The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-26
ON WARS THRESHOLD
Everything Points to Conflict
with the Spaniards.
FINDINGS OF THE COURT or INQUIRY.
They Have Been Officially Called to
the Spanish Government
AND SPAIN ENTERS ADENIAL.
Spanish Torpedo Fleet Considered
Dangerous Mcnoce,
I1 MAY POSSIBLY BE INTERCEPTED.
Puerto Rico Being Rapidly Fortified.
Navy Department Getting Ready
for the Coming Struggle.
Spanish Torpedo Fleet Considered a
Dangerous Mcnoce,
l MAY POSSIBLY BE INTERCEPTED.

Washington. March 2S.-Thc court Of
inquiry appointed to investigate the cause.
of the Maine disaster has reported that
tho loss of the battleship was duo to An
outside explosion.
Tho state department, by direction OF the
president has cabled United States MIN
lister Woodford to notify the Spanish gov
| eminent of this conclusion.
| The president and his cabinet advisers
| held two extended sessions today, one Mt
| 10: so a. M and another al 1850 p. m, at
which the report was considered in detail.
Tho members Of the cabinet stated afIer
the meeting that the discussions were of
| n grave character and that never since the
wrecking OF tho Maine has the situation
seemed so critical
| Tho Spanish government has cable1 off
' cially to Washington that the Spanish
naval commission holds the disaster 10 the
Maine to be OF internal origin.
The government of Spain, II can be
stated positively is not disposed to turn
] back the torpedo lotilIa now proceeding
from the Canary islands and would be dis
!, Inclined TO consider a suggestion from tn 3
government tending to interfere with the
disposition by Spain of her own naval
forces.
War preparations on an UMPIRE; eientfd
scale nre being hurried to completion In
the war and navy departments and the
country pra, -ically ia on war footing.
The foregoing gives the record of one Of
the most eventfui days the National cap
ital has seen since the close of the civil
war. II was a day Of profoundly impor-
tant action, of tho deepest anxiety, coupled
| with naval and military activity, one step
following another In rapid succession,
l Representative men Of the administration.
congressional life. no less than the public
In general shared in the tension which the
situation had wrought
There was no effort among the highest
officials. nor indeed was II possible for
them with the clearly apparent deyelo9-
mentg OF the day, to minimize tba stu
alton.
u In detail. the findings of the court OF
inquiry were the most vital feature. Com
mander Mark delivered the report to the
secretary early this morning and shortly
after ii WAS carried TO the white House
and placed In the hands OF the president
At 1890 the cabinet assembled, half an
hour earlier than usual, and begun tho
consideration OF the momeutous document
Even the rigid rules OF secrecy which pre-,
vailed at cabinet meetings were made
doubly strict in this case and no intmatop
of the results reached by the court were
known lati o'clock when an Associated
Press bulletin gave the information to thu
country, as we'll as the fargerly waiting
cffirials throughout Washington.
Z Thee results briefly stated, are tina
. the less OF the Maine WAS due 10 an ex.
! plcslon from the outside. the court beini
unable to fix the responsibility for the ex
plosion. The court does not express al
I opinion as to the character OF he expIo
siye, but the testimony goes 10 show tina
II was a powerful submarine mine the cx
t act character OF which is not determined
!. by the testimony, though the belief wa
expressed that IL was floating submarine
. mine. There were two explosions, IN
: court iinds the first from the outside AM
: that Jet off one OF the smaller magazines
c ! II was this result, expressed In detail an
: with tho precision Of court deeply con
sciouy CT It's responsibility. together wit
r the evidence II WIS based on, that occu
pied the attentien CT the cabinet thronghou
It's extended sessions OF the morning an
afternoon. AL other and lesse. subject
gaze way 10 this foremost question. Their
MAS no change in the plan CT making tn
: report public and Transmitting it TO con
! gross early next week. accompanied by
brief message from the president.
s While lnterest was thus eentered at IN
i White House, the navy and war depar
mcnts were hurrying forward their VOL
: OF preparation. Tine advance o. the Span
ish torpedo flotiila continned to receive Y
y closest attention and while SO far as cou
be ascertalncd 10 definite line OF actio
n Was determined on. the need OF intercep
ing this fleet was urged by the highe
4 naval authorities.
4 From the standpoint OF the Spanish go'
s ernnent this movement was not mensc
having been decided upon many weeks -