Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-29
M'k|NLEY'S MESSAGE
President Reviews the Maine
. Disaster.
A MlLD-TONED DOCUMENT
The Executive Does Not Permit Himself To
Doubt That Spain Will TAX. Pro-
per Action In Reference
to the Matter,
(By Teilegraph.)

(By Telegraph.)
WASETTNGTON, March 2S.-The Pres
ident today sent the following message
~ Congress:
To the Congress OF the UNITED
States:
tHFor Sonl. time prior ito the visit CT
the Maine 10 Havana ha.rbor our consul
iar representative pointed out the ad-
vant&,Ses to iloW from the visit of ma
t!Dnsel sshGps To tilt. Cuban waters, in
cust"minS THE people to the presence OF
our flag as the symbol OF good will and
OF our ships i'm THE fultillment of the
mission Of protection to American in
teres;s. even though NJ immediate need
therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the Gath OF january
last, after CONF renee with the Spanish
minister, in which renewal OF Visits OF
our war vessels to Spanish w.1teis was
discussed and accepted. THE penlnsular
authorities at Madrid and Havana We're
advised of the purpose OF this govern
Inent to resume rendly naval Visits
at Cuban poris and that in that view
the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Iiavana.
..Ilhis announcement was received by
the Spanish COVE rnmsnt with apprecia-
ton OF uhe frle ndly character OF the
visit of the Maine and with notification
of intention to return the courtesy by
sending Spanish ships to the principal
ports OF the United States. Mean
Nana on the 18th of January. her ar
rival being marked with no special in
cident besides THE exchange OF cIsto-
sn;liy Sa.AteS and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the lta.r4bOr
OF Havana during the three weeks noq-
lowing her arrival. No appreciate exc
element attended her stay; on the
contrary. q feeling OF relief and conf
uelce 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
ShlpS in Cuban waters should be kept
UP ,by retaining the Maine at Havana,
or. in the event of her recall BY sending
another vessel there ITO take her place
At forty minutes past nine on the ev-
enlng of the l5th OF February the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion My
which the entire forwa I'd part og the
Ship was utterly wrecked. In this ca
tastrophe two officers and two hundred
and sIxty-four OF her crew persisted,
those who were not killed outright by
aeet- ~ TIE lag u en WrecKsse ana
drowned by the immediate sinking Of
the hue.
Prompt assistance was rendered by
the nelShboring vessels anchored i'm the
harbor. aid being especially given boy
the boats of the Span cruiser AL
phonso Mi and the Ward Line steamer
City Of Washington. which lay not far
dlSLulil 1Ule WOUNDED were generously
cared for by the authorities OF Havana
the hospitals befns freely opened to
them while the earliest recovered bod
les OF the dead Were inferred by the
municipal ltty in public cemetery in the
citN Tributes of grief and sympathy
We're Offered from all official Quarters
OF the island
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people OF or country with crush ina.
force. and for brief time an intense
Z JerTn RAY 1eA,3 u-H ioH
MUMMY less just and self-controled
than ours might have I'D to hasty acts
or blind resentment. This spirit. how
ever. soon gave way to the cal1ner pro-
cesses o. reason and to the Re solve to
investigate the facts ana await raateria.
proof before forming a Judgment as to
the cause. the responsibility and if the
facts Warra nted, the remedy due. This
course necessarily recommended itsels
prom the outset to the executive, for
onlX in the light of a dispassiona tely
asceT-tained certainty could be deter
mined the nature and measure OF its
ful! 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 we'll
qualified by rank and practical expe-
rience to discharge the onerous duty
imposed upon them. Aided by "A strong
so;re Of wrsckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make a thorough inwesti-
cation on the spot. employing every
available means for the Impartial and
exact determination of the causes OF
the explosion. Its operations have been
concluded with the utmost delibtIation
and Judgment and, while Independently
pursued. mo source of information was
neglected. and the fullest opportunity
was allowed for a simultaneous investi-
CATION by the Spanish authorities.
The finding Of the court of inquiry
was reached after twenty three days OF
continuous labor, on the 21st of March,
instant, and having been approved on
the 22nd by the comm ander-in-chief o.
the United States naval force of the
North Atlantic station. was Transmitted
to the executive.
ut is herewith laid before the Con-
gress. together with the voluuninous
It stimon taken before the court.
Its purport is, in brief. as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
eminent pilot to buoy NO. 4. to which
she was moored in from FIVE and one
half TO six fathoms OF water.
The state Of discipline on board
and the condition of her magazines.
boilers. coal bunkers and storage COM
nartments are passed in review. with
The conclusion that excellent order pre-
vailed and that no indication Il any
cause for an internal explosion existed
in any quarter.
ruary 18th everything had been reported
secure and everything was quiet.
Z" At forty minutes past nine o'clock
the vessel was suddenly destroyed.
There were two distinct explosions.
with brief interval between them.
The first lifted the forward par. OF the
ship very preceptilpsv: the second. which
was more open, prolonged and of great
er volume. is attributed by the court 10
the partial eNplos On Of Two cr NOR OF
the forward mag ,Zns.
t.. cv:aence Of tie aver estab-
fishes that the after part of the ship
was practically intact and sank IN that
condition a very few minutes after the
explosion. The forward part was COM
p!etely demolished. Upon the evidence
of a concurrent external cause the find-
| ing of the court is as follows:
'''-At frame II the osIter shell OF the
ship from a point eleven and one-haif
| feet from the middle Enc of the ship
| and six feet above the keel when In Its