The Springfield herald., 1898-04-01
divers and are in fair condition.

divers ana are IN falr condition.
On the night of the destruction of
the Maine all had been reported secure
for the night, at s p M, by reliable
persons, through the proper authori-
ties, to the commanding officer. AT the
time the Maine was destroyed the ship
was quiet, and therefore the least lia-
BILE to accident caused by movements
from those on board.
Explosions:
Fifth-Destruction Of the Maine oc-
CURED At 9:40 p. m, on the 18th day
of February, 1898. in the harbor of
Havana, Cuba, being at the time
moored in the same buoy to which she
had been taken upon her arrival
There were two explosions of dis
tinctly different character, very short.
but with n distinct interval between
them, and the forward part of the ship
was lifted to a marked degree at the
time of the first explosion.
| The first explosion was more in the
nature Of report, like that of gun,
while the second explosion was more
open, prolonged and of greater volume
This second explosion was, In the
opinion of the court, caused by the par
tial explosion Of two or more of the
forward magazines Of the Maine.
Condition of the wreck:
Fourth-The evidence bearing on
this, being principally obtained from
divers, did not enable the court to
form a definite conclusion as to the
condition Of the wreck, although 1t was
established that the after part of the
ship was practically intact, and sank
in that condition a very few minutes
after the destruction 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 short side of the
protective deck which extends from
about frame 80 to about frame Al was
blown up aft and over to port. The
main deck from about frame 80 to
about frame Al was blown up aft, and
slightly over to the starboard, folding
the forward part of the middle super
structure over and on top Of floor part
This was, in the opinion of the court
caused by the partial explosion Of two
of more of the forward magazines of
| the Maine.
Fifth-At frame 10, 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 the keel when
in its normal position, has been forced
up so as to be now about four feet
above the surface of the water, hereto
fore about thirty-four feet above where
it would be had the ship sunk unin-
jured. The outside bottom plating is
bent into reversed v shape, the af-
ter 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 the continual
tion of the same plating extending
forward.
AT frame so 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 six feet below
the surface of the water and about
/ thirty feet above its normal position
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 1S
and somewhat on the port side Of the
ship.
Sixth-The court finds that the loss
of the Maine, on the occasion named,
was not in any respect due to the fault
or negligence on the part of any Of the
officers or members of the crew of said
vessel.
Seventh-ln 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 response
bility of the destruction of the Maine
upon any person or persons.
| W. =. SAMPSON,
| Captain U. s. N. President.
a. A. MARIN,
Lieutenant Commander U. $. ~,
Judge Advocate.
u. S. Flagship New York, March %,