The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-30
MAINE BLOWN UP
FROM OUTSIDE.
SITUATION is VERY SERIOUS.
The Board of Inquiry naes No: Fasfen
Responsibility.

responsibility.
WASHINGTON, March 23.-The
Court Of Inquiry appointed to investi-
gate the cause Of the Maine disaster
has reported hal the loss Of the bat
tleship was due to an outside explo-
sion.
The State department, by direction
of the President, has ca5ied United
States Minister Woodford at Madrid
to notify the Spanish government of
this conclusion.
The President and cabinet advisers
held two extended sessions to-day,
one at 1880 a. M, and another at $3.50
p. M, at which the report was consid-
cred in detail. Members of the cabi-
net stated after the meeting that
eve since the w%recking of the Maine
has the situation seemed SO critical.
The Spanish government has cablcd
officially to Washington that the
Spanish naval commission holds the
disaster to the Maine to be of internal
origin. The government of Spain, it
ear be stated positively, is not dis
posed to turn back the torpedo fotilla
now proceeding from the Canaries and
would be disinclined to consider a
suggestion from this government tend
ing to interfere with the disposition
by Spain Of her own naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecc-
denied scale is being hurried to COM
pletion by the war and navy depart
mcnts, and the country practically is
on a war footing.
The foregoing gives the record Of
national capital has seen since the
close Of the civil war. It was q day
of profoundly important action, of the
deepest anxiety, coupled with naval
and military activity, n step follow
ing another in rapid succession. Rep
resentative men of the administration,
public men in all branches of official
and Congressional life, no less than
the public in general, share in the
tension to which the situation has
been wrought. There was no effort
among the highest officials, nor, in
deed, was it possible from what was
clearly apparent in the developments
Of the day, to minimize the situation.
Viewed in detail, the findings Of the
Court of Inquiry was the most vital
feature. Commander Mark, Judge
Advocate Of the Court Of Inquiry, de-
livered the report to Secretary Long
early this morning, and shortly after
it was carried to the White House and
placed in tho hands &C the President.
At 1920 the Cabinet assembled, half
an hour earlier than usual, and began
the consideration of the momentous
document. Even the rigid rules of
secrecy which prevailed at Cabinet
meetings were made doubly strict in
this case, and no intimation Of the re-
suits reached by the Court were known
until o'clock, when au Associated
Press bulletin gave the information to
the country, as well as the eagerly
waiting officials throughout Washing
ton. These results, briefly stated,
are that the loss of the Maine was due
to an explosion from the outside, the
Court being unable to fix the RESPONSE
bility for the explosion. The Court
does not express an opinion as to the
character of the explosive, but the
testimony goes to show that it was a
nowerf-! s.5saaIine niue, the exact
character Of which is not determined
by the testimony, though the belief
was expressed that it was q floating
submarine mine. There were two ex-
plosions; the Court finds, the FIRST
from the outside, and that set off one
of the smaller magazines.
twas this result, expressed in de-
tail and with the precision of. a Court
deeply conscious Of its responsibility,
together with the evidence on which
it was based, that occupied the attcn-
ton Of the Cabinet throughout it's
extended sessions of the morning and
afternoon. AL other and lesser sub
jects gave way to this foremost qucs-
ton. There was no change in the
plan Of making the report public and
submitting 80 Congress early next
week, accompanied by a brief message
from the President.
While interest was thus centered at
the White House, the navy and war
departments were harrying forward
their work of preparations. The ad-
vance Of the Spanish %1otilla contin-
ued to receive the closest attention Of
naval officials, and while so far as
could be ascertained, no definite line
of action was determined upon, the.
need Of in%tercepting this fleet was
urged by the highest naval authori-
ties. From the standpoint of the
Spanish government, this movement
was not a menace, having been de-
eided on many weeks ago. On the
contrary, the Spanish government
holds that the extensive armament of
the Dry Tortugas is a more direct hos
tile act against Spain than any move
ment Of the Aotilla. Instead Of stop
ping the %lotilla, the present attitude
of Spain tends towards reinforcing it
with other Spanish var vessels, nes IS
a menace. bnt from what the Spanish
government feels 10 q requirement
called for by the existing condition of
affairs.
Hardly less suggestive than the APP
proach Of the torpedo aotilla, was the
information received here to-day by
the highest military authorities that
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