The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29

"a SaOihct Ln0 Report at LengIns
The Situation Becoming More Strained.
The Navy Put on a War Footing-Other
Preparations for Defense-An Officials
Save General Lee, to be Brought From
Havana Spain Denies Responsibility.
Comments of Lopdon Press
Washington, March 25.-The court Of
inquiry appointed to investigate the
caus Of the Maine disaster, has report
ed that the loss of the battleship was
due to an outside explosion.
The state department, by direction
of the president, has cabled United
States Minister WOOdfOrd at Madrid
to notify the Spanish government of
this conclusion.
The president and cabinet advi-o-5
held two extended sessions today, lie
at 1890 o'clock a. m, and aonther at
$50 o'clock p. m, at hich the report
was considered in detail. Members of
the abine stated after the meeting
that the discussion was Of grave char
acter and that never since the wreck
ing Of the Maine has the situation
seemed 50 critical.
SPANISH GOVERNMENT MOTH
FLED.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Span
ish naval commission holds the
disaster to the Maine to be Of internal
origin. The government of Spain, it
can be stated positively, is not disposed
to turn back the torpedo fiotilla now
proceeding from the Canaries and
would be disinclined to consider a sug-
,gestion from this government tending
to interfere with the disposition 10y
Spain of her own naval forces.
WAR PREPARATIONS ON AN UNI
PRECEDENTED SCALE ARE BEING
HURRIED TO COMPLETION BY
THE WAR AND NAVY DEPART
MENTS, AND THE COUNTRY PRAC-
. TICALLY Is ON A WAR FOOTING.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the national
capital has seen since the close of the
civil war. 1t was a day of profoundly
important action Of the deepest ankle
ty, coupled with naval and military ac-
tivity, one step following another in
rapid succession. Representative men
of the administration, public men in
all branches of official and cOngresSiOn-
al life, no less than the public in gem
eraI, shared in the tension to which the
situation has been wrought. There
was no effort among the highest Of
1iciaIs, nor indeed was it possible from
what was clearly apparent in the de-
velopments of the day, to minimize the
situation.
THE REPORT DELIVERED.
Viewed in detail, the findings of the
court or inquiry was the most vital
feature. Commander Mark, judge
advocate of the court of inquiry,
delivered the report to Secretary Long
early this morning and shortly after
ward it was carried to the White house
and placed in the hands of the presi-
dent.
CAUSE OF THE WRECK.
AT 1920 o'clock the cabinet assem-
Dled, half an hour earlier than usual,
and began the consideration Of the mo-
mentous document. Ever the rigid
rules of secrecy which prevail at cabi-
net meetings. were made dOubly strict
in this case and no intimation of results
reached by the court were known I'M
til 4 o'clock, when am Associated Press
bulletin gave the information to the
country, as we'll as the eagerly waiting
officials throughout Washington. These
results, briefly stated, are that the loss
of the Maine was due to an explosion
from the outside, the court lbelng un-
able to fix the responsibility for the
explosion. The court does not eX-
press an opinion as to the character
of the explosion, but the testimony
goes to show that it was a powerful
submarine mine, the exact character of
which is not determined by the testi-
mOny, though the belief vas expressed
that it was a floating submarine mine.
There were two explosions, the court
finds, the first from the outside, and
that set off one of the smaller maya
zines.
1T was this result, expressed in de-
tail and with the precision of a court
deeply conscious of it's responsibility
together with the evidence on which
it was based, that occupied the atten-
tion of the cabinet throughout it's ex-
tended sessions this morning and AFT
ternOon. The other and lesser subjects
gave way to this foremost question
There was no change in plan of making
the report public and transmitting II
to congress early next week, accOmpan
led by a brief message from the presi-
dent.
SPATN'S THREATENING ATTITUDE
While interest was thus centered a
the White house, the navy and war de
partments were hurrying forward theil
work of preparations. The advance O.
the Spanish flOtilla continued to re
ceiVe the closest attention of naval OF
ficials and while, so far as cOuid be
ascertained, no definite line of actor
was determined upon, the need of in
tercepting this fleet was urged by thu
highest naval authorities. From the
standpoint of the Spanish government
this movement vas not a menance
The Spanish government holds that thu
extensive of Dry Tortuga:
is a more direct hostile act agains
Spain than any movement of tn
t1otilla. Instead of stopping the f1otilla
the present attitude of Spair
tends toward reinforcing it with other
Spanish war vessels, not as a menace
but, from what the Spanish govern.
ment feels a requirement called for by
the existing condition of affairs.
Hardly less suggestive than the ap.
prOach of the torpedo tlotilla, was tn
Information received today by thu
highest military authorities that TIL
Spanish government had hurried tt
completion extensive Notifications OF
the island of Porto Rico lying just of
Cuba, and the only Spanish possession
in his hemisphere other than Cuba
THE exact character of those new de
fenses has been made known here an(
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