The Columbus journal., 1898-03-30
MAINE BOARDS REPORT.
Ship BlOWn Up by . Mine Exploded Ua-
der Port Side-Second ExplosioD, That
Of Two MaGazines, Follovs-Sigs.
bee ExOnernted.

WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The follow.
ing is the full text Of the report of the
court of inquiry:
U. 8. s. Iowa, KEY WEST, Fla,
March 2l.-After full and mature con.
siaeration Of all of the testimony before
it, the court finds as follows:
!. That the United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor of Havana,
Cuba. on Jan. 25, 1898, and was taken
to buoy No. 4, in from five and one.
half to six fathoms Of water, BY the
regular government pilot. The United
States consul general at Havana had
0otified the authorities at that place tho
previous evening of the intended ar
rival 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 to the ship were strictly car
ried out. All ammunition was stored
away in accordance with instructions,
and proper care was taken whenever
ammunition was handled. Nothing was
slowed in any one of the magazines or
she'll rooms, which was not permitted to
6e slowed there. The magazines and
shell rooms are always locked after
having been opened and after the de.
structiOn of the Maine. the keys were
found in their proper place in the cap.
'ain's cabin, everything having been
reported secure that evening at = p. m.
The Temperatures OF the magazines and
shell rooms were taken daily and ~
ported. The only magazine which had
an undue amount Of heat was the after
lO-inch magazine. and that did not ex-
plOde at the time the Maine was de.
stroyed. The torpedo war heads were
all slowed in the after part OF the ship
under the wardrOom, ind neither
caused nor participated in IT,: destruc-
ton of the Maine. The dry guncotton
primers and detOnators were slowed in
the cabin aft and remote from the scene
Of the explosion. The waste was care
fully looked after ON board the Maine
to Obviats danger. Special orders in
regard to this had been given by the
commanding officer. Varnishes, dryers,
alcohol and other combustibles of this
nature were slowed ON or above the
main deck and could not have had any.
thing to do with the destruction Of the
Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft
under the ward room. and remote from
the scene of the explosion. No danger.
ous stores Of any kind were slowed be-
low in any Of the other storerooms.
The coal bankers were inspected. OF
those bunkers adjoining the forward
and shell rooms. four were
empty. namely B3. B4. B5, BIG. "AI5''
had been in use that day and 'Al6'
was full Of New River coal. This coal
had been carefully inspected before re-
ceiving it on board. The bunker in
which it was slowed was accessible on
three sides at all times, and the fourth
Iide ut this time ON account Of bunkers
b and BIZ being empty. This bunker,
Al6, had been inspected that day by the
engineer officer ON duty. The dro
Alarms In the bunkers were In working
,rder, and there had never been . case
II spontaneous combustion Of coal On
board tho Maine. The two after boilers
II the ship were in use 1t the time Of |
he disaster, for auxiliary purposes
'nly. with comparatively low pressure
4 steam, and being tended BY . reliable
watch. These boilers could not have
'sused the explosion Of the ship. The
our forword boilers have since been
ound BY the divers, and are in . fair
condition.
On the night OF the destruction Of
he Maine everything had been reported
ecure for the night as 8 p. m. BY relia-
'le persons. through the proper author
ties, to the commanding officer. At
he time the Maine was destroyed the
hip was quiet. and. therefore, least
able TO accident caused by movements
rom those On board.
=. The destruction Of the Maine 90.
urred 1t Q: 40 p. m, on Feb. Is. 1S00.
. the harboe Of Havana. Cuba, being
{ the time moored in the Same buoy
, which lhe ha4 bqsn tskaA QpQg hsl