Evening journal., 1898-03-29


and being tsaded by a reliable watch.
Those boilers could not have caused the
explosion Of the ship. The four for
ward boilers have since been found By
the divers and are in a fair condition.
On the night of the destruction of the
Maine everything had been reported So
cure for the night a. 8 y. m. by reliable
parsons through the proper authorities
10 tho commanding officer. At the time
the Maine was destroyed tho ship was
lUiet and therefore least liable to acci-
dent caused by movements from those
on board.
Thlrd.-The destruction Of the Maine
occurred at 9:40 p. m. on the 18th day
of February, 1898, in the harbor Of Ha-
vana, sho being at the time moored to
the same buoy to which she had been
taken upon her arrival.
There were two explosions Of dis
tlnctly different character with very
short but distinct interval between
I them, and the forward part Of the ship
was lifted to a marked degree at the
! time OF tho first explosion The first
explosion was more in the nature Of
report like that of a gun, while the sec
ond explosion was more open. prolong-
I'D and OF greater volume This second
/
court, caused by the partial explosion
Of two or more OF the forward maga-
Zines Of the Maine.
CONDITION OF THE WRECK.
The evidence bearing upon this, being
principally obtained from divers, did
not enable the court to form a definite
conclusion as to the condition Of the
wreck, although it was established that
the after part Of the ship was practi-
cslly intact and sank in that condition
a very few minutes after the destruc-
ton OF tho 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 so 10 about frame Al was
blown up aft and over to port. Tho
main deck from about frame 30 to about
franc Al was blown up aft and slightly
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.
Fifth.-At frame II tho outer shell Of
the sbtp from n point III feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in it's normal po-
sition has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
OF the water, therefore about "a feet
above where It would be had the ship
sunk uninjured.
Tho outside bottom plating Is bent into
a reversed V shape. the after wing of
which, about Is fS3t broad and 30 feet
Ia length (from frame II to frame 25)
Is doubled back upon Itself against the
continuation of the same plating ex-
tending forward.
At frame 1s the vertical keel is broken
in two and the fat keel bent into an
angle similar to the angle formed by
tho outside bottom plating. This break
is now about feet below the surface
Of the water and about 30 feet above It's
normal position.
A NINE SURELY CAUSED IT.
In the opinion of the court. this effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion OF mine situated under the
bottom of the ship at about frame i
and somewhat on the port side of th'
snip.
Sixth-The court finds that the los
| or the Maine on the occasion named wa
rot In any respect due to fault OF neg
ligence on the part Of any Of the ofIlcer
or members Of the crew OF said vessel.
Seventh.-In the opinion of the court
the Maine was destroyed by the explo
sion OF a submarine mine. which caused
the partial explosion of two or more o
her forward magazines.
, Eighth.-The court has been unable
J to obtain evidence fixing the responsi
. billty for the destruction Of the Main
upon any person or persons.
, w. It, SAMPSON, Captain U. S. N.
President.
! A. MARK, Lieutenant Commando
I U. S.N., Judge Advocate.
e The court, having finished the inqur.
y IL was ordered to make. adjourned at 1
a. m. to await the action of the conven
o. ing authority.
3 W. II. SAMPSON. Captain U. S. N
o. President.
A. MARK, Lieutenant Commando
e u. 8. N, Judge Advocate.
I Y. S. Flagship New York, March 2.
1898. or Key West.
e The proceedings and findings Of tn
|. court of inquiry in the above case ar
e approved.
r NJ. S1CARD, Rear Admiral. Command
g er In Chief Of the United States Nava
10 Force on the North Atlantic Station.