Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-28
E''|X RIA
NOW IN CONGRESS
The Maine Report Sub
mitted to Both Houses.
AN OUTSIDE EXPLOSION
The President Also Transmits a
Special Message.
RESPONSIBILITY is UNDETERMINED
Unqualified Opinion Expressed as
RESPONSIBILITY is UNDETERMINED
Unqualified Opinion Expressed as
to the Cause.
CAPT. SIGSBEE EXONERATED

The President today sent the following
message to Congress:
| To the Congress of the United States
! For some time prior to the visit Of the
Maine to Havana harbor our consular rep
resentatives pointed out the advantages to
| flow from the visit of national ships to the
| Cuban waters, in accustoming the people to
| t',e presence of our flag the symbol CT
| anod will and of our ships in the fulfill
inert of the mission of protection to Ameri-
can interests, even though no immediate
need therefor might exist.
Accordir ely, the oath of January last,
after conference with the Spanish Minister
| in which the renewal of visits of our war
vessels to Spanish waters was discussed
| ard accepted, the peninsular authorities
| at Madrid and Hevana were advised of the
| purpose of this Government to resume
| friendly naval visits at Cuban ports, and
that in that view the Maine would forth
with call at the port Of Havana.
This announcement was received by the
! Spanish government with appreciation of
| the friendly 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. Meanwhile the Maine entered the
port of Havana the 25th of January,
incident besides the exhcange of customary
| salutes and ceremonial visits
| The Maine continued in the harbor of
| Havana during the three weeks following
her arrival. No appreciable excitement at
| tended her stay; on the contrary, feel
ing Of relief and confidence followed the
| resumption of the long-interrupted friendly
| intercourse. So noticeable was this i'm
mediate effect Of her visit that the consul
general strongly urged that the presence
of our ships 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 to take her place.
AT forty minutes past nine in the evening
of the 18th of February the Maine was de-
stroyed by an explosion, by which the
entire forward part of the ship was utterly
wrecked. In this catastrophe two officers
and two hundred and sixty-four of her
crew persisted, those who We're not killed
outright by her explosion being penned
| between decks by the tangle of wreckage
| and drowned by the immediate sinking of
| the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by the
| neighboring vessels anchored In the har-
| Dor, aid being especially given by the boats
| Of the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII and
| the Ward line steamer City Of Washington,
/ which lay not far distant. The wounded
| were generously cared for by the authori-
ties of Havana, the hospitals being freely
| opened to them, while the earliest recov-
cred bodies Of the dead were inferred by
| the municipality in public cemetery in
the city. Tributes of grief and sympathy
were offered from all official quarters of
| the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the peo-
pie of our country with crushing force, and
| for brief time an intense excitement pre-
vailed, which in a community less just and
| self-controlled than ours might have led
to hasty acts Of blind resentment. This
spirit. however, soon gave way to the calm
| er processes of reason and to the resolve
to investigate the facts and await material
proof before forming a judgment as to the
cause, the responsibility and If the facts
warranted, the remedy due. This course
necessarily recommended itself from the
outset to the executive, for only in the
| light of dispassionately ascertained GER
| ta!nty could 1t determine the nature and
| measure OF Its full duty in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed as in
! all cases Of casualty or disaster to ma
| tional vessels Of any maritime state. A ma
val court Of inquiry was at once organized.
| composed Of officers well qualified by rank
and practical experience to discharge the
| or erous duty imposed upon them. Aided
| by streng force of wreckers and divers,
| the court preceded to make a thorough
investigation on the spot. employing every
| available means for the impartial and ex-
act determination Of the causes Of the ex-
| p.osion. Its operations have been conduct
| ed with the utmost elaboration and judg-
ment. and. while independently pursued. no
source of information was neglected and
| the fullest opportunity was allowed for a
simultaneous investigation by the Spanish
authorities.
The finding OF the court Of inquiry was
reached after twenty-three days Of con-
tinuous labor, on the 21st Of March. In
slant. and having been approved on the
22d by the commander-in-chief Of the
United States naval force on the north At
lantic station was transmitted to the
i Executive.
! It Is herewith laid before the Congress.