The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-29
The SPANISH REPORT
SYNOPSIS OF THE FINDING OF
PERAIs COURT OF INQUIRY.
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Evidence ON which the Conclusion
II Based that the Maine Disas-
ter Was nn Accident. {
NO SIGN OF TORPEDO HAVOC
SEVERAL THEORIES ADVANCED.
BUT LITTLE TO SUPPORT THEM.
Recovery of Gums from the Wrecked
Battle Ship-COmments of the
Havana Press.

WASHINGTON, March PA full synop-
sis of the report of the Spanish naval COM
mission which Investigated the destruction
cf the battle ship Maine is here, given by
the Associated Press. 1t is taken from a
copy of the original report, which is now
on its way here from Havana, the synopsis
being cabled in the meantime, and to-day
placed in the hands of this government
The conclusions reached are directly oppo-
site to those in the report of the court of
inquiry submitted to Congress to-day. The
synopsis is as follows
The report contains declarations made by
occular witnesses land experts. From these
statements it clearly deduces and proves
the absence of all those attendant circum-
stances which are invariably present on the
occasion of the explosion OF torpedo.
The evidence of witnesses comparatively
close to the Maine at the moment is to the
effect that only one explosion occurred that
no column of water was thrown into the
air; that no shock to the side of the nearest
vessel was felt, nor on land was any vibra-
tion noticed, and that NO dead fish were
found.
The evidence of the senior pilot of the
harbor states that there is abundance of
fish i'm the harbor. and this is corroborated
of works states that after explosions made
during the execution of works in the harbor
he has always found dead fish
The divers were unable to examine the
bottom of the Maine. which was buried in
the mud. but careful examination of the
sides of the vessel, the rents and breaks in
which all point outward, shows without a
doubt that the explosion was from the in-
side.
A minute examination of the bottom of
the harbor around the vessel shows abso-
lutely no sign of the action of torpedo,
and the fiscal Judge advocate) of the COM
mission can find no precedent for the ex-
plosion of the storage magazine of a vessel
by a torpedo
The report makes clear that owing to the
special nature of the proceedings following
and the absolute respect shown for the ex-
traterritorialidad of the Maine, the commits
sion has been prevented from making such
an examination of the inside of the vessel
as would determine even the hypothesis of
the internal origin of the accident This
IS 10 be attributed To the regrettable re-
iusal 10 permit of the necessary co-opera-
uon OF the Spanish commission both with
the. commander and crew of the Maine and
the different American officials commits
stoned 10 investigate the causes of the acci-
dent, and, later on. with those employed
In salvage work.
The report finishes by stating that an ex-
animation of the inside and outside of the
Maine, as soon as such examination may be
possible, as also of the bottom where the
vessel rests, will prove that, supposing the
remains 'of the wreck not TO be totally
or partially altered in the process of extri-
cation, the explosion was undoubtedly due
to some interior cause