The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-26
PEAIENONPRECARDUS
Court Adopts Mine Theory,
But Doesn't Fix Blame.
CABINET ADMITS A CRISIS.
Two Sessions Held and Cable Sent
WOOdfOTd.
WARSHIPS WON'TBE WHITE.
Vessels Of the Navy Ordered Painted
Black.
WlRSHIPS WON'T BE WHITE.

Washington, March 25-The court OF in
curry appointed to investigate the cause of
loss of the battleship was due to an out
side explosion.
The state department, by direction of
the President, has cabled United States
Minister Woodford, at Madrid, to notify
the Spanish government of this con-
ciusjon.
The President and his cabinet advisors
held two extended sessions to-day, one
this morning at 1920, and another this aft
ernoon at $3.50 at which the report was
considered in detail.
Members of the cabinet stated after the
meeting that the discussion was Of a grave
character and that never since the wreck
ing of the Maine has the situation seemed
so critical.
The Spanish government has cabled Off
cially to Washington that the Spanish ma
val commission holds the. disaster to the
Maine to be of internal origin.
The government of Spain, is can be stat
ed positively, is not disposed to turn back
the torpedo fiotilla now proceeding from
consider a suggestion from this govern
meut tending to interfere with the dispo-
sition by Spain OF her own naval forces.
War preparation on anv unprecedented
scale is being hurried to completion by the
war and navy departments, and the coun-
try practically is on a war footing.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the national
capitol has seen since the close of the civil
war.
II was a day of profoundly important
action and of the deepest anxiety, coupled
with naval and military activity, one step
following another in rapid succession.
Representative men of the administra-
tion, public men in all branches of Off
cal and Congressional life, no less than
the public in general, shared in the ten
sion to which the situation has been
wrought.
There was no efforts among the highest
officials, nor, indeed was 1t possible from
what was clearly apparent in the develop
ment of the day, to minimize the situa-
ton. ls.i
Viewed in detail the findings of the
court of inquiry was the most vital feat
OF the court of inquiry, delivered the re-
port to Secretary Long early this MORN
ing and shortly after it was carried to
the White House and placed in the hands
Oh the President. At 10:30 the cabinet as
sembled, half an hour earlier than usual,
ana began the consideration of the mo-
mentous document
Even the rigid rules of secrecy which
prevailed a t cabinet meetings were made
UOllhtV ri iaf IN, 1, 10. fnff
nation of the results reached by the court
We're known until 2 o'clock, when an As
Soc1ated Press bulletin gave the informa-
Uon 10 the country, as we'll as the eagerly
waiting officials throughout Washington.
hese results, briefly stated are that the
loss of the Maine was due to an explosion
rom the outside, the court being unable
90 Tx the responsibility for the explosion.
me court does not express an opinion as
70 the character of the explosive, but the
'esumony goes to show that 1t was a
powerful submarine mine, the exact char
oeler OF which is not determined by the
'CSumony though the belief is expressed
Sr mat 1t was a floating submarine mine.
mere were two explosions, the court
H"ds; the first from the outside, and that
sel Off one of the smaller magazines.
was this result expressed in detail
aud with the precision of a court deeply
conscious of it's responsibility, together
"4'h the evidence on which it was based.
tI1t occupied the attention of the cabinet
uHoughout its extended sessions of the
morning and afternoon
All other and lesser subjects gave way
'o this foremost question. There was no
1N1nge in the plan of making the report
''ohc and transmitting it to Congress
'IIy next week, accompanied by a brief
message from the President
w ME interest was thus centered at the
"Hlte House, the navy and war depart
",ehts were hurrying forward their work
preparations. The advance of the Span
~" hotllla continued TO receive the clos
,9' attention Of naval officials and while
~ lar as could be ascertained, no definite
""e OF action was determined upon the
u'eu OF intercepting this fleet was urged by
'le highest naval butterflies From the
1,"Hdpont of the Spanish government this
I"OVement was not a menace, hav-
"ls been decided upon many weeks
ago On the contrary the Spanish
soVernment holds that the extensive arma-
Ient Of the Dry Tortugas is a more direct
H'suie act against Spain than any move
Hent Of the hotilla.
instead of stopping the hotilla, the pres
SNt attitude Of Spain tends toward re-en-
torcing IL with other Spanish war vessels.
NOT as menace. but from what the Span
an government feels Is a requirement call
gu Tor by the existing condition of affairs
hardly less suggestive than the approach
VI the torpedo flotiIa was the Information