The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-29

To MAINE.

III Mnllvu.
CONTINUED from First Page)
ed nor participated in the destruction OF
the Maine The dry gun-cotton primers
and decorators were slowed in the cabin
aft and remote from the scene OF the
explosion. Waste was carefully looked
after on board the Maine to obviate dan
ger. Special orders in regard to this had
been given by the commanding oihcer
Varnishes dryers, alcohol and other COM
bustibles OF this nature were slowed on
or above the main deck. and could not
have r. anything 10 do with the de-
strucu .he Maine. The stores were
stored at Under the ward room ana re-
mote from the scene Of the explosion NO
dangerous stores Of any kind were stow
cd below I'm any OF the store rooms. Inc
coal bunkers were inspected daily. Ot
those bunkers adjacent to the forward
magazines and she'll rooms -FOUR were
empty. namely. "B g." "B A. "B .,
G." "a 15." had been in use that day ana
"A 16'' was full Of New River coal. This
coal had been carefully inspected before
receiving II on board. The bunker in
which n was slowed was accessible on
three sides at all times. and the fourth
side at this time on account OF the BUNK
ers "B A." and "B G. being empty. This
bunker. "A &c." had been inspected that
day bv the engineer officer on duty.
The fire alarms 10 she bunkers were In
worl,ing order and there had never been
a 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
four forward boilers have since been
found by the divers and are I'm fair con-
dition on the night Of the destruction OF
the Maine everything had been reported
secure for the night at 7. NJ. by relia-
BILE persons. through the proper authorl-
ties. 10 the commanding officer Al the
time the Maine was destroyed the snip
was quiet and therefore. least liable 10
accident caused by movements OF those
on board.
THE EXPLOSION.
1.-The destruction Of the Maine occur
red at $40 =. NJ on the 18th day OF FeO-
ruary, eighteen hundred and ninety eight
i'm the harbor OF Havana, Cuba she being
at the time moored to the same buoy to
which she had been taken upon her ar
rival.
There were two explosions Of dis
tinctlv different character, with very
short but distinct interval 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 nature of a report Ike
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
4-The evidence bearing upon this, be-
ing principally obtained from divers. did
not enable the court to form definite
conclusion as to the condition Of the
wreck. although II was established that
the afterpart Of the ship was practically
in tact and sank in that condition very
fey minutes after the destruction OF the
forward part The following facts in re-
gara TO the onward part Of the ship are,
how ever. established by the testimony;
THAT part of the portion, protective
deck. which extends from about frame
thirty to about frame forty-one. was
blown mp aft and over to port. The main
deck from about frame thirty TO about
slightly over 10 starbOard folding the
forward part Of the middle superstruc-
ture over and on top of the after part.
This was. in the opinion Of the court,
caused by the partial explosion OF two
or more OF the forward magazines Of the
Maine
EXTERNAL.
Sat frame seventeen. the outer shell
int f4ia
half feet from the middle line Of the
shin. and six feet above the keel when in
its normal position, had been forced up
so as to be now about four feet above the
surface of the water: therefore about
thirtv-four feet above where II would be
had the ship sank unnjured. The outside
bottom plating is bent into a reversed V
shape the after wing Of which. about
fifteen feet broad and thirty-twO feet
in length from frame seventeen TO frame
twenty-five is doubled back upon itself
against the continuation of the same plat
ing extending forward At frame eigh-
teen the vertical keel is broken in two
and the fat keel bent into an angle sim
liar to the angle formed by the outside
bottom plating. This break is now about
six feet below che surface Of the water
and about thirty feet above its normal
position. In the opinion of the court this
effect could have been produced only by
the explosion of a mine; situated under
the bottom OF the ship at about frame
eighteen and somewhat on the port side
of the ship.
6. The court finds that the loss of the
Maine on the occasion named was not in
any respect due TO fault or Negligence on
the part Of any Of the officers or MEM
ers of the crew OF the said vessel.
SUBMARINE MINE.
:. In the opinion Of the court the Maine
was destroyed by the explosion of a sub
marine mine. which caused The lartial
explosion of two or more of her forward
magazines.
s. The court has been unable TO obtain
evidence liking the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any per-
son or persons.
(Signed)
W. T. SAMPSON.
Captain, T. s. n. President.
A. MARK.
Lieutenant Commander. L. 5. n, Judge
Advocate.
The court having finished the inquiry
II was ordered TO make adjournment at II
o'clock TO await the action OF the con-
yening authorities.
(Signed)
Captain, L. S. N. President.