface
of the water and about 80 feet above its
normal position.
A Mine Surely Caused 1t.
In the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion of mine situated under the
bottom of the ship at about frame IS
and somewhat on the port side OF the
ship.
Sixth.-The court finds that the loss
Oh The Maine on the OCCASION udfneQ was
not in any respect due to fault or neg
ligence on the part of any Of the officers
or members of the crew of said vessel
Seventh.--In the opinion of the court,
the Maine was destroyed by the explo-
sion of submarine mine. which caused
the partial explosion of two or more of
her forward magazines.
Eighth.-The court has been unable
to obtain evidence fixing the responsi-
bility for the destruction of the Maine
upon any person or persons.
w. t. SAMPSON, Captain u. s. N,
President
A. MARK, Lieutenant Commander
u. S. N, Judge Advocate
The court, having finished the inquiry
it was ordered to make, adjourned at IL
a. m. to await the action of the conven-
ing authority.
w. t. SAMPSON, Captain u. S. NJ.
President.
A. MARK, Lieutenant Commander
u. S. N, Judge Advocate
u. S. Flagship New York, March o.
1898, OFF Key West.
The proceedings and findings of the
court of inquiry in the above case are
approved.
M. SICARD, Rear Admiral Command
er In Chief Of the United States Naval
Force on the North Atlantic Station.