New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-29
THE MAINE COURTS REPORT.
The following is the full text Of the report Of
the Court Of Inquiry:
United States Steamship Iowa,
First Ratp.

the Court or inquiry:
United States Steamship Iowa.
First Rate.
Key West Fla. Monday. March II. 1898.
After full and mature consideration Of all the
testimony before 1t the Court finds as follows:
0.) That the United States batte-ship Maine
arrived in the harbor of Havana, Cuba on the
25th day Of January. 1898, and was taken to
buoy No. a. in from five and one-half 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 ar
rival Of the Maine.
(2) The state Of discipline board the Maine
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 accordance with prescribed instruc-
tons, and proper taken whenever am
munition was handled. Nothing was slowed In
any one Of the magazines or shellrooms when
was not permitted to be slowed there. The
magazines and shellrooms were always locked
after having been opened. and after the de-
struction of the Maine the keys were found in
their proper place in the Captains cabin every
thing having been reported secure that evening
al o'clock
The temperature OF the magazines and she'll
rooms was taken daily and reported. The only
magazine which had an undue amount Of heat
was the after 1O-inch magazine. and that did
not explode at the time the Maine was de-
stroyed The torpedo warheads were all slowed
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-cot-
ton primers and detonators were slowed IN the
cabin aft and remote from the scene Of the ex-
plosion Waste was carefully looked after on
the Maine to obvate danger. Special orders In
regard to this had been given by the command
ing officer Varnshes, dryers, alcohol. and other
combustibles Of this nature were slowed 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 under
the wardroom and remote from 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. or
those bunkers adjacent to the forward maya
zines and shellrooms four were empty, namely;
"B g. B T. 8. b g. "A 10" had been in use
that day, and "a 16' was full Of New River
coal This coal had been carefully inspected
before receiving it on board. The bunker IN
which II was slowed was accessible on three
sides at all times. and the fourth side at TINS
time. on account OF bunkers "B A. and 'B o.
being empty This bunker. "A 49, had been
inspected that day by the engineer officer on
duty The fre-alarms in the bunkers were IN
working order and there had never been case
~ 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 a comparatively low pres
hntp md ad ht a
watch. These boilers could not have caused
the explosion Of the ship. The four forward
boilers have since been found by the divers and
are in a fair condition.
On the night of the destruction OF the Maine
everything had been reported secure for the
night at o. M by reliable persons through the
nroper authorities to the commanding officer.
At the time the Maine destroyed the ship
was uuiet an therefore, least liable TO acci-
dent caused by movements from those on
board.
EXPLOSIONS.
C3) The destruction OF the Maine occurred
at forty minutes past nine In the evening. on the
18th day OF February, eighteen hundred and
ninety eight, In the harbor OF Havana Cuoa'
she being at the time moored to the same puoy
to which she had been taken upon her arrival.
There were two explosions OF a distinctly diff
ferent character with a very short but distinct
interval between them and the forward part OF
the ship was lifted to a marked degree at the
time of the first explosion. The first explosion
was more In the nature OF report, ike that
OF a 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 or the Maine
CONDITION OF THE WRECK.
The evidence bearing upon this. being prin-
,t,ouy obtained from divers did not enable the
court "a form a definite conclusion as to the con-
d,tion Of the wreck. although 1t was established
that the after part OF the ship was practically
,r,oct and sank In that condition very few
u,,nutes after the destruction Of the forward
mart The following facts in regard to the for
ward 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 80 to
| about frame Al blown up aft and over to
mort The main deck from about frame 80 10
about frame Al ws blown up aft and slightly
! over TO starboard. folding the forward part %
| 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 or the Maine.
90 At frame II the outer shell OF the ship
| from a point eleven and one-haf feet from the
middle line Of the ship. and six feet above the
keel when In its normal position. has been forced
i -------------------