The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-28
Explosion Of Mine Exploded Two
Magazines.
RESPONSIBILITY NOT FIXED
Officers and Grew ExOneratad From
Blame.

The Associated Press Abstract Of the
Court Of Inquiry Report. Copyright, 1s9Ss
by the Associated Press:
Washington, March 7.-The Associated
Press presents herewith a complete abb
stract of the report of the court of inquiry
which investigated the wrecking of tha
battleship Maine. This abstract Is MAIDS
from the report itself. access to which was
obtained to-day despite official secrecy un-
paralleled in the handling of official pa
pers.
The report is made up of eight parts, as
follows:
First. The court finds that at the time
Of the explosion the battleship Maine was
lying in five and one-half 10 six fathoms
of water
Second. The discipline aboard the ship
was excellent; everything slowed accord
ing to orders-ammuntion, guns, stores,
etc. The temperature of the magazines at
p. M was normal, except in the after
1O-inch magazine, and that did not ex-
plode.
Third. The explosion occurred at 9:40
o'clock on the evening of Feb. Is. There
were two explosions, with a very short
interval between them; the ship lifted on
the first explosion.
Fourth. The court can form no definlte
opinion of the condition of the wreck from
the divers evidence.
Fifth. Technical details of wreckag9
from which court deduces that a mine
was exploded under the ship on the port
side.
Sixth The explosion was due to no
fault of those on board.
Seventh. opinion of the court stating
that the explosion of the mine causes tho
explosion of two magazines.
Eighth. The court declares that II cannot
find evidence to fix responsibility.
The report Is unanimous and Is signed
by all the members Of the court.
1t does not refer to the existence or non-
existence of mines In the harbor of Ha-
vana, except IN the specific finding that a
mine was exploded under the ship. and
the opinion that the explosion of the two
magazines was caused by the explosion Of
"a mine
The report as a whole is a formal, dis
passionate recital of facts, and bears the
stamp of that strict offcialism which
marks naval procedure.
II Is brief, not exceeding 800 words, and
among the eight parts goes to the greatest
length under the second heading, which
deals with the discipline and order of the
ship. This the court specifies with ex-
treme minuteness, the least detail of the
satisfactory condition of everything on
board being given.
The normal temperature of the large
forward magazines at o'clock, only an
hour and forty minutes before the explo-
Sion, disposes of the question of accidental
combustion within these magazines.
While the court holds that these maga-
zines did not explode from internal causes
they nevertheless are Of the opinion that
the explosion Of the mine under the port
side of the ship caused the explosion Of
the two magazines.
This win explain the remarkable de-
structlon wrought, the explosion being
thus shown to have combined the force OF
a mine without and two magazines with
IN.
The two explosions which the court finds
TO have occurred with very short inter-
val between them, is an additional detail
showing that two forces operated in Gauss
ing the destruction.
The finding that the ship lifted on the
first explosion Indicates an external source
and one OF tremendous power 70 be able to
lift battleship of thousands of tons.
The character Of the wreckage, technics
ally described in the fifth part of the re-
port from which the court deduces that a
mine was exploded under the ship on the
port side. sustains the view taken by some
experts shortly after the disaster that the
force of the explosion was exerted from
port TO starboard
The feature of the report of deepest in
terest to The navy is the complete exoner-
alton OF Capt Sigsbee and all on board,
contained In the second finding, setting
forth the perfect order and discipline pre-
vaiing on the ship. and that directly stat
ed In tho sixth finding which declares
the disaster 10 be due to no fault OF those
on board.
The inability OF the court 10 find evil
dence to fix responsibility as stated in the
eighth part, makes the report so guarded
in expression of blame that neither Spain
nor the Spanish are mentioned throughout.