The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-29
THE COURTS REPORT.
The Evidence which Led tn the Convic
tion of n Mine Explosion.

ito. of n Mine Explosion.
washington. March 2s.--The follow
ing Is the full text of the report of the
court OF inquiry. II is dated United
states Steamer Iowa, first rate, Key
West, Fla. March 81. 1888:
After a full and mature consideration
of all the testimony before IL. the court
finds as follows:
That the United States battleship
Maine arrived In the harbor of Ha-
vana, Cuba. on the 2ist day of Janu-
ary. 1898. and was taken to buoy No. 4.
In from Ave and one-half to six faith
oms of water. by the regular govern
ment pilot The United states consul
general at Havana had notified the au-
thorities at that place the previous
evening of the intended arrival of the
Maine.
The state of discipline on board the
Maine was excellent. and all orders and
regulations in regard to the care and
safety of the ship were strictly carried
out. All ammunition was slowed away
in accordance with instructions, and
proper care was taken whenever am
munition was handled. Nothing was
stored in any one of the magazines or
shell rooms which was not permitted
to be stored there. The magazines and
shell rooms were always locked after
having been opened; and after the de-
struction of the Maine the keys were
found I'm their proper place In the cap
tain's cabin. everything having been
reported secure that evening at p. m.
The temperature of the magazines
and shell rooms was taken daily and
reported. The only magazine which
had an undue amount OF heat was the
aft lO-inch magazine. and that did not
explode at the time the Maine was de-
stroyed.
The torpedo warheads were all
slowed in the aft part of the ship un-
der the ward room. and neither caused
nor participated in the destruction Of
the Maine. The dry gun cotton primers
and detonators were slowed In the cab
in aft and remote from the scene of the
explosion. The waste was carefully
looked after on board the Maine to OBJ
viate danger. Special orders in regard
to this had been given by the COM
manding officer.
Varnishes. dryers. alcohol and other
combustibles of this nature were
slowed on or above the main deck. and
could not have had anything to do with
the destruction of the Maine. The
medical stores were slowed aft under
the ward room and remote from the
scene Of the explosion. No dangerous
stores OF any kind were slowed below
/ in any of the other storerooms- The
coal bunkers were inspected. OF those
bunkers adjoining the forward maya
zines and shell rooms. four were emp
/ ty. namely. BIS. B-4. BIS, B-6. Ais
had been in use that date, and Ala
was full of New River coal This coal
| had been carefully inspected before re-
ceiving on board. The bunker in which
IL was slowed was accessible on thres
/ sides at all times. and the fourth side
at this time on account of bunkers B.
and BE- being empty. This bunker
Ais, had been inspected that day b,
tie engineer officer on duty. The fir,
alarms in the bunkers were in workin,
| order, and there had never been a cas-
of spontaneous combustion Of coal OF
/ board the Maine.
The two aft boilers OF the ship wer,
| in use at the time of the disaster, bu
for auxiliary purposes only. with !,
| comparatively low pressure OF steam
and were attended by q reliable watch
These boilers could not have caasse<
the explosion of the ship The fOrwaRt
boilers of the ship have sim beer
1 n. De-. ~