Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-03-31

the causes Of the explosion.
Its operations have been conducted
with the utmost de.iberation and
judgment. and while independently
pursued no source of information was
neglected, and the fullest opportunity
was allowed for simultaneous in
vestigation by the Spanish author
tiles.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after twenty-three days
of continuous labor, on the 21st of
March instant, and having been APP
proved on the 22nd by the command
er-in-chief of the United States naval
force on the North Atlantic station.
was transmitted to the executive.
1t is herewith laid before the Con-
gress, together with the volumnious
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 bouy No. 4. to
which she was moored in from 81 to
fathoms of water.
The state Of discipline on board and
the condition Of her magazines, boil
ers, coal bunkers and storage COM
partments are passed in review with
the conclusion that excellent order
prevailed and no indication of any
cause for an internal explosion existed
in any quarter. At o'clock on the
evening OF February Is everything
had been reported secure and all was
quiet.
AT 40 minutes past o'clock the
vessel was suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct explosions,
with brief interval between them.
The first lifted the forward part Of
the ship very perceptibly, the second,
which was more prolonged, is attri-
buted by the court to be partial ex-
plosion of two or more of the forward
magazines.
The evidence of the divers estab-
fishes that the afterpart Of the ship
was practically intact and sank in
that condition very few minutes
after the explosion. The forward part
was completely demolished.
Upon the evidence of concurrent ex-
ternal cause the finding Of the court
is as follows:
At frame 1.-THE outer shell Of the
ship-from point III feet from the
middle line of the ship and feet
above the keel when in its normal
position, has been forced up so as to
be now about four feet above the sur
face OF the water; therefore about "a
feet above where it would be had the
ship sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into reversed ''V" shape, the otter
wing of which, about Is feet broad
and 30 feet in length, (from frame Z
to frame 25) is doubled back upon
itself against the continuation Of the
same plating extending forward. Al
frame Is the vertical keel is broken il
two and keel bent into an angle SINH
lar to the angle formed for the out
side plates.
This break is about six feet below
the surface of the water ard about 81
feet above its normal position. In
the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by
the explosion of mine situated un.
der the bottom of the ship. at about
frame IS and somewhat on the port
side Of the ship.
The conclusions OF the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not
in any respect due to the fault or
negligence on the part Of any of the
officers or members OF the crew.
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.
have directed that the findings Of
the court Of inquiry and tie views Of
this government thereon be commu-
nicated to the government Of her
majesty, the Queen, and do not per-
nit myself to doubt that the sense of
justice Of the Spanish nation VIII die
tate course Of action suggested ~
honor and friendly relations Of the
two governments
1t was the duty Of the executive to
advise the Congress Of the result, and