The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-29
THE OTHER SIDE.

Spanish Authorities Transmit an Alb.
stract Of Their Courts Report.
Washington, March pa full synop-
sis OF the report Of the Spanish naval
commission which Investigated the de-
struction OF the battleship Maine is
here given by the Associated Press. 1t
is taken from copy of the original re-
port, which Is now on it's way here from
Havana, the synopsis being cabled in
the meantime and placed in the hands
OF this government. The conclusions
reached are directly opposite to those
In the report OF the court Of inquiry SUBJ
mitted to congress yesterday. The syn
opsis is as follows:
The report contains declarations
made by ocular witnesses and experts.
From these statements Ii clearly de-
duces and proves the absence of all
those attendant circumstances which
are invariably present on the occasion
OF the explosion of a torpedo. The evi-
dence Of witnesses comparatively close
to the Maine at the moment is to the
effect that only one explosion occurred;
that no column of water was thrown in
the air. that no shock to the side of
the nearest vessel was felt, nor on land
was any vibration noticed. and that
no dead fish were found. The evidence
OF the senior pilot of the harbor states
that there Is abundance of fish in the
harbor, and this Is oorroborated by other
witnesses, The assistant engineer of
works states that after explosions made
during the execution OF works in the
hnrbor he has always found dead fish.
the bottom Of the Maine. which was
buried In mud, but Q careful examina-
ton OF the sides OF the vessel, the rents
ana breaks In which all point outward,
shows without doubt that the explo-
sion was from the Inside. A minute
examination OF the bottom Of the har-
Dor around the vessel shows absolutely
no sign of the. action OF torpedo. and
the Judge advocate OF the commission
can find no precedent for the explosion
OF the storage magazine Of vessel by
q torpedo.
"The report makes clear that owing
20 the special nature OF the proceed
ings following and the absolute respect
shown for the tra-territoriality of the
Maine the commission has been pre-
vented from making such an examina-
tion OF the sides of the vessel as would
determine even the hypothesis OF the
Internal origin Of the accident. This is
to be attributed to the regrettabIe re-
fusal to permit the necessary co-opera-
ton OF the Spanish commission both
with the commander and crew of the
Maine and the different American off,
GERS commissioned to investigate the
cause OF the accident and later on with
those employed In salvage work.
The report finishes by stating that an
examination or the inside and outside OF
the Maine. as soon as such examination
may be possible, az also OF the bottom
where the vessel rests. will prove that.
eupposing the remains of the wreck are
not totally or partially altered in the
process OF extraction. the explosion was
undoubtedly due TO some interior cause"
NO ARMIsTIcE DESIRED.
4 New York March ss.--"The United
States may make ARRANGEMENTS with
Spain. but the Cubans will never con-
sent to ariristice or any other plan but
Independence" said II. 8. Rsubsns.
counsel for the Cuban JuHta. -"Fhe eu-
bans would be thankful for the interest
shown by tRis country, but would have
TO respectfully decline all such PROPOSE
tions. II In an absolute loss OF time for
the United States to entertain any me-
gotiations oS the kind with Spain. The
Cubans naturally feel that IL is unjust
for the American government to even
Indirectly espouse the cause Of nation
convicted Of wholesale murder AZ against
the people who, emulating the example