The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-03-31
Despite the Peaceful Attitude
of the Administration.
ACTIVITY IN, WASHINGTON
Spain Willing That We Should Feed
Her Cuban Subjects.
TALK OF EUROPEAN MEDIATION.

ment and o Number OF Yachts ana
Tugs which viii Be Transformed
Into Marine Fighters-Admiral ST.
card Retired, and Captain Sampson
Succeeds Him In Command OF the
Fleet At Key West - Commodore
Schley Commands the Flying Squad.
ron at Hampton Troublesome Con-
gressmen Oppose the Presidents
Plan For Furnishing Government
Relief to Spanish Subjects In Cuba.
The situation Rather warlike, De.
spite the Peaceful Attitude OF the
Administration.
Washington. March 2s.-Following Is
the full text Of the report Of the court
Of inquiry appointed to investigate the
disaster to the Maine at Havana:
United States Steamer Iowa. First
Rate. Key West. Fla. Monday,
March 81, 1898.
After full and mature consideration
of all the testimony before 1t, the court
finds as follows:
1. That the United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor OF Havana,
Cuba, on the 25th day Of January. 1898,
and was taken to buoy No. 4. In from
FIVE to six fathoms of water, by the
regular government pilot.
The United States consul general at
Havana had notified the authorities
at that place. the previous evening, Of
the intended arrival of the Maine.
Q. The state Of discipline on board
the Maine was excellent, and all orders
and regulations in regard to the care
and safety of the ship were strictly
carried out.
All ammunition was slowed in ac-
cordance with prescribed instructions.
and proper care was taken whenever
ammunition was handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one Of the
magazines or shell rooms which was
not permitted to be slowed there.
The magazines and shell rooms were
always locked after having been open
ed. and after the destruction Of the
Maine the keys were found in their
proper place in the captains cabin.
everything having been reported secure
that evening at 8 p. m. The tenn
peratures Of the magazine and shell
room were taken daily and reported.
The only magazine which had an un-
due amount of heat was the after ten
inch magazine. and that did not ex-
plode Mt the time the Maine was de-
stroyed. -
The torpedo warheads were all stow
ed in the after part of the ship under
the ward room, and neither caused
nor participated in the destruction of
the Maine.
The dry gun cotton primers and de-
tonators were slowed in the cabin aft.
and remote from the scene Of the ex-
plosion.
Waste was carefully looked after on
board the Maine to obviate danger.
Special orders In regard to this had
been given by the commanding officer.
Varnishes, dryers. alcohol and other
combustibles of this nature were stow
ed on or above the main deck and
could not have had anything to do
with the destruction Of the Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft
the scene of the explosion.
No dangerous stores Of any kind were
slowed below in any of the other store
rooms.
The coal bunkers were inspected daily
OF those bunkers adjacent to the for
ward magazines and shell rooms four
were empty, namely. B 3, B4. B5. B 6
AS had been in use that day. and
A 16 was full Of new river coal. This
coal had been carefully inspected be.
fore receiving It on board. The bunker
in which 1t was slowed was accessible
on three sides at all times. and the
fourth side at this time on account OF
bunkers B and B being empty. This
bunker. A 16. had been inspected Mon.
day by the engineer officer on duty.
The fire alarms in the bunkers were
in working order. and there had never
been a case Of spontaneous combustion
Of coal on board the Maine.
The two after boilers of the ship were
in use at the time of the disaster, but
for auxiliary purposes only. with q
comparatively low pressure Of steam
and being tended by reliable watch
These boilers could not have caused
the explosion Of the ship. The foul
forward boilers have since been fount
by the divers and are In a fair con.
dition.
On the night Of the destruction Of
the Maine everything had been re-
ported secure for the night at 8 p. m
by reliable persons, through the proper
authorities. to the commanding Of.
ficer. At the time the Maine was de.
stroyed the ship was quiet. and there.
fore least liable to accident caused BY
movements from those on board.
8. The destruction Of the. Maine oc.
CURED at $40 p. m. on the 18th day O
February. 1898. in the harbor Of Ha
vana, Cuba. she being at the tim,
moored to the same buoy to which sh,
had been taken upon her arrival.
There were two explosions of q dis
tinctly different character. with yer,
short but distinct interval between
them, and the forward part of tn
ship was lifted to q marked degree q
the time Of the first explosion.
The first explosion was more in tn