Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-31
lyera apd are in a fnir condition.

-
the Maine everything had been re-
ported secure for the night at p. m.,
by reliable persons, through the proper
authorities, to the commanding officer.
At the time the Maine was destroyed
the ship was quiet and therefor least
liable to accident caused BY movements
from those On board.
EXPLOSIONS.
The destruction of the Maine occurred
at .. 40 p. M. ON the 10th day Of Fshru-
ary, 1898, in the harbor Of Havana,
Cuba, she being at the time tnoored to
the same buoy to which ahe had been
taken upon her arrival.
There were two explosions OF dis
tinctly different character, with very
short, but distinct, interval between
them, and the forward part OF the ship
was lifted to marked degree at the
time of the first explosion.
The first explosion was more in the
nature of report, like that of a gun
while the second explosion was more
open. prolonged and of greater volume.
This second explosion was, in the
opinion OF the court, caused by the
partial explosion of two or more of the
forward magazines OF the Maine.
NtlNDlliON EfH W Rbtk,
The evidence bearing upon this being
principally obtained from the divers,
did not enable the court to form a de-
finite conclusion as to the condition of
the wreck, although it was established
that the afterpart of the ship was
practically intact and sank in that con
dition very few minutes after tine
destruction of the forwardpart.
Ulha III t. II -
forward part of the ship are however,
established by the testimony.
That portion of the port side of the
protective deck which extends fron
about frame 30 TO about frame Al was
blown up aft, and over to port The
msin deck, from abnut frame 30 to
| about frame Al, was blown up aft, and
slightly over to starboard, folding the
| forward part of the middle superstruc-
| ture over and on top OF the afterpart
This was, in the opinion of the court,
caused by the partial explosion of two
or more of the forward magazines Of
| the Maine.
At frame II. tho outer shell OF the
ship, from point liz feet from the
| middle line of the ship and six feet
| above tho keel when in its normal posi-
| tion, has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
of the water; therefore about "a feet
above where it would be bad the ship
sunk uniniured. The outside bottom
plating iB bent into a reversed V shape,
the afterwing of which. about ID feet
broad and 32 feet in length from frame
IL to frame 25l, is doubled back upon
itself against the continuation Of the
same plating extending forward.
AT frame Is, the vertical keel ia
broken in two. and the fiat keel bent
into un angle similar to the anglo
formed by the outside bottom plating.
This break is now about six feet below
tha surfaces of the water, and about 30
feet abovs it's normal position.
In the opinion of tine court, this
effect could have been produced only by
the explosion of mine situated under
the bottom Of the ship at about frame
ls, and somewhat on the port aide Of
the ship.
NOT DUE TO NEGLIG ENcE.
6-The court finds that the loss of rhe
Maine, on the OCCASION named, was
not in any respect due to fault or negli-
gence on the part of any of the officers
or members Of the crew of said vessel.
TN the opinion Of the court, the
Maine was destroyed by the explosion
Of submarine mine, which caused the
partial explosion of two or more Of her
forward magazines.
SThe court has been unable TO
obtain evidence fixing the RESPONSE
bility for the destruction of the Maine
upon any person or persons.
W. Il. Sampson, Capt. U. S. n,
President.
A. Mark, Lieut.. Com. U. S. NJ,
Judge Advocate.
The court having finished the in
quiry it was ordered to make, adjourned
at II II. M. to await the action of the
convening authority.
". I. Sampson, Capt. U. S. N,
President.
A. Mark, Lieut. Com. U. s. NJ,
Judge Advocate.
U. S. Flagship New York, March %,
1893. OF Key West, Fla.
The proceedings and findings of the
court OF inquiry in the above case are
approved.
NJ. Sicard,
Rear Admiral, Commander in Chief,
of the U. S. Naval force on the North
Atlantic Station.