Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-28
THE MAINE REPORT.

the following complete abstract of the
report of the court Of inquiry which in
vestigated the wrecking of the battle
ship Maine. This abstract is made from
the report itself, access to which was
obtained yesterday, despite official
secrecy unparalleled in the handling OF
, official papers.
The report is made up of eight parts,
as follows;
First-The court finds that at the
time of the explosion the Maine was
=. lying in from five and onehalf to six
fathoms of water
Second-The discipline aboard the
ship was excellent; everything was
slowed away, according to orders
| ammunition, guns, stores, &c. The
temperature of the magazines at S p.
n. was normal except in the after TO-
inch magazine, and that did not explode
Third-The explosion occurred at
$40 o'clock on the evening Of February
10 There were two explosions, with a
very short Interval between them. The
ship lifted on the first explosion.
Fourth-The court can form no def
mite opinion of the condition of the
wreck from the divers evidence.
Fifth-This part Of the report con-
tains technical details of the wreckage,
from which the court deduces that a
mine was exploded under the ship on
the port side. The following facts in
regard to the forward part OF the shi
are established by the testimony: Al
Frame II the out shell of the ship, from
point eleven and one-half feet from
the middle line of the ship, and six feet
above the keel when in its normal posi-
ton, has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
of the water; therefore about thirty
| four feet above where it would be had
the ship sunk uniDjured. The outside
bottom plating is bent into reversed
Y shape ca the after wing of which,
about fifteen feet broad and thirty-two
feet in length, is doubled back on itself
against the continuation of the same
plating extending forward. At Frame
and the fiat keel bent into an angle,
similar to the angle formed by the out
side bottom plating. This break is now
about six feet below the surface of the
water, and about thirty feet above its
normal position.
Sixth-The explosion was due to no
fault of those on board.
Seventh-This section contains the
opinion of the court stating that the ex-
plosion of the mine caused the explosion
of the ships two magazines.
Eigbth-The court declares that it
cannot find evidence to fix the response
bility.
The report is unanimous and is sign.
ed by all the members of the court. 1t
does not refer TO the existence or non.
existence of mines in the harbor of
Havana except in the specific finding
that mine was exploded under the
ship and the opinion that the explosion
of the two magazines was caused by
the explosion of mine.
The report as whole, is formal,
dispassionate recital of facts and bears
the stamp Of that strict officialism
which marks naval procedure. 1t is
brief, not exceeding 1900 words, and
among the eight parts goes to the
greatest length under the second head.
ing, which deals with the discipline
and order of the ship. This the court
specifies with extreme minuteness, the
least detail of the condition of every
thing on board being given.
The normal temperature Of the large
forward magazines at S o'clock-only
an hour and forty minutes before the
EXPLOSIONS said to dispose of the
question of accidental combustion with
10 these magazines. The court holds
that these magazines did not explode
from internal causes, but that the ex-
ploson of the mine under the port side
of the ship caused them to explode.
This will explain the remarkable de.
struction wrought, the explosion thus
being shown to have combined the
force of mine without and two maya
zines within.
The finding that the ship lifted on
the first explosion indicates an external
source and one OF tremendous power to
be able to lift battleship weighing
thousands of tons.
The character of the wreckage, tech
nically described in the fifth part of the
report, from which the court deduces
that mine was exploded under the
ship on the port side, sustains the view
taken by some experts soon after the
disaster that the force of the explosion
was exerted from port to starboard.
The feature OF the report of deepest
interest to the navy is the complete ex-
oneration OF Capt. Sigsbee and all who
we're on board the Maine.
The inability of the court to find evil
denee to 6x responsibility makes the
report extremely guarded in expression.
Neither Spain nor the Spanish ere men
toned in the document.