Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-09
ON them, Aided by a strong force o

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and an exact determination OF causes
of the explosion. LIS operations havt
been continued with the utmost delib.
Grafton and judgment and while indie
p~endently pursued no sources OF infor-
nation had been neglected and the
fullest opportunity was allowed for q
simultaneous Investigation by the
Spanish authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry
reached here after twenty-three days
of continuous labor on the 21st of
March, and having been approved on
the 22d by the commander in chief OF
the United States naval force on the
North Atlantic st-.ion was transmit
ted to the executive.
1t is herewith laid before congress
together with the yoluminous testimo-
ny taken before the court. Its purport
is in brief, as follows:
When the Maine arrived in Havana
she was conducted by the regular gov
eminent pilot to buoy No. 4, TO which
she moored in from five and one half
to six fathoms of water. The state OF
discipline on board and the condition
of her magazines, boilers, coal bunkers
and storage compartments are passed
in review, with the conclusion that ex-
cellent order prevailed and no indica-
ton of any cause for an internal ex-
plosion existed in any quarter. At $
in the evening Of February Is, every
thing was reported all quiet and Sc
cure. Forty minutes past Q the yes
sci was suddenly destroyed. There
were two distinct explosions, with a
brief interval between them. The first
lifted the forward part of the vessel
very preceptibly. The second, which
was more prolonged, is attributed by
the court to the partial explosion OF
two or more forward magazines. The
evidence of the divers establishes that
the after part of the ship is practical
" intact and sunk in that condition a
very few minutes after the explosion.
The forward part is completely demol-
ished. Upon the evidence of the con-
current opinion as 10 an external cause
the finding of the court is as follows:
At frame II the outer shell of the
ship, from a point eleven and one
half feet from the middle line of the
ship and six feet above when in normal
position, has been forced up SO as Ia
be now about four feet above where il
would be had the ship been sunk unin-
jured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into n reversed "V" the shape of the
after wing of which, about fifteen feet
broad and thirty-two feet in length
(from frame II TO frame 25) is doubled
back upon itself against a continue
ton % the same plating extending for
ward.
At frame IS the vertical keel is bro
ken in two and the keel bent into an
angular formed from outside plates.
This break is about six feet below the
surface of the water and about thirty
feet above its normal position.
In the opinion of the court this eff.
feet could have been produced only by
the explosion of a mine situated under
the bottom of the ship. at about frame
IS and somewhat on the port side OF
the ship.
The conclusions OF the court are:
That the loss Of the Maine was not
in any respect due to the faultor negli.
gence of any Of the officers or crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of n submarine mine, which
caused n partial explosion of two OF
more of her forward magazines; and
That no evidence has been obtain.
able fixing the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any per.
son or persons.
! have directed the finding of the
court of inquiry and the views of this
government thereon TO be commune
~, the queen, and ] do not permit nv.
self to doubt that the sense of Justice
of the Spanish nation will dictate a
course of action suggested by honor
and the friendly relations of the two
governments.
1t was the duty of the executive to
advise congress of the result, and in
the meantime a deliberate considera.
ton is invoked.
(Signed) William Mckinley.
Report of the Court.
Washington, March 29.-Followine
is the text of the report of the court
of inquiry:
After n full consideration of all the
testimony before it the court finds as
follows:
1. The United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor Of Ha.
vana, Cuba, on the 25th of January,
1898, and was taken to buoy No. 4, In
five and a half to six fathoms of water,
by the regular government pilot. The
United States consul general at Ha-
vana had notified the authorities at
that place, previous to that evening,
Of the intended arrival of the Maine.
2. 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 to instruc-
tions and proper care was taken when
ever the ammunition was handled.
Nothing vas slowed in any of the
magazines or shell rooms which would
not be permitted to be stored there.
The magazines and shell rooms were
always locked after having been
opened. and after the destruction of
the Maine the keys were found in the
proper place in the captains cabin,
everything having been reported Sc
cure that evening at s o'clock.
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
after ten inch magazine, and that did
not explode.
Inc torpeuo war ne6us were All
slowed in the after part of the ship,
under the ward room, which neither
caused nor participated in the destruc-
ton of the Maine. The gun cotton
primers and decorators were slowed
in the cabin aft, remote from the scene
of the explosion.
The waste was carefully looked after
on board the Maine to obviate danger.
Special orders regarding this had been