Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-03-30
BOARD OF INQUIRY.

| ponhh VT iNSOlhA'
The destruction of the Maine occurred
| at $40 p. M, on the 18th day of February,
1885, 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 a dis
| tinctly different character, with a very
short but distinct interval between them,
| and the forward part of the ship was lift
ed to a 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.
4. 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 practical
| ly intact and sank in that condition
| 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 30 to about frame Al was
blown up aft and over to port The
| main deck, from about frame 30 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.
| 5. 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 it's 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
1t 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 IrdIIe 10 Tic NeTllCdl 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 80 feet above its
normal position.
In the opinion of the court this effect
could have ben produced only by the ex-
rlosion of a mine situated under the bot
Il ~ it, H.,
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 or mem
i bers of the crew of said vessel.
| Z. In the opinion of the court the Maine
was destroyed by the explosion of sub
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. N, presi-
dent.
A. Mark, lieutenant commander, U. S.
| N, judge advocate.
The court having finished.the inquiry
1t was ordered to make, adjourned at IL
| a. m. to await the action of converting
] authority.
U. S. flagship New York,
| March %, 1898.
Off Key West, Fla.
w r. Sampson, captain, U. S. N, presi-
dent. A Mark, lieutenant commander,
u. s. N, judge advocate:
The proceedings and findings OF the
pourt of inquiry in the above case are
approved.
N. Sicard, rear admiral, commandsr-in-
chief of the U. S. naval force on the
north Atlantic station.
CHARLESTowN.
Frank Mcdonald passed Sunday with hii
parents on River street.