The record-union., 1898-03-26
The Spanish Government Notified
of the Boards Conclusions,
War Preparations on an Unprecedented
Scale Being Carried to Completion,
and the Country Practically
on a War Footing.


Of inquiry appointed to investigate the
cause OF the Maine disaster has reported
that the loss of the battleship was due to
an outside explosion. The State De-
partment, by direction of the President,
has cabled United States Minister
Woodford at Madrid to notify the Span
ish Government of this conclusion.
The President and his Cabinet ad-
visers held two extended sessions to-
day. one at 1890 d. m, and another at
$50 p. M, at which the report was con-
sidered in detail Members of the Cab
met stated after the meeting that the
discussion was of grave character, and
that never since the wrecking of the
Maine has the situation seemed SO crit
ical
The Spanish Government has cabled
officially to Washington that the Spanish
naval commission holds the disaster to
the Maine to be of internal origin. The
Government of Spain, it can be stated
positively. is not disposed to turn back
the torpedo feet now proceeding from
the Canaries, and would be disinclined
to consider a suggestion from this Gov
eminent tending to interfere with the
disposition by Spain of her own naval
forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent-
ed scale are being hurried to completion
by the War and Navy Departments. and
the country practically is on war foot
ing.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the National
Capital has seen since the close of the
civil war 1t was a day of profoundly
important action and of the deepest anx-
iety, coupled with naval and military
activity, one step following another in
rapid succession.
Representative men of the Admins
tration, public men IN all branches of
official and Congressional life, no less
than the public in general, shared in the
tension to which the situation has been
wrought. There was no effort among
the highest officials, nor indeed was il
possible from what was clearly appar-
ent in the developments of the day, to
minimize the situation.
AN OUTSIDE EXPLOSION.
Viewed in detail, the finding of the
court of inquiry was the most vital fea-
ture. Commander Mark, Judge Advo-
cate of the court of inquiry, delivered
+l,ic
morning. and shortly afterward it was
carried to the White House and placed
in the hands Of the President AT 1879
the Cabinet assembled. half an hour
earlier than usual, and began considera-
ton of the momentous document. Even
the rigid rules of secrecy which prevail
at Cabinet meetings We're made doubly
strict in this case, and no intimation of
the results reached by the court We're
known until o'clock, when an Asso-
ciated Press bulletin gave the informa-
ton TO the country, as well as to the
eagerly waiting officials throughout
Washington.
These results briefly stated are that
the loss Of the Maine was due to an ex-
plosion from the outside, the court being
unable to fix the responsibility for the
explosion. The court does not express
an opinion as to the character of the
explosive, but the testimony goes to
show that it was powerful submarine
mine, the exact character of which is
not determined by the testimony, though
the belief was expressed that it was a
floating submarine mine.
There were two explosions. the court
finds. The first was from the outside
and that set of one of the smaller mag
azines. 1t was this result, expressed il
detail and with the precision of a court
deeply cognizant OF its responsibility
together with the evidence upon which
it was based, that occupied the attention
OF the Cabinet throughout its extended
sessions of the morning and afternoon
All other subjects gave way to this fore
most question.
There was no change in the plan OF
making the report public and transmit
ting it to Congress early next week, ac-
companied by brief message from the
President.
WAR PREPARATIONS HURRYING
FORWARD.
While interest was thus centered al
the White House, the Navy and War