Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-04-02
.lA|D BEFORE CONGRESS.
Message from the President Trans
mitting the Report of the
Maine Court of Inquiry.
A CALM AND r.,SPASSIONATE RECITAL.
The Court finds That the Maine Was De-
stroyed by the Explosion of Submarine
Mine, Aided by Subsequent Explosions Of
Magazin IS. But Does Not Fix the Re-
sp0nsibility for the Explosion.
The Presidents Message.

The Presidents Message.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.---The presi-
dent sent the following message to
congress:
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
For some time prior to the visit OF the Maine to
Ha ana harbor our consular representatives
pointed cut the advantages to flow from the
visit of national ships to the Cuban waters, in
accustoming the people to the pre- ,ence OF our
nag as the symbol Of good will and Of our ships
In the fuliillmcnt Of the mission OF protection
to American interests, even though no immedi
ate need therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the cath Of January last, after
conference with the Spanish minister in which
the renewal Of visit, OF our warships to
Spanish waters was discussc and accept
ed, the Peninsular authorities at Mad
rid and Havana were advis ID Of the purpose
OF this government TO resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports, and that In that
view the Maine would forthwith call at the po
OF Havana. This announcement was received
by the Spanish government by appreciation 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 prln-
cpa lorts of the United States, 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
customary saluteS and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in th1 harbor Of Ha
vana uring the three weeks following her ar
rival. No appreclabe excitement attended
her stay; on the contrary, feeling OF relief
and confidence followed the resumption Of the
long-intcrruptel friendly intercourse 50 no
tccatle was this immediate effect OF her visit
| that the consul general strongly urged that the
presence Of our ship in Cuban waters should be
kept up by retaining 1t at Havana or, in the
event Of her recall, by sending another vessel
| thei % take her place AT forty minutes past
nine 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
| officers and 260 OF her crew pcrished those who
were not killed outright by her explosion being
penncd bctwe n de ks 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 hnrbor,
| aid being especially given by the boats Of the
| Spanish cruiser Alphonse XII and the W,.rd
| line steamer City of Washington, which lay not
/ far distant. The wounded were generously
| Jared for by the authorities of Havana, the hos
| pitals being freely opened to them, while the
| earl'cSl recoVer'u poucS ol lhS ucdu "crc III
terred py the municipality IN pupiic cemetery
| III the elty. tributes ol erlei ana sympathy
we're oHereo from All olhcIai quarters Vi 'he IS
land.
inc oppalIns caiaih'.y ieli On our peopie
| with crushing force, and for brief time an IN
| tense excitement prevailed which, in u COM
| munity less just and self-controlled than ours,
| might have Id to hasty acts Of blind resent
| ment Thls sp.rlt, however soon gave way TO
eaimcr processes OF reason anu ihe resolve W M
Ves'eate the laets an await INC nia'eFlai prooi
| oelore forming ludBihoh. as 10 the cause'
Vhe resl onSloli.y anu IL tiie i'o's ".rl"ntou'
'he remedy que rms COURSE necessarily rueoin-
| menoeu ltSeil from the outset 10 'he executive
| 'or only III ih' lt'hS Vi aulsp's''!haIe'S "Sooi
ahcu certainty eUuH II uctVrni'he tic h".uic ,
ana measure Oh 'tS iuii uutS III t'ic hiav'or lhc
USUAL PROCEDURE was 'oiioWcu rs Ill an '"scS Vi
casualty OF ai'a'tcr - h''''ohai 'cSse'S VI any
haflt'me s'ate' haVal court oi Inquiry was
W once orRahizeu' eoihposcu vi oulcer' wen
luaiiheo py rank anu practieai eA-
| periehce 10 alscharge the oherous
duVy Ihposeu upon thcni' Aiueo
oy strong force OF WrecRerS ana DIVERS 'he
Souru procee'cu W iiiahe " .hor"uSh ihFcs.'sa-
tioh on the spot cilploNius every a'ailao'e
means ior tic i'iipa'..ai anu cHao' uo'oi4ii'n''
'loh ol inc eauSe ol tnc oAplosioh' Avs opei"-
tiohs nave uech cohuuesc' WIN 'ic ut,hos' ae-
llocra'ioh ana !uueihch'' "nu' Wlllic illuepeh-
uehtly pursueu' ho Souroeoi ii.oi nia'ion '""'
neglected ana 'he luI'en' opportunity was az
owed Tor simultaneous ih'es''sa''oh oy en'
spanish uu'horttIes.
Inc hhulh8 oi .ho euu'. Vi tilui.? "a
reaeheo' aiter tWeht! ,'ulee uass VI % eol',nuouS
'apor' on the s'st OF March 'hstant' anu ,aVlna
otch "ppruNuu uh va, ~ ~ 'io M
chiei OF lhe uh'tto states ha'ai lotcc On tn' "
North Atlahlle s'a'loii ""s i'hHiiii''o" w 'n'
Executive j..
IL Is herewith Ia oelorc lhc CONGRESS ,o-u'.
with inc Voiuil'hous testimony 'aNch pelor'
'he court. its purporN ~ III prici' as ioi,o"s'
| Whcn the M llhe arrived au 1aVaha sle "a'
'ohauc'eo ny 'hc res"i so'oiunich, p''oV "
ouoy NO l. 10 Wh'ou shc was h,oiou III inun ,
ave anu oiie-hau W NiH i"1non'' y. ""p0.. -,
'tate Oh oiseiPt'he Vi, po"ru anu tie oohui.ioi
her magazines poiicrs' coai ouiiNcrs "hV m
forage compartment, are p'sseu III re'le"
WIN the conclusion .naV eAceiieht oruer pre-
Vaiied' ana that no ihulca.'oh oi any causc io'
III ihbernai explosion oAls.'u ~ any qu,'V'r
Az elght O'CLOCK IN Tue evening Oh feoruar,
everything hao oeeh repor'eo scouro anu III
was quiet
Aiorty minutes past hhc oeioch INC 'esse
was suddenly destroyeu.
ineic WIZ ,Mo uis',,'. t, WIZ ,,s.
brief interval between them me hrSt illte'
he forward part OF uhe shlp very perceptlo'y
the secona' which was lhorc pio,ohseo' is "''
trlbuteu py tne courtto thc par.ia' eNpiosioh
TWO or more Oh inc forward lhasazlnes,
The evidence OF Ihe oVers es'aohshes Una
he aiter part OF the snip was practieaily ihtac
ana sank IN that cohu''ioh very ie" minute
after Inc cxpicS,oh. Inc iorwar" paro wa
: eompie'eiy aemoi'sheu' ,
Upon eVioeheo OF concurreh. eA.erhai eaus
'he hnuihg ol the courV 10 Us ioliows'
AL frame u .he outer sur, .! .he sn'p iro.
l point eleven anu one man Ieet from inc ma
! uic line OF the snip anu SIN ices above .he kee
when IN ies norman poSi'ion i'as oeen 'o.oeo
80 as 10 DC now aoou' 'our iee' "oove 'he SUI
!ace OF the water; therefore ABOUT thirty-fou
: leet above where IL wouio oe hao 'he snip sun
unnlureo.
The OUTSIDE bottom pia.ihs is ocht INTO
reversed shapc' 'ne ai'er wing Oh whiei
a ABOUT hiteeh ice. oroau anu thirly-two leet
, iehgVh Vro,ii i,aiho - W l,""c W. is uouoie
baeK upon itseii aeaihs. inc contlhuatioh oi III
. same pla.ing cA'enu'ns iorWuiu
r Az iralne 10 tne VcrtieAi Nec' Is proRch IN wv
ana inc Keei nenl ih.o an angie s'naiir 10 u
angie iormeu lor tne outside plates IN
uream - au hor, ,hr,, ,so, nos" e ia, y, =.
9 position.
In the opinion of the court this effect cou
have peen pronueeo oniy py .ne explosion OF
mine situated unaer lhe pot'om OF the snip
about frame is, and somewhat on the port sic
t Of the ship.
, Inc Conclusions Of the court are:
, lhnt the loss of tho Maine was not in any r.