Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-03-31
REPORT OF COURT OF IN
QUIRY.
1t is Sent to Congress by the Pres
idGnt.
HE SENDS A MESSAGE WITH 1T.

are Given and Congress is Asked
to Give the Question Deliberate
Consideration.
Washington, March 28.-The report of
the naval court of inquiry upon the loss of
the battleship Name was sent to Congress
to-day with brief message from the Pres
ident. The report of the board does not
exceed l 800 words
! The testimony on which the report of
the board of inquiry is based contains
100000 words. An abstract of its vital
features follows:
THE FINDINGS.
The report of the board of inquiry goes
into a debate at length upon the precau-
tions taken on board the Maine to guard
against explosion, etc, stating fully in
details the orders given on board to safe
guard the ship. 1t declares that nothing
was left undone to prevent accident of any
kind. From the testimony the court con-
cluded that there were three or more ex-
plosions, one from a mine and two or
more from the forward magazines of the
Maine.
The evidence of the destruction by a
mine was shown in the plates that in
their normal position were but four feet
above the keel. They were now about
four feet above water or thirty-four feet
above what they would be had the ship
sunk uninjured. The court adds;
cat frame is the vertical keel is broken
in two pieces and the fiat keel bent into
ssHangle 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 thirty feet above 1t
normal position.
''In the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion of mine under the bottom OF
the ship at about frame IS and somewhat
on the port side of the ship.
'The court finds that the loss Of the
Maine was not in any respect due to the
fault of or negligence on the part of the
officers or members of the crew Of said
vessel.
"In the opinion of the court the Maine
was destroyed by the explosion of sub
marine nine, which caused the partial
explosion of one or more o. her forward
magazines.
"The court has oeen unable to obtain
evidence fixing the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any per-
son or persons
TIE MESSAGE.
a complete synopsis Of the Presidents
message follows:
In its findings the hoard says the bat
tleship was moored in five and hall
fathoms of water by the regular govern
ment pilot, the authorities having been
previously notified Of her coming the
discipline Of the Maine was excellent, and
everything was in good order at the time
of the explosion. In the opinion Of the
court this effect could have been pro
duced only by the explosion of a mine
situated under Tie bottom of the ship at
about frame eighteen, somewhere on the
port side Of the ship. The President adds
that the conclusion from the icourt's re-
mort are that the loss of the Maine was not
in anv respect due to the fault Of negll-
gence on the part of any of the officers or
members of the crew; that the ship was
DESTROYED by an explosion from subma-
rine mine, which caused the partial eX-
plosion of two or more of the forward
magazines, and that evidence has not
been obtainable fixing the responsibility
for the destruction OF the Maine upon any
person or persons"
The President says that according to a
conference with the Spanish minister in
January, it was agreed for the renewal OF
visits of our war vessels in Spanish waters
and the authorities at Madrid and Havana
we're advised of the purpose of this gov
ernnent to resume friendly naval visits,
and that the Maine would forthwith call
at Havana. This announcement was re-
ceived bv Spain with show of friendly
feeling. with notification Of an intention
to return the courtesy by sending Spanish
ship to the principal ports of the United
States. Meanwhile the Maine entered
Havana harbor on January %. Her arrl-
val was marked with no special incident
besides an exchanae oficustomary salutes
The Maine remained there three weeks,
No appreciable excitement attended he!
stav. a feeling of relief having followed
the resumption of friendly intercourse
So noticeable was this immediate effec
that the presence of our ships in Cubar
waters was strongly urged by Consul Lee
At 9:4Op m. February Is, the Maine was
DESTROYED the forward part of the ship
being utterly wrecked by an explosion
Two hundred and sixty-four of her cre'
perished. Prompt assistance was rem
dered by neighboring vessels in the harbol
aid being especially given by the followin!
boats. the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII
and the Ward Line City of Washington
which lay not far distant. The wounded
were most genel ously cared for by th'
authorities, the Havana hospitals beinl
freely opened to them. Tributes of sym
patby came from all quarters of the island
The appalling calamity fell upon the peo
ple of our country with crushing force, an(
in a brief time intense excitement pre-
vailed, which in a community less just anC