Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-03-31
MAINE SUNK BY MINE.
Such Is the Conclusion Of Maine
Court of Inquiry.
An Abstract of the LOng-Expected Re-
pOrt-No Blame Attaches to Those
ON Board-COurt Unable to
Fix the Responsibility.

Washington, March 2S.-The Asso-
ciated Press presents herewith COM
pete abstract of the report of the court
of inquiry which investigated the
wrecking of the battleship Maine. This
abstract is made from the report itself,
access to which was obtained Sunday
despite official secrecy unparalleled in
the handling of official papers. The re-
port is made up of eight parts, as fol-
lows:
First-The court finds that at the
time of the explosion the battleship
Maine was lying in 5h to six fathoms
of water.
Second-The discipline aboard the
ship was excellent, everything slowed
according to orders-ammunition guns,
stores, etc. The temperature of the
magazines at eight p. m. was normal
except in the after ten-inch magazine,
and that did not explode.
Third-The explosion occurred at
9:40 o'clock on the evening of Febru-
airy IS. There were two explosions, with
very short interval between them; the
ship lifted on the first explosion.
Fourth-The court can form no def
rite opinion of the condition of the
wreck from the divers evidence.
Fifth-There are technical details of
the wreckage from which the court de-
duces that mine was exploded under
the ship on the port side.
Sixth-The explosion was due to no
fault of those on board.
Seventh-In the opinion of the court
the explosion of the mine caused the
explosion of the two magazines.
Eighth-The court declares that it
cannot find evidence to fix the RESPONSE
bility.
Report Is Unanimous.
The reports unanimous and is signed
by all the members of the court.
1t does not refer to the existence or
noneXistence of the mine in the harbor
of Havana except in the specific find
ing that mine was exploded under the
ship, and the opinion that the explosion
of the two magazines was caused by
the explosion of a mine.
DispnssiOnate Recital.
The report as whole is formal, dis
passionate recital of facts and bears
the stamp of the strict officiaism which
marks naval procedure. 1t is brief, not
exceeding 1900 words, and among the
| eight parts goes to the greatest length
under the second heading, which deals
with the discipline and order of the
ship. This the court specifies with ex-
treme minuteness, the least detail of
the satisfactory condition of everything
on board being given.
The normal temperature of the large
forward magazines at eight o'clock
only an hour and forty minutes before
the explosion-disposes of the question
of accidental combustion within these
magazines. While the court holds that
these magazines did not explode from
internal causes, they nevertheless are
of the opinion that the explosion of the
mine under the port side of the ship
caused the explosion of the two maya
zines. This will explain the remarka-
BILE destruction wrought, the explosion
thus being shown to have combined the
force of a mine without and two maya
zines within.
The two explosions which the court
finds to have occurred with very short
interval between them, is an additional
detail showing that two forces operated
in causing the destruction. The find
ing that the ship lifted on the first ex-
plosion indicates an external source and
one of tremendous power to be able to
lift battleship of thousands of tons.
The character of the wreckage, tech
nically described in the fifth part of the
report, from which the court deduces
that a mine was exploded under the ship
on the port side .sustains the view taken
by some experts shortly after the dis
aster 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. Sigsby and all on
board, contained in the second finding,
setting forth the perfect order and
discipline prevailing on the ship, and
more directly stated in the sixth find
ing, which declares the disaster to be
due to no fault of those on board.
The inability of the court to find evil
dence to fix responsibility, as stated in
the eighth part, makes the report so
guarded in expression of blame that
neither Spain nor the Spanish are men
toned throughout.