Richmond planet., 1898-04-02
Will Assume a Vigorous Atti-
tude Toward Spain.
THE PRESIDENT is WAITING
For a Reply to His Demands on
SPANS Government.
WARFARE IN CUBA MUST CEASE


Into Marine Fiehters--Admfrsl ST.
card Retired, and Captain Sampson
Succeeds Him In Command OF the
Fleet at Key West - Commodore
schley Commands the Plying Squad
ron at Hampton Roads-The Report
OF the Court OF Inquiry Into the Dis
aster TO the BattIeship Maine, In tho
Harbor OF Havana, aud the Presi-
dents Message to Congress on the
Subject.
Washington, March 2S.-Following is
the full text of the report of the court
OF inquiry appointed to investigate the
disaster to the Maine at Havana:
United States Steamer Iowa, First
Rate. Key West. Fla. Monday.
March 81. 1898.
After full and mature consideration
OF all the testimony before it. the court
finds as follows:
l. That-the United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor Of Havana.
Cuba. on the 25th day OF January. 1898.
and was taken to buoy No. 4. in from
Eve TO six fathoms of water. by the
regular government pilot
The United States consul general at
Havana had notified the authorities
at that place. the previous evening. OF
the intended arrival OF the Maine.
2. The state of discipline on BOARD
the Maine was excellent, and all orders
and regulations in regard to the care
and safety OF the ship were strictly
carried out.
All ammunition was slowed in ac-
cordance with prescribed instructions.
and proper care was taken whenever
ammunition was handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one of the
magazines or shell rooms which was
not permitted 20 be slowed there.
The magazines and shell rooms were
always locked after having been open
ed, and after the destruction OF the
Maine the keys were found in their
proper place in the captains cabin
| everything having been reported secure
| that evening at d. m. The tenn
| peratures of the magazine and shell
room were taken daily and reported.
The only magazine which had an un-
due amount Of heat was the after ten
inch magazine. and that did not ex-
plode at the time the Maine was de-
stroyed.
| The torpedo warheads were all stow
ed in the after part OF the ship under
the ward room, and neither caused
nor participated in the destruction OF
the Maine
The dry gun cotton primers and de-
tonators were slowed in the cabin aft
and remote from the scene of the ex-
plosion.
Waste was carefully looked after OF
board the Maine to obviate danger
Special orders in regard to this had
! been given by the commanding officer
Varnishes, dryers. alcohol and othel
combustibles of this nature were stow
ed on or above the main deck and
could not have had anything to dS
with the destruction Of the Maine.
The medical stores were slowed ar
under the ward room and remote from
the scene of the explosion
No dangerous stores of any kind wer
slowed below in any of the other stor
rooms
, The coal bunkers were inspected daily
} OF those bunlxers adjacent to the for
/, ward magazines and shell rooms fou
were empty. namely, 3 3, B 4, B 5, B {
: AS had been In use that day, an
D 16 was full OF new river coal. Thi
3 coal had been carefully inspected be
fore receiving 1t on board. The bunke
IN which it was slowed was accessible
on three sides at all times. and tn
fourth side at this time on account c
bunkers B and B being empty. Thi
bunker, A Is, had been inspected Mon
: day by the engineer >off1cer on duty.
The fire alarms in the bunkers weH
: = in working order. and there had neve
been a case of spontaneous combustio
OF coal on board the Maine.
The two after boilers of the ship WEI
in use at the time of the disaster, bI
for auxiliary purposes only, with
| comparatively low pressure of steal
and being tended by a reliable watcl
These boilers could not have cause
: the explosion of the ship. The fol
forward boilers have since been four
by the divers and are in a fair col
= dition.
On the night OF the destruction
the Maine everything had been T
ported secure for the night at D. I
by reliable persons. through the prop
y | authorities, to the commanding o
~ hcer. At the time the Maine was d
- Etroyed the ship was quiet, and ther
y fore least liable to accident caused I
E movements from those on board.
g. The destruction OF the Maine o
CURED at $40 D. m. on the 18th day
February, 1898, in the harbor Of II
vana, Cuba, she being at the tiI
10 moored to the same buoy to which s
Z had been taken upon her arrival.
ne There were two explosions of a d
e tinctly different character, with We
ne short but distinct interval betwe
en- them, and the forward part Of I
OF ship was lifted to a marked degree
IN the time Of the first explosion.
The frat explosfon was more in
nature of report, like that of a 81
ad | while the second explosion was m,
m. open, prolonged, and Of greater v
ume. This second explosion was.
the opinion OF the court, caused by I
partial explosion OF two or more
/. the forward magazines Of tho Maine
uv 4. The evidence bearing upon this,
n ing principally obtained from dive
Or did not enable the court to form a d
Late conclusion as to the condition
Ne wreck, although 1t was establish
that the after part OF the ship '
practically intact and sank in q
condition very few minutes after
destruction Of the forward part.
The following facts In regard to
forward part OF the ship are, howeN
'us established by the testimony.
Ids That portion OF the port side OF
All protective deck which extends fr
about frame 30 tO-RRQpt eEams ~ J