The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-28

The Associated Press Abstract of the
Court of Inquiry Report, Copyrighted
1898, by the Associated Press.
Washington. March 27.-The associ-
ated press presents here a complete
abstract of the report of the court Of
inquiry which investigated the wreck
age of the battleship Maine. This alb
stract is made from the report itself,
access to which was obtained to-day
despite official secrecy unparalleled in
the handling of official papers.
The report is made up of eight parts,
as follows:
First-The court finds that at the
time of the explosion the battleship
Maine was lying in ive and one-half
fathoms of water.
Second-The discipline aboard the
ship. was excellent; everything stored
according to order-ammunition, guns,
etc. The temperature of the maga-
zines at p. m. was normal, except i'm
the aft 10-inch magazine. and that did
not explode
Third-The explosion occurred at s:4o
O'Clock on the evening of Feb. is. There
were two explosions, with a very short
interval between them, the ship being
lifted on the first explosion.
Fourth-The court can form no def
mite opinion of the condition Of the
wreck from the divers evidence.
Fifth-The technical details of the
wreckage. from which the court de-
duces that a mine was exploded under
the ship on the port side.
Sixth--The explosion was due to no
fault of those on board.
Seventh-Opinion of the court, stat
ing that the explosion of the mine
caused the explosion of two magazines.
Eighth-The court declares that it
cannot find evidence to fix responsible
ity.
The report is unanimous and is
signed by all the members of the court.
1t does not refer to the existence or
non-existence of the mine in the har-
Dor of Havana. except in the specific
finding that a mine was exploded under
the ship. and the opinion that the ex-
plosion of the two magazines was
caused by the explosion of a mine.
The report as a whole is a formal,
dispassionate recital of facts and bears
the stamp of that strict officialism
which marks naval procedure. 1t is
brief. not exceeding 1880 words. and
among the eight points, goes to the
greatest under the second heading.
which deals with the discipline and or
der of the ship.
This the court specifies with extreme
Ol
isfactory condition of everything on
board being given. The normal tenn
perature of the large forward maga-
zines at o'clock-only an hour and 40 |
minutes before the explosion--disposes |
of the question of accidental combus-
tfon within these magazines. While the |
court holds that these magazines did |
not explode from internal causes, they |
are of the opinion that |
the explosion of the mine under the |
port side of the ship caused the explo- |
sion Of the two magazines. This will 1
explain the remarkable destruction z
the explosion thus being
shown to have comDlned the tore =. .
a mine without and the two magazines |
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 tn iestruc-
ton. The finding that the snip lifted
on the first explosion indicates an ex-
ternal source. and one of tremendous
power. to be able to lift a battlaship IF
thousands of tons. The character of
the wreckage. technically described i'm
the fifth part of the report. from which
the court deduces that a mine was ex-
ploded under the ship on the port side,
sustains the view taken by some rx-
perts shortly after the disaster. that
The force of the explosion was exerted
rom port to starboard
The feature OF the report of deepest
interest to the navy is the complete
of Captain Sigsbee and all
IN board, contained in the second
inding, setting forth at great length
he perfect order and discipline prevail
ms on the ship and more directly stat
d in the sixth finding. which declares
he disaster to be due to no fault of
hose on board
The inability of the court to fini syi-
lence TO fix responsibility. as stated in |
he eighth part. makes the report so |
'uarded in expressions of blame that
leither Spain nor the Spanish are mem
ioned throughout.