The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-03-31
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

WASHINGTON, March 29.--The presi.
dents message, accompanying the
Maine inquiry report, is in the care of
the committee ON foreign relations of
both the house and senate, where it
was referred after the reading, which
was listened to intensely by members
and great throngs of people. The mes
sage said:
To the Congress Of The United States:
For some time prior to the visit Of the
Maine to Havana harbor our consular rep
resentatives pointed out the advantages
TO flow from the visit of national ships
TO the Cuban waters, in accustoming the
people to the presence of our flag as the
symbol of good will and of our ships in
the fulfllment of the mission of protec.
tion to American interests, even though
no immediate need therefore might exist.
Accordingly on the oath of January last,
after con ference with the Spanish minis
ter in which the renewal of visits of our
war vessels to Spanish waters was dis
cussed and accepted, the pcninsular au-
thorities mt Madrid and Havana were ad-
vised Of the purpose of this government
to resume friendly naval visits at Cuban
ports and in that view the Maine would
forthwith call at the port of Havana.
This announcement was received by the
Spanish government with appreciation
of the friendly character of the visit of
the Maine and with notification of the
intention to return the courtesy by send
Ing ships to the principal ports of the
United States. Meanwhile the Maine en-
tered the port Of HavUna on the 25th of
January, her arrival being marked with
no special incident besides the exchange
a Al
visits.
No Reason to Expect Trouble.
The Maine continued in the harbor of
Havana during the three weeks following
her arrival. No apprcciublc excitement
attended her stay, on the contrary feel
ing of relief and confidence followed the
resumption of the long interrupted
friendly intercourse. So noticeable was
this immediate effect of her visit that the
consul general strongly urged that the
presence of our ships in Cuban waters
should be kept up by retaining the Maine
at Havana, or in the event or her recall,
by sending another vessel there to take
her place.
Al 40 minutes past in the evening of
the 10Th of February the Maine was de-
struyed by an explosion, by which the
entire forward part of the ship was ut
terly wrecked. In this catastrophe two
officers and 264 of her crew perished, those
who were not killed outright by her ex-
plOsion being DCnncd between decks by
the ianglC OF wrGCEagC and drowned by
the immediate sinking of the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by the
neghbOring vessels anchored in the har-
Dor, aid being especially given by the
boats of the Spanish cruiser AlphOnso
MI and the Ward line steamer City of
Washington, which lay not far distant.
The wounded were generously cared for
by the authorities Of Havana, the hospi-
tails being freely opened to them, while
the earliest recovered bodies Of the dead
We're inferred by the municipality in
public cemetery in the city. Tributes of
grief and sympathy were offered from all
official quarters Of the island.
Appalling Calamity to Our People.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people of our country with crushing force
and for a brief time an intense excitement
prevailed, which, in n community less lust
and self-COntrollcd than ours, might have
led to hasty acts of blind resentment.
This spirit, however, soon gave way to the
calmGr processes of reason and to the re
solve to investigate the facts and await
material proof before forming Judgment
as to the cause, the responsibility and, if
the facts warranted, the remedy due. This
GOuISt ItCtSHdIllS recommended lISell
from the outset to the executive, for only
in the light of dispassionately ascer-
tanned certainty could it determine the
nature and measure of its full duty in the
matter.
The usual procedure was followed, as
in all cases OF casually or disaster to ma
tiOnal vessels of any maritime state 4
naval court of inquiry was at once organ
lied, composed of officers well qualified by
py Rpi NJ. IN a iEp hpp
the OnerOus duty imposed upon them.
Aided by strong force of wrCCkers and
divers the court proceeded TO make
thorough investigation on the spot, en-
plOying every available means for the i'm
partial and exact determination of the
causes Of the explosion Its operations
have been conducted with the utmost de-
liberation and Judgment and, while indie
pendCntly pursued, no source of infOrma-
lion was neglected, and the fullest OppOr-
tunity was allowed for simultaneous in
vCstigatiOn by the Spanish authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry was
reached after % days Of continuous labor,
on the 2lst Of March inst, and, having
been approved on the 22d by the Comman-
der in-chief of the United States naval
force on the North Atlantic station, was
transmitted to the executive.
PurpOrt of the Report
It is herewith laid before the congress.
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 by the regular governments
pilot TO puoy No. t, to which she was
moOrad. in rr0m five and onc-huir to six
fathoms Of water.
The state Of discipline on board and the
condition of her magazines, boilers, coal
bunkers and storage departments are
passed in review, with the conclusion that
excellent order prevailed and that no in
djcatlOn of any cause for an internal ex-
plosiOn existed in any quarter
~ At s o'clock in the evening OF that day
everything had been reported seoNre ana
all was quiat
At 5:40 O'Clock the vessel was suddenly
destroyed,
There were two distinct explosions, with
brief interval between them. The trst
lifted the forward part of the ship very
perGeptibly; the second, which was more
open, prolonged and of greater yoltme, Is
attributed by the court TO the paltlal eEplo-
sion Of two or more Of the forward magazines,
The evidence Of the divers establishes that
the after part Of the ship was practically in
tact, and sank in that condition very few
minutes after the explosion. The forward
part was completely demolished.
Upon tlr evidence Of a concurrent external
oause the finding Of the court is as follows:
Condition of the Wreck
At frame II, the outer shell Of the ship
from point llla feet from. the middle line OF
the ship and six feet above the keel when in It's
normal position, has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface OF the
water; therefore about "a feet above whore II
would be had the ship sunk uninjured
The outside bottom plating is bent into re-
versed shape, the after wing Of which, about