Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-01
The Presidents Message.


tut NNnN Ninf HAAhA " NnN NAaN ~ VIZ
Maine b. Havana harbor our co nsular rep
resentai YES pointed out the advantages to
flow from the visit Of national ships to the
Cuban waters, In accustomlng the people
TO the presence Of our flag as the symbol
OF good will and Of our ships in the fulfil
ment OF The mission OF protection to Ameri-
can int rests, even though no immediate
need therefor might exist. According
", on the 24th Of January last, after
conference with the Spanish minister, In
which the renewal Of visits of our war YES
sells TO Spanish waters was discussed and
accepted, the peninsular authorities at
Madrid and Havana were advised of the
purpose of this Government to resume
friendly naval visits at Cuban ports, and
that in that view the Maine would forthwith
call at the port of Havana. This announce
ment was received by the Spanish govern
ment with appreciation of the friendly
character of the visit Of the Maine, and with
notification of intention to return the cour-
tesy by sending Spanish ships to the prin-
cipal ports Of the United States.
Meanwhile the Maine entered the port
of Havana on the 25th of January, her ar
rival being marked with no special incident
besides the exchange of customary saluLes
tinued in The harbor of Havana during the
three weeks following her arrival. No ap-
preciable excitement attended her stay; on
the contrary, a feeling of relief and conf
dence followed the resumption of the long
interrupted friendly intercourse. So not
iceable 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 of her
recall, by sending another vessel there to
take her place.
At forty minutes past nine in the even
ing of the 18th of February, the Maine was
destroyed by an explosion, by which the
entire forward part Of the ship was utterly
wrecked. In the catastrophe two officers
and two hundred and sixty-four Of her crew
persisted, those who were not killed out
right by her explosion being penned be-
tween decks by the tangle of wreckage and
drowned by the immediate sinking of the
hull. Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neighboring vessels anchored in the
harbor, aid being especially given by the
boats of the Spanish cruiser Alphonso
XII. 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 hospitals
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 we're offered from all official
quarters of the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the peo-
pie of our country with crushing force and
for brief time an intense excitement pre-
vailed, which in a community less just and
self-controlled than ours might have led to
hasty acts of blind resentment This spirit,
however, soon gave way to the calmer pro-
cesses of re son and to the resolve TO in
vestigate the facts and await material proof
before forming judgment as to the cause,
the responsibility and, If the facts warranted,
the remedy due. This course necessarily re-
commended itself from the outset to the
Executive, for only in the light of a dis
passionately ascertained certainty will II
determine the nature and measure of its
full duty in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed, as in
all cases of casualty or a disaster to nation
al vessels of any maritime state. A nava
court of inquiry was at once organized
composed of officers well qualified by rank
and practical experience to discharge the
by strong force of wreckers and divers
the court proceeded to make thorough in.
vestigation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and ex.
act determination of the causes of the ex-
plosion. Its operations have been conduct.
ed with the utmost elaboration and judg
ment, and while independently pursued nc
source of information was neglected and
the fullest opportunity was allowed for a
simultaneous investigation by the Spanish
authorities. The finding of the court Of
inquiry was reached after twenty-three
days of continuous labor, on the 21st Of
March inst, and having been approved on
the 22d by the commander-in-chief of the
United States naval force in the North At
lantic station, was transmitted to the Exc
cutive. 1t is herewith laid before 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 government
pilot to buoy No. A, 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 maya
zines, boilers, coal bunkers and storage
compartments are passed in review with
the conclusion that excellent order pre-
vailed and that no indication of any cause
for an internal explosion existed in any
quarter. At s o'clock in the evening OF
Feb. Is everything had been reported Sc
cure and all was quiet. At forty minutes
past nine o'clock the vessel was suddenly
destroyed. There were two distinct explo-
sions with brief interval between them.
The first lifted the forward part of the ship
very perceptibly; the second, which was
more open, prolonged and of greater vol
ume, is attributed by the court to partial
explosion of two or mere of the forward
magazines.
"The evidence of the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was practical
ly Intact and sank In that condition few
minutes after the explosion. The forward
part was completely demolished.
The conclusions of the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not in
any respect due to fault or neg igence on
the part of any of the officers or members
Of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the ex-
plosion of a sub marine mine, which caused
the partial explosion OF two or more of her
forward magazines; and that no evidence
has been obtained fixing the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine upon any
person or persona.
/ have directed that the finding of the
court of inquiry and the views of this gov
eminent thereon be communicated to the
government of her majesty, the queen re-
gent, and l do not permit myself to doubt
that the sense Of justice of the Spanish
nation will dictate course of action sug-