The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-04-07
nd remote from the scene Of the explo-

Inc waste was CdreIully looked 9Iter
on board the Maine to obviate danger.
Special orders in regard to this had been
given by the commanding officer. Var
nishes. dryers, alcohol and other COM
bustibles of this nature. were slowed on
or above the main deck. and could not
have had anything to do with the de-
struction Of the Maine. The medical
room. and remote from the scene of the
explosion. No dangerous stores Of any
kind were slowed below in any Of the
other storerooms. or in the coalbunkers.
OF those bunkers adjoining the forward
magazine and shellrooms, four were
empty: namely, b. B4, BIS. BIG. AIS had
been in use that date. and A16 was full
of new river coal. This coal had been
carefully inspected before receiving 1t on
board. The bunker in which 1t was slowed
was accessible on three sides at all times
and the fourth side at this time. on ac-
count Of bunkers B4 and BIG being empty.
This bunker, A16 had been inspected that
day by the engineer officer on duty. The
fire alarms in the bunkers were in work.
ing order, and there had never been
case of spontaneous combustion of coal
on board the Maine. The two after boil
ers Of the ship were In use at the time of
the disaster. but for auxiliary purposes
only. with a comparatively low pressure
of steam and being tended by reliable
watch. These boilers could not have
caused the explosion of the ship. The
forward boilers of the ship have since
been found by the divers, and are in fair
condition. On the night of the destruction
of the Maine, everything had been re-
ported secure for the night at p. M.
by reliable persons, through proper au-
thorities to the commanding officer. At
the time the Maine was destroyed the
ship was quiet, and therefore the least
liable to accident caused by movements
from those on board.
Third-The destruction of the Maine &C.
CURED at $40 p. M. on the 18th day of
February. 1898, in the harbor of Havana,
Cuba, being at the time moored to the
very same buoy to which she had been
taken upon her arrival There were
two explosions, of q distinctly different
character. a very short but distinct IN
terval between them. and the forward
part of the ship was lifted to a marked
degree at the time OF the first explosion.
The first explosion was more in the ma
fure. of a report, like that of gun,
while the second explosion was more
open, prolonged, and of greater vol
ume The second explosion was, in the
opinion of the court, caused by the par
of ha
ward magazines Of the Maine.
Condition of the Wreck.
Fourth-The evidence bearing on this
being principally obtained from divers,
did not enable the court to form defi=
mite conclusion as to the condition of
the wreck, although it was established
that the after part of the ship was prac-
tically intact, and sank in that condition
a very few minutes after the destruction
of the forward part. The following facts
in regard to the forward part of the ship
are, however, established by the testi-
mony:
That portion of the short side of the
protected deck which extends from about
frame 30 to about frame Al, was blown
up aft and over to port. The main deck
from about frame 30 to about frame Al
was blown up aft and slightly over to
stafboard, folding the forward part OF
the middle superstructure over and on top
of the floor part. This was. in the opinion
of the court, caused by the partial explo-
sion of two or more of the forward maya
zines Of the Maine.
Fifth-At frame Is the outer shell of the
ship from point liz feet from the mid
die line of the ship, and six feet above
the keel when in its normal position, has
been forced up, so as to be about four feet
above the surface Of the water, there
fore about "a feet above where 1t would be
had the ship sunk uninJured. The outside
bottom plating is bent into a reversed
v-shape the after wing Of which. about
Is feet broad and 80 feet in length Crom
frame II to frame 80. is doubled back upon
itself, against the continuation OF the
same plating extending forward.
At frame so the vertical keel is broken
in two. and the fiat keel bent into an
angle similar to the angle formed by the
outside bottom plating. This break is
now about six feet below the surface OF
the water, and about 10 feet above Its
normal position. In the opinion OF the
court. this effect could have been pro-
duced only by the explosion Of mine,
situated under the bottom Of the ship, at
about frame Is, and somewhat on the
port side of the ship.
sixth-The court finds that the loss of
the Maine on the occasion named was
not in any respect due to fault or negli-
sence on the part Of any of the officers
or members of the crew Of said vessel.
Seventh-In the opinion OF the court
the Maine was destroyed by the expio-
sion of a submarine mine, which caused
the partial explosion OF two or more OF
her forward magazines.
Eighth-The court has been unable to
obtain evidence fixing the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine upon
any person or persons.
w. T. SAMPSON,
Captain, u. 8. N. President.
A. H. MARK,
TT NJ Commander, Judge-Advocate.
The court having finished the inquiry II
was ordered to make. adjourned at u
M. to await the action OF the con-
vening authority.
Captain. u. g. N, President.
A. H. MARK,
y. 8. NJ, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, y. .
n. Judge-Advocate.
r 8. Flagship New York. March -
1894. on Key West, Fla.
The proceedings and findings OF the
H. k1aA .