Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-03-31

cesses of reason and to tne-~esolve 60
investigate the facts and await mate
rial proof before forming a Judgment
as to the cause, the responsibility, and,
as the facts warranted, the remedy
This course necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive.
for only in the light of dispassionate-
ly ascertained certainty could it de-
termine the nature and measure Of its
full duty in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed,
as in all cases of casualty or disaster
to national vessels of any maritime
state. A naval court of inquiry was at
once organized. composed of officers
well qualified by rank and practical
experience to discharge the duty inn
posed upon them. Aided by strong
force of wreckers and divers. the court
proceeded to make thorough investi-
cation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination of the cause of
the explosion. Its operations have been
conducted with the utmost delibera-
ton and judgment, and while independ-
emily, pursued no source of informa-
ton was neglected, and the fullest op-
portunity was allowed for a stimuli
taneous investigation by the Spanish
authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after 23 days of continu-
Gus labor, on the 21st of March, and
having been approved on the 22d by
the commander-in-ch of the United
States naval force on the North At
lantic station, was transmitted to the
executive.
1t is herewith laid before the con-
gress. together with the voluminous
testimony taken before the court.
Its purport is in brief as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted to the regular gov
ernment pilot buoy No. 4. to which she
was moored in from five and one-half
to six fathoms of water.
The state of discipline on board and
the condition of her magazines, boilers,
coal bunkers and storage compart-
conclusion that excellent order prevail
ed, and that no indication of any cause
for an internal explosion existed in
any quarters
At 8 O'clock in the evening of Feb.
15 everything had been reported secure,
o'clock the vessel was suddenly de-
stroyed.
There were two distinct explosions,
with a brief interval between them.
| The first lifted the forward part of the
ship very perceptibly; the second,
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 after part of the ship was
| practically intact and sank in that con-
dition very few minutes after the ex-
plosion. The forward part was COM
| pletely demolished.
Upon the evidence of concurrent
external cause the finding of the court
| is as follows:
AT frame II the outer shell of the
ship, from a point liz feet from the
| middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in it's normal po-
sition, has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the sur
face of the water, therefore about "a
| feet about where it would be had the
ship sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into reversed V shape, the after wing
| of which, about Is feet broad and 80
feet in length (frame II to frame 25),
is doubled back upon itself against the
continuation of the same placing ex-
| tending forward.
At frame IS the vertical keel is
broken in two and the flat keel bent
into an angle similar to the angle form
ed by the outside bottom plates. This
break is now about six feet below the
surface of the water and about so feet
above its normal position.
In the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion of a mine situated under the
bottom of the ship. at about frame IS.
and somewhat on the port side of the
ship
i The conclusions of the court are:
j Inat the loss OF the MdlD6 was not
in any respect due to fault or neg
ligence on the part of any of the Of
fiecrs or members of her crew.
4 That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of a submarine mine. which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines. and
That no evidence has been obtain
able fixing the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any
person or persons.
1 have directed that the finding of
the court of inquiry and the views of
this government thereon be oommuni-
Gated to the government of her ma
| jesty, the queen regent, and / do not
| permit myself to doubt that the sense
of justice of the Spanish nation will
4 dictate a course of action suggested
/ by honor and the friendly relations of
the two governments.
/ 1t will be the duty of the executive
| to advise congress of the result and in
the meantime deliberate consideration
is invoked.
WILLIAM M'KINLEY.
Executive Mansion, March 49, 1898.