Connecticut western news., 1898-03-31


 ested to the government of her majesty she queen regent, and I do not permit myself to doubt that the sense of jus tice of the Spanish nation will dictate a course of action suggested by honor and the friendly relations of the two gov ernments. It will be the duty of the executive to advise the congress of the result, and in the meantime deliberate consideration is invoked"
 The following are the findings of the court of inquiry:
 After full and mature consideration of all the testimony before it the court finds as follows:
 First.--That the United States battle ship Maine arrived in the harbor of Ha- vana, Cuba, on the 18th day of January 1898. and was taken to buoy No. 4, in from 5l9 to 6 fathoms of water, by the regular government pilot.
 The United States consul general at Ha- vana had notified the authorities at that place the previous evening of the intended arrival of the Maine.
 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 in accord ance with prescribed instructions, and proper care was taken whenever ammuni- ton was handled.
 Nothing was slowed in any of the mag aZines or shellrooms which was not per mitted to be slowed there
 The magazines and shellrooms were all ways locked after having been opened, and after the destruction of the Maine tine keys were found in their proper place in the captains cabin, everything having been reported secure that evening at D. m.
 The temperature of the magazines and shellrooms was taken daily and reported. The only magazine which had an undue amount of heat was the after l0-inch mag azlne, and that did not explode at the time the Maine was destroyed.
 The torpedo warheads were all slowed in the after part of the ship under the ward room and neither caused nor participated in the destruction of the Maine.
 The dry gun cotton primers and detona- tors were slowed in the cabin aft and re- mote from the scene of the explosion. Waste was carefully looked after on the Maine to obviate danger. Special orders in regard to this had been given by the com manding officer.
 Varnisnes, differs. alcohol and other com bustibles Of this nature were slowed on or above the main deck and could not have had anything to do with the destruction of the Maine.
 The medical stores were slowed aft un- der the wardrOom and remote from the scene of the explosion.
 No dangerous stores of any kind were slowed below in any of the other store rooms.
 Coal Bunkers In Perfect Condition.
 The coal bunkers were inspected daily. Of those bunkers adjacent to the forward magazines and shellrooms four were empty
 
 A15 had been in use that day. and A16 was full of New river coal. This coal had been carefully inspected before. receiving it on board. The bunker in which it was slowed was accessible on three sides at all times and the fourth side at this time on account of bunkers B4 and B6 being empty. This bunker, A16, had been inspected that day by the engineer officer on duty.
 The fire alarms in the bunkers were in working order, and there had never been a case of spontaneous combustion of coal on board of the Maine.
 The two after boilers of the ship were in use at the time of the disaster, but for auxiliary purposes only, with compara- lively low pressure of steam and being tended by a reliable watch. These boilers could not have caused the explosion of the ship. The four forward boilers have since [ been found by the divers and are in fair On the night of the destruction of the Maine everything had been reported secure for the night at s D. m. by reliable persons through the proper authorities to the com manding officer. At the time the Maine was destroyed the ship quiet and therefore least liable to accident caused by movements from those on board. Third.-The destruction of the Maine oc- 1 cured at $40 p. m. on the 10th day of February. 1898, in the harbor of Havana | she being at the time moUred to the same ] buoy to which she had been taken upor i her arrival.
 There were two explosions of a distinctly | different character, with very short bu distinct interval between them. and tht | forward part of the ship was lifted to g | marked degree at the time of the first ex plosion. The first explosion was more 1T | the nature of a report like that of gun | while the second explosion was more open | prolonged and of greater volume. This sec l ond explosion was, in the opinion of tht | court. caused by the partial explosion oi | two or more of the forward magazines ol | the Maine.
 | Evidence Tat a Mine Exploded. | The evidence bearing upon this, being | principally ohtaned from divers, did moi ! enable the court to form definite conclu | sion us to the condition of the wreck, al | though it was established that the after l part of the ship was practically intact ano l sank in that condition very few minute: | after the destruction of tho forward part. 1 The following facts in regard to the Tor | ward part of the ship are. however, estab- | lshed by the testimony: | That portion of the port side Of the pro- | tective deck which extends from about | frame 20 to about frame fl was blown uI | aft and over to port. The main deck from | about frame 30 to about frame Al was | blown up aft and slightly over to star | board. folding the forward part of the mid | dle superstructure oN ar and on top or the | after part
 | This was, in the opinion of the court | caused by the partial explosion of two ol ! more of the forward magazines or the Maine. .-