Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-04-02
MAINE REPORT.
Court Of Inquiry Finds Vessel
Was Blown Up By a Mine.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Submits the Findings to Both Houses
Of Congress.

VI OVIlS|CSSs
All the Expert Evidence, With the Con-
illusions of the Naval Board, Read In
Senate and House and Immediately
Referred to the Foreign Affairs Com
mittecs In Both Branches-The Boards
Report Convicts Spain of Foul Play
Only by Implication-NO Responsi-
bility For the Disaster FiXcd-Mag.
azines Blew Up. But Not Until After
the Mine Hal Been ExplOied-Ship
Iirnk en- in TwO-Forcs of Explosion
Came From Port to Starboard, Lifting
the Ship in Air.
WAsHISdroN, d. c. Especially. The find.
ings OF the Court of Inquiry which investi-
gated the disaster causing the loss Of the
batteshp Maine on February Is, in Havana
Harbor, were transmitted to Congress at
noon Monday. They were accompanied by
the following message from the President
TO the Congress of the United States:
For soma time prior to the visit OF tho
Maine to Havana Harbor our Consular rep
resentatives pointed out the advantages to
flow from the visit OF National ships to the
Cuban waters, In nccustOming the people
to the presence Of our flag rs the symbol
OF good will and OF our ships In the fulfill
ment Of the mission OF protection to Aneri-
can interests, even though no immediate
need therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the oath OF January last,
after conference with the Spanish Minis
ter, in which the renewal OF visits OF our
war vessels to Spanish waters was dis
cussed and accepted, the PennSular au-
thorlties mt Madrid and Havana We're ad
vsed OF the purpose OF this Government to
resume friendly naval visits ut Cuban
ports and that In that view the Maine
would forthwith call Mt the port OF Ha-
vana. This announcement was received by
the Spanish Government with apprecia-
ton OF the friendly character to the visit
of the Maine and with notification Of inten.
tion to return the courtesy by sending
Spanish ships to the principal ports OF the
United States Meanwhile the Maine en-:
tered the port OF Havana on the 18th OF
January, her arrival being marked with no
special incident besides the exchange OF
customary sautes and ceremonial visits
The Maine continued in the harbor Of
Havana during the three weeks follow
Ing her arrival. No appreciable excite
ment attended her stay; on the con-
trary, Il feeling OF relief and confidence
followed the resumption OF the long inter-
rupted friendly intercourse. SO notice.
able was this Immediate effect Of her visit
that the Consul General strongly urged
that the presence OF our ships in Cuban
waters should be keptup by retaining the
Maine at Havana, or, In tue event OF her
recall, by sanding another vessel there
to take her place.
Resume of the Tragedy.
At $40 o'clock 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 literally wrecked. In
this catastrophe two officers and 264 OF her
crew persisted, those who were not killed
outright by her explosion being penned be-
tween decks by the tangle of wreckage and
drowned by the immediate sinking of the
ship.
Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neIghboring vessels anchored in
tho hnrbor, aid being especially given
by the boats Of the Spanish cruiser Al
phonso XII. and the Ward line steamer
City Of Washington, which lay not far dis
tant. The wounded were generously cared
for by the authorities in Havana, the hos
pitfalls being freely open to them, while the
earliest recovered bodies OF the dead were
inferred by the municipality in public
cemetery in the city. Tributes OF grief and
sympathy were offered from ell official
quarters OF the island. The appalling ca
lamity fell upon the people Of our country
with crushing force, and for brief time
intense excitement prevailed, which In u
community less just and self-controllcd
than our, might have led to hasty
acts of blind resentment This spirit
however, soon gave way to calmer
processes OF reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await material
proof before forming judgment as to the
warranted the remedy due. This course
necessarily recommended itself from the
outset to the Executive, for only In tho
light OF dispassionately ascertained GER
tainty could 1t determine the nature and
measure OF his full duty in the matter. The
usual procedure was followed as in all cases
OF casualty or disaster to national vessels
Object of the Naval Court.
OF any maritime State. A Naval Court OF In
qury was ut once organized COM
posed OF officers well qualified by rank
and practical experience to discharge the
onerOus duty imposed upon them. Aided
by u strong force OF wreckers and divers
the court proceeded to make q thorough
investigation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and eX-
act determination Of the cause OF the ex-
plO5tOu. us OpeEhtiouS uHvo pCuh JUL
Quoted with tho utmost elaboration and
judgment and while Independently pursued,
no source OF information WAS neglected,
and the fullest opportunity was allowed for
simultaneous investigation by the Span
ish authorities.
The finding OF the Court Of Inquiry was
reached, after twenty-three days Of con-
tinuous labor, on the 2lst Of March and,
having been approved on the 22d by tho
Commander in Chief OF the United States
naval force Of the North Atlantic station
was transmitted to the Executive. 1t Is
herewith laid before the Congress, together
with the voluminous testimony taken be-
fore the court. Its purport Is, In brief, as
follows:
"When the Maine arrived at Havana she
pilot to Buoy No. 4, to which she was
moored in from five and one-half to six
fathoms OF water.
s."The state Of discipline on board and the
condition OF her magazines, boilers and
coal bunkers and storage compartments
are passed in review, with tho conclusion
that excellent order prevailed, and that no
indication OF any cause for an internal eX-
plosion existed In any quarter. At
8 O'Clock In the evening OF Feb. 10 every
thing had been reported secure and all
was quiet. At $40 o'clock the vessel was
suddenly destroyed. There were two dis
tinct explosions, with u brief interval be-
tween them. The first lifted the forward
part OF the ship very perccptibly; the sec
Ond which was more open, prolonged and OF
greater volume, 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 afterpart
Of the shin WAS practically intact and sank