The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29
SPANISH ATROCITY.
(Continued from page Id


less Just and selfishiy controlled, must
have led to hasty acts of blind resent
lnent- RMS spirit. however, soon gave
way 10 the calmer processes of reason,
and to the resolve 10 investigate the facts
and wait the material proof before form
ing Judgment as to the cause. the re-
sDonsiblitv and. if the facts warranted,
me remedy due This course necessar-
lily recommended Itself from the outset
TO the executive, for only in the light of
olspaSSionately ascertained certainty
could 1t determine the nature and measure
of its fun duty in the matter.
COURT OF INQUIRY.
The usual procedure was followed. as in
all cases of casualty or disaster to ma
tional vessels CT any maritime state. a
naval court of inquiry was az once or
ganized, composed o. officers well quail
flied by rank and practical experience to
discharge the onerous duty imposed upon
them Aided by \ strong force of wreck
efs ana olVers, 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 explosion. Its operations
have been conducted with the utmost de-
liberation and judgment. and while indie
pendently pursued. no source of informa-
ton was neglected and the fullest Oppor-
tunity was allowed for a simultaneous
investigation by the Spanish authorities.
The nnding Of the court of inquiry was
reached after % days of continuous labor.
on the 21st OF March, and having been ap-
proved on the 22nd by the cOmmander-in-
chief of the naval force on the North At
lantic station, was transmitted to the eX-
ecutive-
FINDINGS OF THE COURT.
It is herewith laid before the congress,
together with the voluminous testimony
taken before the court Its purport is. in
brief, as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana. she
was conducted by the regular government
pilot to buoy No l. TO which she was
moored in from i've and one-halt to six
To- e Nr~an FFH
The state of discipline on board and the
condition of her magazines, boilers, coal
bUnkers and storage commandments are
passed in review, with the conclusion that
excellent order prevailed and that no in
dication of any cause for an internal ex-
plosion existed in any quarter.
At s O'Clock in the evening of Feb. 10
everything had been reported secure and
all was quiet. At 40 minutes past 8
o'clock the vessel was suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct explosions with
a brief interval between them. The first
lifted the forward part of the ship very
percepubly: the second. which was more
prolonged. is attributed 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 prac-
tically intact. and sank in that condition
d very few minutes after the explosion.
The forward part was completely demol-
ished
Upon the evidence of concurrent ex-
ternal cause. the finding of the court is
as follows:
IMPORTANT EVIDENCE.
At frame II, the outer shell OF the ship,
from a point 111a feet from the middle
line of the ship and six feet above the
keel when in its normal position, had
been forced up so as to be about four
feet above the surface Of the water;
therefore about "a feet above where il
would be had she sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent into
a reversed shape, the after wing of
length 1rom frame IL TO frame % is
doubled back upon itself against the con-
tinuatiop of the same plating extending
forward.
AT frame IS the vertical keel is broken
in two and keel bent into an angle singu- |
liar to the angle formed for the outside |
plates. This break is about six feet below |
the surface of the water and about 30 feet |
above its normal position.
In the opinion of the court this effect |
could have been produced only by the ex- |
plosion of a mine situated under the bot |
tom of the snip at about frame Is and |
somewhat on the port size of the ship.
The conclusions of 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 MEM /
bers of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the |
explosion of submarine mine. which /
caused the partial explosion of two or /
more of her forward magazines; and
That 40 evidence has been obtainable
fixing the responsibility for the destruc-
zion of the Maine upon. any person or
persons.
l 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 a course of
action suggested by honor and the friend
~ relations of the two government.
II is the duty of the executive TO adj
wise congress of the result, and in the
meantime deliberate consideration is in
vOked.
(Signed) WILLIAM NJ KINLEY.
Executive Mansion March IS 1898.