St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-03-30
BOARD OF INQUIRY.

The destruction of the Maine occurred
at 9:4O p. m, on the 18th day Of February,
1898, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, she
being at the time moored to the same
buoy to which she had been taken upon
her arrival.
There were two explosions, of dis
tinctly different character, with very
short but distinct interval between them,
and the forward part of the ship was lift
ed to marked degree at the time of the
first explosion. The first explosion was
more in the nature of a report like that
of 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.
A. Condition Of the wreck.
The evidence bearing upon this, being
principally obtained from divers, did
not enable the court to form definite
conclusion as to the condition Of the
wreck, although it was established that
the after pant of the ship was practical
ly intact and sank in that condition a
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 testimony:
That portion Of the port side Of the
protective deck which extends from
about frame 80 to about frame Al was
blown up aft and over to port. The
main deck, from about frame 80 to about
frame Al, was blown up aft, and slight
ly over to starboard, folding the forward
part Of the middle superstructure 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.
s. AT frame II, the outer shell of the
ship, from point liz feet from the mid
die of the ship and six feet above the
keel, when in its normal position, has
been forced up so as to be now about
four feet above the surface of the wa
ter; therefore, about "a feet above where
it 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 30 feet
In length (from frame II to frame 25).
is doubled back upon itself, Against the
continuation Of the same plating ex-
tending forward.
At frame is 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 30 feet above its
normal position.
In the opinion of the court this effect
could have ben produced only by the ex-
plosion of a mine situated under the bot
tom of the ship at about frame IS 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 the fault or negli-
gence on the part of any officers ormem-
bers Of the crew of said vessel.
7. In the opinion Of the court the Maine
was destroyed by the explosion of SUBJ
marine mine, which caused the partial
explosion of two or more Of her forward
magazines.
s. The court has been unable to obtain
evidence fixing the responsibility for the
destruction of the Maine upon any per-
son or persons.
w. T. Sampson, captain, U. S. NJ, presi-
dent.
A. Mark, lieutenant commander. U. S.
NJ, judge advocate.
The court having finished the inquiry
1t was ordered to make, adjourned at II
a. m. to await the action of converting
authority.
U. S. flagship New York,
March %, 1898.
Off Key West Fla.
W. T. Sampson, captain, u. s. NJ, presi-