The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-04-01

! length tfro11 frame il to frame PSI. is doubled
back upon itself against the continuation of tn,
same plating extending forward.
At frame ls the vertical keel is broken in tive
and the keel bent into an angle simailr 10 tn,
angle formed for the outside plates Thi.
break is about six feet below the surface OF the
water and about thirty feet above its norma
position.
In the opinion OF the court this effect could
have been produced only By the explosion OF q
mine situated under the bottom Of the ship a.
about frame Is, and somewhat on the port side
OF the ship
The conclusions of the court are:
That the loss OF the Maine was not in any re-
spect due 70 fault or negligence on the part oi
any Of the oficers or members Of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the explosion
OF submarine mine, which caused the partial
explosion Of two or more OF her forward maya
zines; and.
That no evidence has been obtainable fixing
the responsibility for the destruction Of the
Maine upon any person or persons
have directed that the finding OF the court
Of inquiry and the views of this government
thereon be communicated to the government OF
her majesty, the queen. and l do not perm
myself TO doubt that the sense Of justice of the
Spanish nation will dictate course of action
suggested by honor and the friendly relations OF
the two governments.
1t was the duty OF the executive to advise the
congress Of the result, and in the meantime de-
Hberate consideration is invoked.
tSigned. WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, March %, 1898.
Report of the Court of Inquiry.
The following is the full text of the
report of the court of inquiry:
L. s. s. Iowa. FIRST RATE.
KEY WEST. Fla.
MONDAY. March p, 1898. !
After full and mature consideration of all the
testimony before it. the court finds as follows:
]. That the United States battleship Maine
arrived in the harbor OF Havana, Cuba, on the
twenty-fifth day of January, 1925 and was taken
TO buoy No 4, in from five and a half 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.
=. 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 away in accord
ance with instructions, and proper care was
taken whenever ammunition was handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one of the maga-
zines or shell rooms which was not ermitted
TO be slowed there.
The magazines and shell-rooms we're always
locked after having been opened; and after the
destruction OF the Maine the keys were found in
their proper place in the captains cabin. every
thing having been reported secure that evening
at p. m.
The temperatures of the magazines and she'll
rooms were taken daily and reported. The only
magazine which had an undue amount OF heat
was the after ten-inch magazine. and that did
not explode at the time the Maine was de-
Stroyed.
The torpedo warheads were all slowed in the
after part Of the ship, under the ward room and
neither caused nor participated in the destruc-
tiOn OF the Maine
The dry gun cotton primers and dctonatcrs
were slowed in the cabin aft. and remote from
the scene OF the explosion
The waste was carefully looked after on board
the Maine to obviate danger. Special orders in
regard to this had been given by the command
ing officer.
Varnishes. dryers. alcohol and other com
buStibles Of this nature were slowed on or
above the main deck, and could not have had
anything 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 dangerous stores of any kind were slowed
below In any Of the other store rooms
The coal bunkerS were inspected OF those
bunkers adjoining the forward magazines and
shell rooms, four were empty, namely, B3 BI,
B5, B6.
AIS had been in use that day and AI6 was
full of New River coal This coal had been
carefully inspected before receiving it on board
The bunker in which il was slowed was acceSSi-
bic on three sides at al times and the fourth
side at this time, on account OF bunkerS 34 and
B6 being empty. This bunker Al6, had been
that day by the engineer officer on
duty.
The fire alarms in the bunkers were in work
ing order, and there Ia! never been n case of
spontaneous combustion OF coal on board the
Maine
Ths two after boilers Of the ship were in use
at the time OF the disaster, but for auxiliary
purposes only, with a comparatively low pres
sure OF steam, and being tended by reliable
watch