The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-29

reading OF the Presidents message In
the house to-day was listened 90 with
breathlcss interest by the members and
the spectators In the galleries who were
crowded in like sardlnes in a box. Just
one wave of applause swept from floor
TO ceiling, and then the death OF 1scpre-
sentative simpkins. of Massachusetts.
was announced and the house adjourn-
ed.
< Following Is the message:
To the Congress Of the United States:
For some time prior to tho visit OF
the Maine to Havana harbor our consul
lar representatives pointed out the adj
yantages to flow from the visit of na-
tional ships to the Cuban waters, in ac-
customins the people to the presence OF
our flag rs the symbol of good will and
OF our ships in the fulhllment of the
mission of protection to American in-.
terests, even though no immediate need
therefore might exist.
Accordingly on the 2ith of January
last, after conference with the Spanish
minister, in which the renewal of visits
OF our war vessels to Spanish waters
was discussed and accepted, the penin-
sular authorities at Madrid and Hava-
ma were advised OF the purpose of this
government to resume friendly naval,
visits at Cuban ports and thar In that
view the Maine would forthwith call at
| the port OF Havana. This announcement
4 t,,ar rnHafual ht- bn Spo oh
ment with appreciation of the friendly
character OF the visit OF the Maine and
with notification of intention 20 return
the courtesy by sending Spanish ships
to the principal ports OF the United
States. Meanwhile the Maine entered
che port OF Havana on the 25th of Janu-i
ary. her arrival being marked with no
special incident besides the exchange OF
customary salutes and ceremonial yis-
Its. :Ss .9s
AT forty minutes past nine in the
evening 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 this cat
astrophe two officers and two-hundref
and sixty-four OF her crew perished,
those who were not killed outright by
her explosion, being penned between
decks by the tangle OF wreckage and
drowned by the immediate sinking OF
the hull. Prompt assistance was reu-
dered by the neighboring vessels an;
chored in the harbor, aid being especi-
ally 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 re-
covered bodies Of the dead were inter-
red by the municipality in public
cemetery in the city. Tributes OF griet
! and sympathy were offered from all
official quarters OF the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people OF our country with crushing
force and for 4 brief time an intense
excitement prevailed, which In COM
munity less just und self-controlled
than ours might have led to hastr acts
| Of blind resentment. This spirit, how
ever, soon gave way to the caimer pro-
cesses OF reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await material
proof before forming Judgment as to
the cause, tho responsibility and if the
| facts warranted, the remedy due. This
course necessarily recommended itself
| from the outset to the executive, for on
| ly in the light OF q ldispassionately ass
certained certainty could 1t determine
the nature and measure of its full duty
In the matter. sF' >f3545
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 or
Eanizcd, composed of officers we'll qualf- 4
| fed by rank and practical experience to Z
discharge the onerous duty imposed
upon them. Aided by a strong force OF
wreckers and divers, the court proceeded
TO make q thorough investigation on the
spot, employing every available means
for the impartial and exact determina-3
ton OF the causes Of the explosion, It's
operations have been conducted with the
utmost deliberation and Judgment and
while independently pursued no source
of information was neglected, and tho
fullest opportunity was allowed for a
simultaneous investigation by the Span
ish authorities. j .E stl3 n
The finding OF tho court OF inquiry
was reached after twenty -three days OF II
continuous labor, on the 2lst OF March,
and having been approved on the 22nd <
by the commander-ln. .chicf of tho
United States naval force on tho North
Atlantic station, was transmitted to the
executive. 1t Ia herewith laid before
the Congress together with the volumin-
GUS testimony taken before the court
It's purport is, in brief as follows: \
When the Maine arrived at Havana. she 4
was conducted by the regular govern
mcnt pilot to buoy No. T., 10 which she
was moored In from five and onc-half to
six fathons OF water.
The state OF discipline on board and Il
The condition of her magazine, boilers, e
coal bunkers and storage compartments
are passed In review, with the conclu- 1.
sion that excellent order prevailed and q
that no indication OF any cause for an
internal explosion existed in any quar-
ter. 5 ,i,ii,
At O'clock In the evening OF that day y
everything had been reported secure and
all was quiet. At forty minutes past o Il
O'Clock the vessel was suddenly des,roy-i
cd, There were two distinct explosions
with a brief interval between them, The
first lifted the forward part OF the shiEe5
very rerceptibly; the second, which, was;
more open, prolonged and OF greatervolLs
umc, Is attributed by the court 10 the
partial explosion OF two or more OF the 3;
forward magazines. ~ S < x
Tho evidence OF the divers cstablshes,s
that the after part OF the ship wns rrac-,3
iichlly intaCt nnYl Sn nix In TINT ,,n5,,tn.~