Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-03-31
N'KINLEY'S MESSAGE
The President Outlines the Find
ings Of the Maine Court.
10 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE.
The President Invokes Deliberate C0nsid-
alton Of the Matter by C0ngrsAs-Tho
British Government Informed Of
the Courts Findings.

o0&S w SODS SS''
TO the Congress Of the United States;
For some time prior to the visit Of the Maine
to Havana harbor our consular representatives
pointed out the advantages to now from the
visit Of national ships to the Cuban waters, In ac-
custOming the people to the presence OF our nag
ns the symbol OF good will and OF our ships IN the
fult1llment Of the mission OF protection 10
American interests even though no immediate
need therefor might exist Accordingly on the
9th OF January last after comforting with the
Spanish minister In which the renewal OF visits
Of our war vesselsto Spanish waters was dls-
cussed and accepted, the peninsular authorities
OF Madrid and Havana were advised OF the pur-
pose Of this government to resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports and that, In that
view, the Maine would forthwith call at the
port OF Havana This announcement was re-
ceIved by the Spanish government with appre-
citation 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 principal ports OF the United States
Meanwhile, the Maine entered the port OF Ha-
vana on the 18th of January, her arrival being
marked with no special incident besides the
exchange OF customary salutes and ceremonial
visits
The Maine continued In the harbor OF l1a-
vana during the three wee Is following her ar
rival No apprecable excitement attended her
stay; on the contrary, feeling OF relief and
confidence followed the resumption of the long
Interrupted friendly intercourse. Sonotceable
was this immediate effect Of her visit that the
consul general strongly urged that the presence
Of our ships in Cuban waters should be kept up
by retaining them at Havana or, In the event
Of her recall by sending another vessel there
to take her place
AtD.4O 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 OH
GERS and 28D OF her crew persisted, those who
were not killed outright by her explosion being
penned between decks by the tangle Of wreck
age and drowned by the immediate sinking OF
the hull. Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neighb0rng vessels anchored in the har-
Dor. aid being especially given by the boats of
the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII and The
Ward line steamer City Of Washington which
lay not far distant The wounded were gener-
Ously cared for by the authorities OF Havana,
the hospitals being freely opened to them,
while the earliest recovered bodies OF the dead
were inferred by the municipality In public
cemetery In the city. Tributes of grief and sym
pathy were offered from all oIllcial quarters OF
the island
The appalling calamity fell upon the people
Of our country with crushing force and for
brief time an Intense excitement prevailed,
which In community less just and self-con-
trolled than ours, might have led TO hasty acts
Of blind resentment This spirit, however,
soon gave way to the calme. processes Of reason
and to the resolve TO Investigate the facts and
await the material proof before forming u
Judgment as to the cause the responsibility,
and, II the facts warranted, the remedy due
This course necessarily recommended Itself
from the outset TO the executive, for only In the
light Of dspassonatey ascertained certainty
could 1t determine the nature and measure Of
its full duty In the matter.
The usual procedure was followed, as in oil
cases Of casualty or disaster TO national ves-
sels Of any maritime state A naval court Of
inquiry was az once organized composed OF Of
ticers well qualified by rank and practical ex-
perencc to discharge the onerous duty imposed
upon them. Aided by q strong force Of wreck
ers md 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 explo-
sion Its operations have been conducted
With the utmost dellberatlon and Judgment,
and while independently pursued, no source Of
information was neglected and the fullest OPP
portunlty was allowed for simultaneous In
yestigation by the Spanish authorities
The finding OF the court Of inquiry was
reached after % days of continuous labor, on
the 2ist OF March, instant, ind having been APP
proved on the ed by the commandment -chief
Of the United States naval force on the north
Atlantic station, was transmitted TO the exec
utlve. II Is herewith laid before thu congress
to-day with the voluminous testimony taken
before the court. Its purport Is In brief as
follows.
When the MNine arrived ut Havana she was
conducted by the regular government pilot to
buoy No, 4, to which she was moored In from
bh to six fathoms Of water. The state Of dis
ciplne on board and the condition Of her maya
zines, boilers, coal bunkers and storage COM
partments IRE passed in review, with the con-
clusion that excellent order prevailed and that
no indication OF any cUusc for I'M internal ex-
ploson existed In any quarter
At eight o'clock In the evening OF February
10 everything had been reported secure and oil
was quiet Al 10 minutes past nine O'Clock the
vessel was suddenly DESTROYED
al ,lti, 81.