The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-01


Washington, aMar1R2S.-The president
today Sent the following messages to
congress:
To the congress OF the United States:
For some time prior to the visit of
the Maine to Havana harbor our consu
lar representative pointed out the ad-
Vantages to flow from the visit of nat
ional ships to the Cuban waters in &C
customing the people to the presence
of our flag as the symbol of good will
and of our ships in the fulfillment of the
mission of protection ito American in
terests, even though no immediate need
therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the 24th of January
minister in which renewal of visits of
our war vessels to Spanish waters was
discussed n accepted, the peninsular
authorities at Madrid and Havana
Were advised of the purpose of this gov
eminent to resume friendly naval visits
at Cuba ports and that in that view
the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Havana. This announcement
was received by the Spanish govern
ment 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 ON the 25th of Jam
uary her arrival being marked with no
special incident besides the exchange
of customary saluteS and ceremonial
visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor of
Havana during the three weeks follow
ing her arrival. Nc apprec iaIble excite
ment attended her stay, on the con-
'trary, a feeling of relief and confidence
followed the resumption of the long in
terTupted intercourse. SO noticeable
was this immediate effect of her visit
that the conSul general strongly urged
that the presence of our ships i'm 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 mine in the eV-
ening of the 18TH of February the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion
by which the entire forward part of
the ship was utterly wrecked. In this
catastrophe two officers and two hum
dred and siXty-four of her crew perish
ed, those who were not killed outright
by her explosion being penned betW1een
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 harbor, being especially given by
the boats of the Spanish cruiser AL
phonso XII and the Ward Lime steam
er, City of Washington, which lay not
far distant. The wounded Were gem
erously cared for by the authorities of
Havana, the hospitals being freely OPP
ened to them, while the earliest recOV-
cred bodies of the dead We're inferred
by the municipality in a publiccemetery
in the city. Tributes of grief and SYM
pathy were offered from all official
quarters of the island.
The appalling calamity fall upon them
people of our country with crushing
force, and for a brief time an intense
excitement prevailed which in a COM
munity less just and ~self-contrOlled
than ours might have led to hasty acts
of BLIND resentment. This spirit, how
ever, soon gave way to the calmer pro-
cesses of reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and wait mate
Iul El OlhAApi " NS
ito the cause, the responsibility and, if
the facts warranted, the remedy due.
This ours necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive,
for only in the light of a dispassionate-
ly aScertained certainty could it deter
mine the nature and measure of its
full duty in the matter. The usual pro-
cedure was followed as in all cases of
casualty or disaster to national vessels
~ o,,x- ,,,o,sifipon cfofn a. NAVAL an1Irf
of inquiry was at nce organized, com
posed of officers we'll qualified by rank
and practical experience ito discharge
the eneroIIs duty imposed Upon them.
Aided 10y "a strong force OF Wreckers
and divers, the our proceeded to make
a thorough investigation on the spot,
employing every available means for
the impartial and exact determination
of the causes of the explosion. Its OPP
creations have been conducted with the
utmost ~delIberation and Judgments and
while independently pursued, no source
of information was neglected, and the
fullest opportunity was allowed for a
simultaneous investigation by the Span
ish authorities.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after twenty three days
of continuous labor, on the list 4
March, instant, and, having been APP
proved on U1e 10Ilu 10y UQ0 cOlIrIildlpuei-
fn-chief of the United States naval
force of THE North Atlantic station, was
transmitted Ito the executive.
1t is herewith aid before the con-
gress, together with the voluhninous
Testimony taken before the court.
ITS purport is. in brief, as follows:
When the Maine arrived at Havana
she was conducted by the regular gov
eminent pilot to buoy No. 4. to which
she was moored in from five and one
half to six fathoms of water.
The static of dicipline on board n
the condition of her magazines, boilers,
coal bunkers and storage
ments are passed in review, with the
conclusion THAT excellent order prevaIi-
ed and that no Indication OF amy cause
for AN internal explosion existed in amy
quarter.
AT s O'Clock in THE evening OF Feb
1uruary 18th, everything had been report
ed secure and all was quiet.