Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-04-01
Presidents M8SSagG
TO Congress-

tages to flow from the visit OF national
ships to the Cuban waters, in accustom-
ing the people to the presence OF our
flag as the symbol of good will and OF
ships in the fulfillment Of the mission OF
protection to American interests, even
though no immediate need therefor
might exist.
Accordingly, on the 9th OF January
last, after conference with the Span
ish minister in which the renewal OF
visits OF our war vessels to Spanish
waters was discussed and accepted, the
peninsula authorities at Madrid aud
Havana were advised OF the purpose OF
this government 20 resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports aud that in
that view the Maine would forthwith
call at the port Of Havana. This an
nouncement was received by the
Spanish government with appreciation
OF the friendly character OF the visit oi
the Maine and with notification OF In
tention to return the courtesy By send
ing Spanish ships to the principal ports
of the UniteS States. Meanwhile the
Maine entered the port OF Havana on
the 25th OF January, her arrival being
marked with no special incident besides
the exchange Of customary salutes and
ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor
OF Havana during her arrival. No ap-
preciable excitement attended her stay;
on The contrary a feeling Of relief and
confidence followed the resumption OF
the long interrupted friendly intercourse
so noticeable was this immediate effect
Of her visit that the Consul General
strongly urged that the presence OF our
ships in Cuba waters should be kept up
by retaining the Maine at Havana, or,
in the event OF her recall, by sending
another vessel there to take her plrOe.
At 3 40 In the EVENING" of February -
the Maiae was destroyed by All eX-
plOsion. by which the entire forward
part OF the ship was utterly wrecked.
In this catastrophe two officers and 264
OF her crew persisted, those who were
not killed outright by her explosion
being penned between decks by the tan
gled of greckage and II iwned. by the
immediate sinking OF the hull. Prompt
assistance was rendered by the neigh
boring vessels anchored in the harbOr,
aid being especially given by the boats
of the Spanish cruiser AlphonSO XII and
the ward Line steamer City OF Washing
ton. which lay not far distant. I he
wounded are generally cared for by the
authorities of Havana. the hospitals be-
ing freely opened TO them, while the
earliest recovered bodies OF the dead
we're inferred by the municipality in 4
public cemetery in the city. Tributes
ofgrief and sympathy were offered from
all official quaraers Of the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people Of our country with crushing
force and for a brief time an intense e1-
element prevailed, which in COM
munity less lust and self-controlled
than ours might have led to hasty acts OF
blind resentment. This spirit. however
soon gave way to the calmer processes
ef reason and to the resolve to inyesti-
gate the fact and await material proof
before forming judgment as to the
cause, the responsibility and II the
facts warranted. the remedy due. This
course necessarily recommended itself
from the outset to the Executive. for
only in the light of dispassonately a.
certaincd certainty could it determine
the nature and measure OF its full duty
in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed, as
in all cases of casualty or disaster to
national vessels Of any maritime State.
A naval court OF inquiry was at once
organized composed OF officers well
qualified by rank and practical expert
ence to discharge the onerOus dnty inn
posed upon them. Aided by a strong
force OF wreckers aud divers the court
proceeded to maze Il thorough inyesti-
CATION on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination Of the causes Of the
explosion. Its operations have been
conducted with the utmost deliberation
and judgment and while independently
pursuaded no source OF information was
neglected and the fullest opportunity
was allowed for a simultaneous investi-
ga.iOn by the Spanish authorities.
The finding OF the court of inquiry
was reached after twenty'threc days Of
continuous labor, on the DIST OF March
instant, and having been approve on
the 22nd by the Commander in Chief OF
the u. 5. naval force on the North At
lantic station was transmitted to the
executive.
tits herewith laid before the Con-
gress, together with the voluminous
testimony taken before the court.
Its purports is, in brief, as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by the regular gov
ernment pilot to buoy No to which she
WAS m0ored in from five and One-half to
six fathoms OF water.
The State Of discipline on board and
the condition Of her magazines, bsilers,
coal bunkersa and storage compartments
were passed in review, with the conclu-
sion that excellent order prevailed and
that no indication Of any cause for an
internal explosion existed in any
quarter.
At S O'Clock in the evening OF Feb
ruary II everything has been reported
secure and all was quiet
At forty minutes past nine o'clock the
vessel was suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct explosions,
with a brief interval between them.
The first lifted the forward part OF the
ship very perceptibly; the second. which
was more open, prolonged and OF grea-
ter volume, is attributed by the court to
the partial sXvlosion Of two or more OF
the magazines.
The evidence OF the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was prac-
iically intact and sank in that condit-
ton a very few minutes after the explos-
ION. The forward part was completely
demolished.
Upon the evidence Of a concurrent
external cause, the finding of the court
is as follows:
At frame II the outer she'll OF the
~hip, from a point eleven and one-half
feet from the middle of the ship and six
feet above the keel when in its I ormal
position, has been forced up so as to be
now abOut4 feet above the surface OF
the water, therefore about % feet above
where 1t would be had the ship sunk
The outside bottom plating is bent in
two reversed V shape, the afterwing Of
which, about 10 feet broad and ~ feet
in length, from frame IL to frame 25)
is doubled back upon itself against the
OF the same plating ex-
tending forward.
At frame Is the vertical keel is bro