The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-04-01
M'KINLEY'S MESSAGE.
Expected Statement on the Maine
Report Transmitted to Congress.
No Recommendations Made and No Action
Asked For-Maine Sent to Havana on
Gen. Lees Request-Her Mis-
sion One of Peace.

Gen. Lees Request-Her Mis-
sion One of Peace.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-The presi.
dent yesterday sent the following mes,
sage to congress:
To the Congress of the United States:
For some time prior to the visit Of the Maine.
to Havana harbor our consular representatives
pointed out the advantages to flow from the.
visit OF national ships to the Cuban waters in ac
customing the people to the presence OF our flag
as the symbol of good will and of ships in the
fulhllment OF the mission Of protection to
American interests even though no immediate
need therefor might exist. Accordingly on the
gath OF January last, after comforting with the
Spanish minister. in which the renewal of visits
of our war vessels to Spanish waters was dis
cuSSed and accepted, the peninSular authorities
at Madrid and Havana were advised of the pur-
pose of this government to resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports and that, in that
view, the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Havana This announcement was re-
ceived by the Spanish government with appre-'
citation 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 Ha-
vana on the 25th of January, her arrival being
marked with special incident besides the
exchange of customary salutes and ceremonial
visits
The Maine continued in the harbor of Ha-
vana during the three weeks following her
rival No appreciable excitement attended her
stay: on the contrary, a feeling of relief and
confidence followed the resumption of the long
interrupted friendly intercourse. So noticeable
was this immediate effect of her visit that the
consul general strongly urged that the presence
of our ships in Cuban waters should be kept up
by retaining them at Havana or. in the event
of her recall. by sending another vessel there
to take her place.
At $40 in the evening 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 OIL.
GERS and 260 of her crew persisted. those who
were not killed outright by her explosion being
penned between decks by the tangle Of wreck
age and drowned by the immediate sinking OF
the hull. Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neighboring vessels anchored in the har
bOr aid being especially given by the boats OF
the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII and the
Ward line steamer City of Washington which
lay not far distant. The wounded were gener-
ously cared for by the authorities of Havana,
the hospitals being freely opened to them,
while the earliest recovered bodies of the dead
were inferred by the municipality in o public
cemetery in the CITY, Tributes of grief and SYM
pathy were offered from all official quarters of
the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the people
OF our country with crushing force and for a
brief time intense excitement prevailed,
which in a community less just and self-con-
trolled than ours, might have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment This spirit, however,
soon gave way to the calmer processes of reason
and to the resolve to investigate the facts and
await the material proof before forming a
judgment as to the cause, the responsibility,
and, If the facts warranted. the remedy due.
This course necessarily recommended itself
from the outset to the executive, for only in the
light OF a dispassionately ascertained certainty
could it determine the nature and measure of
its full duty in the matter.
The usual procedure was followed. as in all
cases of casualty or disaster to national ves-
sells of any maritime state naval court OF
inquiry was at once organized. composed of Of
ficers well qualified by rank and practical ex-
| perience to discharge the onerous duty imposed
upon them. Aided by a strong force of wreck
erS and divers the court proceeded to make
thorough investigation on the spot. employing
every available means for the impartial and
exact determination Of the causes of the explo-
| sion.
The finding of the court of inquiry was
reached after % days of continuous labor, on
the 21st Of March. instant, and having been APP
proved on the 22d by the COMMUNICATIVE chief
Of the United States naval force ON the north
Atlantic station, transmitted to the exec
utive. 1t is herewith laid before the congress
| to-day with the voluminouS testimony taken
| before the court. Its purport is, in brief, as
| follows:
e, When the Maine arrived at Havana she was
| conducted by the regular government pilot to
| buoy No 4, to which she was moored in from
| bh to six fathoms OF water The state of dis
| cipline on board and the condition of her maya
| zines, boilers coal bunkers and storage COM
| partments are passed in review, with the con-
clusiOn that excellent order prevailed and that
no indication Of any cause for an internal ex-
| plosion existed in any quarter.
At eight o'clock in the evening OF February
| Is everything had been reported secure and all
was quiet. At 40 minutes past nine o'clock the
vessel was suddenly DESTROYED.
There were two distinct explosions, with a
| brief interval between them. The first lifted
| the forward part of the ship very perceptibly;
| the second. which was more prolonged, is at
| tributed by the court to the partial explosion
| Of two or more of the forward magazines. The
| evidence Of the divers establishes that the
after part Of the ship was practically intact and
| sank in that condition very fe Nv minutes after
the explosion. The forward part was COM
| pletely demolished.
Upon the evidence of concurrent external
cause the finding Of the court is as follows:
At frame IL the outer shell OF the ship, from
a point 1lh feet from the middle line 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
water; therefore. about "a feet above where it
would be had the ship sunk uninjured