The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-04-02
LEFT TO CONGRESS-.
Mckinley Recites Facts Connected
with Maine Explosion.
Findings of the Conrt Outlined with Little
Comment-SpsIn's Regent Is Notified
and Mckinley Hopes for Peace
Recommendations Made.


WAsHISoToN, March 29.-The presi-
dent yesterday sent the following mes
sage to congress:
To the Congress OF the United States:
For some time prior to the visit OF the Maine
10 Havana hRrbor our consular representatives
pointed out the advantages TO how from the
visit of national ships to the Cuban waters in
customing the people TO the presence of our flag
the symbol of good will and of our ships in the
fulhllment Of the mission Of protection to
American interests, even though no Immediate
need therefor might exist Accordingly on the
cath Of January last, after comforting with the
Spanish minister ia which the renewal OF visits
OF our war vessels TO Spanish waters was dis
cussed and accepted the peninSular authorities
ut Madrid and Havana were advised of the pur
pose OF this government to resume friendly
naval visits OF Cuban ports and that, In that
view, the Maine would forthwith call at the
port or Havana This announcement was re-
ceIved by the Spanish government with appre-
citation of the friendly character OF the visit OF
the Maine and with notification OF intention to
return the courtesy by sending Spanish ships
10 the principal ports OF the United states.
Meanwhile. the Maine entered the port OF Ha-
Vana on the 25th of January, her arrival being
marked with no special incident besides the
exchange OF customary salutes and ceremonial
visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor of Ha-
vana during the three weeks following her ar
rival No appreciabie excitement attended her
stay on the contrary, O IeellnR OF relleI ana
confidence followed the resumption of the long
interrupted friendly Intercourse So noticeable
was this immediate eject of her visit that the
consul general strongly urged that the presence
of our ships In Cuban waters should be kept up
10y retaining them OF Havana or. in the event
of her recall. by sending another vessel there
To take her place
At $40 in the evening OF the 18th OF February
the Maine was destroyed by an explosion. by
which the entire forward part of the ship was
utterly wrecked. In this catastrophe two or1-
GERS and ESQ OF her crew perished, those who
were not killed outright by her explosion being
penned between decks by the tangle Of wreck
age and drowned by the immediate sinking or
the hull. Prompt assistance was rendered by
the ueighboring vessels anchored in the hAr-
boT. aid being especially given by the boats OF
the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XIL and the
Ward line steamer City of Washington which
lay not far distant. The wounded were gener-
ously cared for by the authorities OF Havana,
the hospitals being freely opened TO them,
while the earliest recovered bodies OF the dead
were inferred by the municipality in q public
cemetery in the city Tributes OF grief and sym
pathy were offered from all Ofiielal quarters OF
the island
OF our country with crushing force and for
brIef time intense excitement prevailed,
which in u community less Just and self-con-
trolled than ours might have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment This spirit, however.
soon gave way to the calmer processes OF reason
ana to the resolve TO investigate the facts and
await the material proof before forming
Judgment as to the cause. the responsibility
and, II the facts warranted, the remedy due
This course necessarily recommended itself
from the outset to the executive, for only In the
light of a dispassionately ascertained certainty
could 1t determine the nature and measure OF
its full duty in the matter
The usual procedure was followed, as In all
cases OF casualty or disaster to national Ves-
sells OF any maritime state. naval court OF
inquiry was at once organized. composed OF Of
yall Lad rnnlr md anl
perience TO discharge the onerou5 duty imposed
upon them Aided by q strong force OF wreck
ers and divers the court proceeded to make
thorough investigation on the spot employing
every available means for the impartial and
exact determination OF the causes OF the explo-
sion.
The finding of the court of inquiry was
reached after % days OF continuous labor op
the 2lst of March. instant, and having been ap-
proved on the 22d by the commander-in-chief
OF the United States naval force on the north
Atlantic station. was transmitted to the exec
utive 1t Is herewith laid before the congress
to-day with the voluminous testimony taken
before the court. Its purport is. In brief. a.
follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana she was
conducted by the regular government pilot to
buoy No. g. to which she was moored in from
bK to six fathoms OF water. The state Of dis
cipline on board and the condition OF her maya
zines boilers. coal bunlerS and storage COM
partments are passed in review with the con-
no Indication Of any cause for an Internal ex-
plosion existed in any quarter
AT eight o'clock In the evening OF February
Is everything had been reported secure and all
was quiet. At 40 minutes past nine O'Clock the
vessel was suddenly destroyed
There were two distinct explosions, with
brief interval between them. The hrst lifted
the forward part OF the ship very percepttbly;
the second, which was more prolonged, is at
tributed by the court TO the partial explosion
OF two or more of the forward magazines. The
evidence OF the divers establishes that the
after part Of the ship was practically intact and
sank IN that condition very fVw minutes after
the explosion. The forward part was COM
pletely demolished.
Upon the evidence OF concurrent external
cause the finding OF the court Is as follows:
AT frame II the outer shell of the ship from
o point Iih feet from the middle line OF the
ship and six feet above the keel when In its
normal position, has been forced up SO as to be
now about four feet above the surface or the
water; therefore. about 81 feet above where it
would be had the ship sunk uninjured
AZ frame IS the vertical keel is broken in two
and the keel bent into an angle similar TO the
angle formed for the outside plates This
break is about six feet below the surface of the
water and about 80 feet above Its normal POSI-
ton In the opinion OF the court this effect
could have been produced only by the explosion
OF q mine situated under the bottom Of the ship
1t about frame Is and somewhat on the port
side OF the ship.
The conclusions or the court are: That the
loss OF the Maine was not In any respect due TO
fault or negligence on the part OF any OF the
officers or members OF her crew; that the ship
was destroyed by the explosion OF a submarine
mine which caused the partial explosion OF
two or more OF her forward magazines: AMI
that no evidence has been Obtainable fixing
the responsibility for the destruction or the
Maine upon any person or persons
have directed that the finding of the court
of inquiry and the views OF this government
thereon be communicated TO the government OF
her majesty, the queen and do not permit
myself TO doubt that the sense OF justice OF the
Spanish nation will dictate q course OF action
suggested by honor and the friendly relations OF
She two governments
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Contract Null and Void.