The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-04-02
THE REPORT
O ~ Bird II INJURY I'D Before
Congress ard e People sf re
Drfrsd States bY ncKialeY
csgsE5 8Y 1 sgsusaHE VINE
HsEinleg Hgpss for Psaeersi soraffon.
Wife foagress = aefffng
Hart . CsnfroI.

T W8e7nv57ox. 2. e Izrsa y =
/ Presiasnt Mczfn1sy totzY seus tas fof-
1oHfB2 nsesssrs % congress
Z II re coa1rsss 0f tas Unl-s9 sts-ss
i For s8as time yrfar q fhe 7istt =
ne Mafas 10 Hszs1a barber srr
e5nsslsr representaffvss Defn-ef ut fas
atvaafazes = aoV from tas Yisft =
national safpe 10 CHbau WATERS. n
acsrstsnfn2 peap1e - ne prasares =
arr aag ~ 8 synbof = good 7v1f a1a
u 5ar shfps IN fsfffiiav tas mission q
+ 1rossetion - American interests srsn
though no imneaiats need therefor
nafgtE sxizt Accordingly On tas zsta
q Jsdgary last. after 3 conference
vfth TIE spsnfss fafnfster. n whieh
rsns1ai = the Wife y or varahfps q
spenfsh waters was dfseasses ara
accensef tie penfnaufar authorities a.
Mafrif ans Havaaa wsrs advfssa q
/ taa parpssa u thfs government 20 n.
sanie frignfiy naval visits AZ Cuhaa
/ cerszz aff that ID gfsv ths Msfue
world forthwith eafi a the port .
/ Havaha Thfs announcement was re-
csfvsa y fhe spsnish government by
Ar appreciation y friendly Character n
sas 9fsft y the 9afus. ard WITH
netiaeafi5n = fhs intention % refy1rn
ths cgurtesy b sending Spanish shfps
b the principal ports u the United
stafes. whiis the NaiBs entered the
p1rt y Havana On ths 18th II January
her arrival being marked With 10
speeiaf incident besifes exchange of theI
easf5mary saiatsa y ceremonial visits.
TIE Maine Continued in the harbdr u
Havana during three wesks following
her arrival No apprecfsble skeitemsat
attended, hsr stsy. On the contrary a
feeling q relief and conadsnce followed
the aesumpsion y TIRE long interrupted
friendly intere0urae So noticeabis var
this iaims5iate effect u her WRIT that
TIE consul general strongly urged that
The presence y ar shiDs IN Cuban
waters shonli BE- Kept up by retaining
them II Havana or i1 the event y her
recall by sending other vessels here to
take hsr plaes
At forty minutes pasfs n the evening
q February 70 TIC Maine was destroyed
By an explosion. By which the entire
forward part y the ship was utterly
WRECKED In this catastrophe Two
officers and two hundred and drty u
her crew pefished. those VIM were nor
killed outright ~ her explosion being
pennad between decks By tangie Of
wreckage and drowned By the inrae
diafe SINKING of the mi Prompt
nasisfance was rendered BY nafehborfne
veasels anchored in the har5or, aid
being especially given by the boats of
the Spanish cruiser Alphonse XII and
the Ward line steamer City Of Wash
ington. which lay not far distant The
wounded were generously cared for by
the authorities of Havana. hospitals
being freely opened 10 them, while tho
earliest recovered dead bodies were in
tered BY tho municipality in the public |
cemetery In the city Tributes of grief
and sympathy were offered from an
offcial quarters Of tho island
The appalling calamity foil on orr
people With crushing force. and for a 1
brief time intense excitement prevailed
witch in community less inst and
self controaed than ours might have
led 10 nasty acts of blind resentment
THIS spirit however. soon gave way 10 |
calmer processes u reason and resolve
70 investigate the facts and await |
material proof before forming judg. |
ineut as 70 the cause. responsibility
ard II The facts warranted TIE remedy
due THIS course necessarily recon
mended itself from the odtset 10 the
executive for only IN the light o. dis /
passionately ascertalued certainty could
II determine the nature and measure u
its full duty in The matter. The usual
procedure was followed, as IN an cases
~ casualty or disaster to the national
vessels Of any maritime state The
naval court Of inquiry was ~ once
organized. composed Of officers well
qualified by rank and practical *
perience h discharge the onerous duties
imposed upon them Aided by strong
force Of wreckers and divers. me conrt
proceeded 10 mako thorough luveei
cation on the spot employing every
available means for impartial and exact .
determination OF tho cause OF the ex
plosion It's operations have been con
Quoted with the utmost dsliberation and .
Judgment, and while Independently
pursued no source OF information was
neglected. and the fullest opportunity
was allowed FOR simultaneous investi
CATION by the Spanish authorities
The finding Of tho court Of inquiry /
was reached after twenty three dnys Of
continuous labor. on the sist Of March
instant. and having been approved on
the s2a by the commander in chief Of
The United States naval force On the
North Atlantic station was transmitted
TO the executive It il herewith hid
before congress today with the voluni /
mons testimony taken before the court
IT, purport IL in brief, a. follows.
RFpoRT OF rHE BOARD.