Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-03-31
BOARD OF INQUIRY'S REPORT.
MAINE BLOWN UP BY AN EXTERNAL Fl
ncentestabe Evidence That the First Explosion Came From
Below the Ship-No Evidence Of Carclessncss on the
Part Of the Maines Ofccrs-Presdent Simply Reports
the Matter to Congress.

Washington. March 2S.-The Prcsi-
dent to-day sent the following message
10 Congress-:
To the Congress OF the United States:
For some time prior to the visit of the
q Maine TO Havana hnrbor our consular
!; representatives pointed out the advan-
tnges to follow visits OF national ships
to the Cuban waters. In accustoming
the people to the presence OF our flag
Z ms the symbol OF good will and OF our
& ships in the fulnllment of the mission
OF protection to American interests.
even though no immediate need there
4 for might exist.
~ Accordingly. on the 25th of Janu-
i1nry last. after II conference with the
( Spanish minister, In which the renewal
4 OF visits OF our war vessels to Spanish
waters was discussed and accepted,
the pcnlnsular authorities at Madrid
& md Havana were advised OF the pur
! pose Of this government to resume
fricndly naval visits at Cuban ports.
and that In that view the Maine would
forthwith call ut the port of Havana.
This announcement was received by
3 the Spanish government with appreci-
s, ation OF the friendly character of the
'.lvisit of the Maine and with notifica-
<Stion of intention 10 return the cour-
<;fesy by sending Spanish ships to the
'fprincipal ports Of the United States.
5uAIcanwlilc the Maine entered the port
i3of Havana on the 18th Of January,
IfH,nr npf.ir l..,,l x,-ith
.1.spccial incident besides the exchange
'<=of customary salu,cs and ceremonial
visits.
Sd The Maine continued In the hnrbor
'Xof Havana during the three weeks fol-
}tlowins her arrival. No apprcciable
<seNcitemcnt attended her stay: on the
.l,contrary. Il feeling of relief and conf
violence followed the resumption of the
klonG interrupted friendly intercourse.
4 So noticeable was the immediate ef-
feet of her visit that the consul gen.
ernl strongly urged that the presence
of our ships In Cuban waters should
he kept UP by retaining the Maine at
/. Hnvana, or in the event of her recall.
by sending another vessel there to take
her place.
IA At forty minutes past in the even
5tns OF the 10Th of February. the Maine
tfwas destroyed by an explosion, by
the entire forward part of the
5fship was utterly wrecked. In this ca
tttastrophe two officers and 2GO of her
tcrcw pcrished. those who were not
killed outright by her explosion being
Fl !5]pcnncd between decks by the tangle
II of wrcckage and drowned by the i'm
5tsmehintc sinking Of the hull. Prompt
e assistance was rendered by the neigh
sboring vessels anchored in the harbor.
aid being especially given by the boats
3 0f the Spanish cruiser Alphonso Nil.
and the Ward line steamer City of
Z washington, which lay not far distant.
.SSThe wounded were generously cared
kor by the authorities of Havana. the
hospitals being freely opened to them.
while the earliest recovered bodies of
hc dead were Inferred by the muni-
fipality in the public cemetery in the
eity. Tributes of grief and sympathy
we're offered from all official quarters
bf the island
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people of our country with crushing
force and for brief time an intense
excitement prevailed. which in Il COM
munity less just and elf-cOntrolled
than ours must have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment. This spirit. how
ever, soon gave way to the calmer pro-
ccsses of reason and to the resolve to
investigatc the facts and await the
material proof before forming Il judg-
ment as to the cause. the responsibility
and, If the facts warranted. the rene
Idy due. This course necessarily rec
commended itself from the outset to the
executive, for only in the light of Il
.lispassonately asccrtained certainty
could it determine the nature and
measure of its full duty in the matter
+ The usual procedure was followed
y Rs in all cases of casualty or disaster
10 national vessels of any maritime
ia State. A naval court of inquiry was
lk8ht once organized. composed of officers
48Nycll qualified by rank and practical
Experience TO discharge the Onerous
|Iuty imposed upon them. Aided by
In strong force of wrcckcrS and divers.
Nh the court proceeded to make Il thor
M ploying every available means for tile
4& impartial and exact determination of
IA the causes of the explosion. Its opera
tions have been conducted with the
utmost dclibcration and Judgment. and
while independently pursued. no
source Of information was neglected
and the fullest opportunity was al
Il lowed for Il simultaneous investigation
by the Spanish authorities
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after twcnty-three days
Of continuous labor. on the 2lst or
March. instant and naving been ap-
proved on the 22d by the commander
n-chief of the United States naval
force on the North Atlantic station.
was transmitted to the executive.
1t is herewith laid before the Con-
grcss, together with the volllminous
4 Testimony taken before the court. Its
pur.A,r: Is. in brief, rs follows;
Whom tbn Maine arrived at Havana