Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-28

-
Lifted the Ship-The Magazines
EXPLODED Later - Discipline on
Board Was Perfect and All Pre-
cautions Were Observed - No
Evidence That Spanish Officials
Were Implicated.
(Tne Associated Press Abstract of the
court of inquiry Report. Copyright.
1855. by the Associated Press.)
Washington, March 27.-The Asso-
ciated Press presents herewith a COM
Court of Inquiry which investigated
the wrecking of the battleship Maine.
This abstract is made from the report
itself, access to which was obtained
to-day despite official secrecy, unpar-
aleled in the handling of official pa
pers.
The report is made up of eight parts
as follows:
FIRST-.-The Court finds that at
the time of the explosion the bat
tlesmp Maine was lying in five and
one-half to six fathoms of water.
SECOND.-The discipline aboard
the ship was excellent; everything
slowed according to orders---ammu.
milton, guns, stores, etc. The tenn.
perature of the magazines at 8 D.
m. was normal, except in the aft
ten.nch magazine, and that did not
explode.
THIRD---The explosion occurred
at o:4o o'clock on the evening OF
February Is. There were two ex-
blossoms, with a very short interval
between them; the ship lifted on
The first explosion.
FOURTH..-The Court can form
no definite opinion of the condition
Of the wreck from the divers evil
dence.
FIFTH -. Technical details of
wreckage, from which Court de-
iuces that a mine was exploded
under the ship, on the port side.
SlXTH--The explosion was due
o no fault of those on board.
SEVENTH--Opinion of the Court
stating that the explosion of the
nine caused the explosion of the
TWO magazines.
EIGHTH The Court delares
that it cannot find evidence to fix
responsibility.
THE REPORT IS UNANIMOUS
Ind is signed by all the members of
Inc Court. 1t does not refer to the
existence or non-existence of mines in
the harbor of Havana, except in the
specific finding that a mine was ex-
ploded under the ship. and the opinion
tuat the explosion of the two maya
zines was caused by the explosion of a
mine.
he report as whole is a formal,
u'Spassionate recital of facts. and bears
'Ne stamp of that strict officialism
when marks naval procedure 1t is
'tlef' not exceeding 1900 words, and
'i'ong the eight parts goes to the
s''atest length under the second
uedalng' which deals with the disci-
pine and order of the shin. This the
Nourt specifies with extreme minute
"SSS' the last detail of the satisfactory
'olaltlon OF everything on board being
sven The normal temperature of
'Ae large forward magazines at s
'OiocK-only an hour and forty min
'S before the explosion-disposes of
"e question of accidental combustion
'.niil these magazines
while the Court holds that these
magazines
DID NOT EXPLODE
'n internal causes, they neverthe-
eSS are of the opinion that the explo-
o oi the Maine under the port side
'ie snip caused the explosion of two
'sazines. This will explain the re-
:, N@oie destruction wrought. the ex-
'S'oh thus being shown to have
9uioihed the force of a mine without
TWO magazines within. The two
''0Sions which the Court finds to
ta occurred, with very short in
a. between them, is an additional
'"l showing that two forces opera
@ u causing the destruction. The
's mat the ship lifted on the first
NpoSlon, indicates an external source
and one ' :
VI TREMENDOUS POWER
- ee able toflIft a hattleshin ~ thau