The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-28

tho Facts a. Tho Feature OF the Report
/. tho Complete EIoncrstion Of Cap.
tain sis,bse And All on Board.
Copyright. 1898. by the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON D. C.,1Iarch 27.-The
Associated Press presents herewith a
complete abstract OF che report of the
court OF inquiry which Investigated the
Treck!ng OF the battleship Maine. This
abstract is made from the report itself,
access to which was obtained to-day
despite official secrecy, unparalleled in
handling of official papers. The report
Is made up Of eight parts. as follows:
FTRST-THE COURT FINDS THAT
AT THE TINE OF THE EXPLOSION
THE BATTLEsHIP MAINE WAS
LYING IN FIVE AND oNE-HALF
TO SIN FATHoMs OF WATER. (,
SEC Nd THE DISCIPLINE
ABOARD THE SHIP WAS EXCEL.
LENT: EVERYTHING SLOWED AC.
CoRDING TO oRDERs-AMAIUNI-
r1oN, GUNS. STORES, ETC. THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE .MAGA.
ZINES AT SP. II. WAS NORMAL En-
CEPT IN THE AFTER TEN-INCH
MAGAZINE. AND THAT DID NOT
EXPLODE.
THIRD-THE EXPLOSION &C.
CURED AT $40 O'CLOCK ON THE
EVENING OF FEBRUARY To-
THERE WERE TWO EXPLOSIONS,
WITH A VERY SHORT INTERVAL
BETWEEN THEM; THE SHIP LIFT
ED on THE FIRST EXPLOSION.
FoURTH-THE COURT CAN FORM
no DEFINITE OPINION OF TIE
CONDITION OF THE WRECK FROM
THE DIVERS EVIDENCE.
FIFTH-TEcHNICAL DETAILS OF
wREcKAGE FROM WHICH COURT
DEDUCEs THATsA MINE WAS EX-
PLoDED UNDER THE SHIP ON
THE PORT SIDE.
sIXTH-THE EXPLOSION WAS
DUE TO NO FAULT OF THOSE ON
BOARD. * ~ q TX
SEVENTH =, OPINION OF THE
COURT STATING THAT THE Ex-
PLoSIoN OF THE NINE CAUSED
THE EXPLOSION OF. THE TWO
MAGAZINES,
EIGKTH-THE COURT DECLARES
THAT IT CANNOT FIND EVIDENCE
TO FIN RESPONSIBILITY.
The report Is unanimous and IS sign
cI by all the members OF the court. It
does not refer to the existence or nom
existence OF mines in the harbor OF Ha-
saaa, except in the specific finding that
mine was exploded under the ship,
and the opinion that, the explosion OF
the two magazines was caused by the
explosion Of mine.
The report as whole. IS formal,
dispassionate recital OF facts and bears
the stamp OF that strict oHiclalism
which marks naval procedure. 1t Is
bFie:. not exceeding $500 words. and
among the eight parts goes to the
greatest length under the second head
ing which deals with the discipline and
order OF the ship. This the court spe-
ciacs with extreme minuteness. the
Hst detail! OF the satisfactory condition
OF everything on board being given. The
normal temperature OF the large for
ward magazines at o'ciock---only an
4our and forty minutes before the ex-
r!0sion-disposes OF the question OF ac-
eiGental combustion within these mag
While the court holds that these
magazines did not explode from inter-
nal causes, they nevertheless are. OF the
opinion that tho explosion OF the
Maine under the port side of the ship
caused the explosion Of two magazines.
Ihls VIII explain the remarkable de-
sFic,ion wrought, the explosion thus
'tIns shown to haze combined the force
'! mine without and two magazines
within. The two explosions which the
court ilnds to have occurred, with a
very short interval between them, is an
Hud'tionals detail showing that two
.o'ces operated In causing the destruc-
.;pa, fhe finding that the ship lifted on
NC iIrst explosion indicates an external
source and one OF tremendous power to
" hOle to life battleship OF thousands
% tons. The character OF the wreckagr,
tcehnically described in the fifth part
o. the report from which the court de.
Glices that mine vas exploded under
'He SNip on the port side sustalns the
view iakea by some experts shortly az
,c' Inc disaster that the force OF the
eSpioHon was GSerted from port 10
Inc feature OF the report Of decpes;
interest to the nayy3is the complete cx-
oneration OF Captain slgsbcc and all on
o4ard contained In the second finding.
ling forth the perfect order and DIS
TpI'nG J,p'nlG prevailing on the ship and morr
mLTsStly stated lin the sixth finding
mhich declares the disaster TO be
ave 10 no fApltOt those. or board. "
a. ." nabllltyIof the court TO nnd cvi-
t."'e" 10 tx responsibility as stated .ir
~" G!ghta part. makes the report ~.
sHArHed III Gxprcssl0n OF blame TIM.
uTroneT ,s,oa nor the Spanish are mentioned