The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-29
NAVAL COURT REPORT.
Responsibility for Wreck of the
Maine Not Placed.
DESTROYED BY SUBMARINE NINE.

President Mckinley sends the Report 10
Congress Accom- panied by "a Message and
Directs Tha; the Cone of the Court
of Inquiry Be sent to the Queen Regent
of spain Text of tae Report-Testimony
of Important W illnesses.
To the Congress of the United States:
For some time prior to tie visit OF the
Maine 10 Havana harbcr our consular
representatives pointed out the adVan-
tages to fow from the visit Of national
ships to the Cuban waters in accustC m
ing the people 10 the presence If our
flag as the symbol Of good Will and o.
our ships In the fulhlln gnt of tie mis-
sion of protection 20 American inter-
ests, even though no immediate need
therefore might exist;
Accordingly n the 24.h OF January
last, after confercnca With the Spanish
minister, IN which the renewal Of visits
of our war. vessels to Spanish waters
was discussed and accepted, the reHin-
sular authorities at Madrid ard HaV-
ana were advised Of the purpose Il this
government to resume friendly naval
visits at Cuhan ports and that in that
view the Maine would forthwith call at
the port of Havana. This announce
ment was received by the Spanish gov
ernment with appreciation of the fris nd.
iy character of the visit Of the Maine
and with the notification Of intention to
return the courtesy by sending Spanish
ships to the principal ports of the
United States.
Maine Enters Havana Harbor.
Meanwhile the Maine entered the port
of Havana on the 25th of January, her
arrival being marked with no special
incident besides the exchange of GUS
tomary salutes and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbOr or
Havana during the three weeks follow
ing her arrival. No appreciable ex-
citement attended her stay; on the con-
trary, a feeling of relief and confidence
followed the resumption of the long In
terrupted friendly intercourse. So no
ticeable was this immediate effect OF
her visit that the consul general strong
ly urged that the presence OF our ships
in Cuban waters should be kept up by
retaining the Maine at Havana. or In
the event of her recall, by sending an
other vessel to take her place. AT for
ty minutes past 8 In the evening or
the 18th of February the Maine was de-
stroyed by an explosion. by which the
entire forward part of the ship was ut
terly wrecked, In this catastrophe two
officers and 260 of her crew perished.
those who were not killed outright by
her explosion being penned between
decks by the tangle of wreckage and
drowned by the immediate sinking or
the hull.
Assistance Was Prompt.
Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neighboring vessels anchored In the
harbor, aid being especially given by
the boats of the Spanish cruiser Al
phonso XII and the Ward line steamer
City of Washington, which lay not far
distant. The wounded were generous
ly cared for by the authorities OF Ha-
vana, the hospitals being freely opened
to them, while the earliest recovered
bodies OF the dead were inferred by the
municipality in a 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 q brief time an intense
excitement prevailed. which in 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
processes of reason and to the resolve
to investigate the facts and await the
material proof before forming judg-
ment as to the cause, the responsible
ity, and IL the facts warranted, the
remedy due.
Court OF Inquiry Organized.
This course necessarily recommended
Itself from the outset to the executive,
for only in the light of a dispassionate-
ly ascertained certainty could IL deter
mine the nature and measure OF Its full
duty in the matter. The usual proceed
ure was followed. as in all cases or
casualty or disaster to national vessels
or any maritime state. A naval court
of inquiry was at once organized. COM
posed Of officers we'll qualified by rank
and practical experience to discharge
the onerous duty imposed upon them.
Aided by a strong force OF wreckers
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 explosion: its
operations have been conducted with
the utmost deliberation and Judgment,
and while independently pursued, no
source OF information was negiected
and the fullest opportunity was AL
lowed for a simultaneous investigation
by the Spanish authorities.
Findings Of the CcurA
The dndiug OF tha court Of tnduif2