The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-03-31
OUTSIDE EXPLOSION.

OUTSIDE Explosion,
cause The Disaster to The Varsity
Maine.
washington, March p. The court
OF inquiry appointed to Investigate the
cause of the Maine disaster has re-
ported that the loss of the battleship
was due to an outside explosion.
Inc state department, by direction
OF the president, has cabled United
STATES Minister Woodford at Madrid
TO notify the Spanish government OF
TINS conclusion. The president and
MS cabinet advisers held two extend
ed sessions yesterday, one at 1890 a.
NJ, and another at $3.50 %. H., at which
the report was considered in detail.
members of the cabinet stated after
the meeting that the discussion was
OF a grave character, and that never
since the Wrecking Of the Maine has
the situation seemed so critical The
spanish government has cabied Of
nclally to Washington that the Span
ism naval commission holds the disas.
ter to the Maine to be of internal ORR
gin. Ihe government of Spain. it can
De stated positively, is not disposed to
turn back the torpedo t1otiIla now pro.
ceeding from the Canaries. and would
be disinclined to consider suggestion
from this government tending to inter-
fere with the disposition by Spain OF
her own naval forces
War preparations on an unprece.
denied scale is being
Hurried to Comp1etton
Dy the war and navy departments and
the country is practically on a war
footing. The foregoing gives the rec
ord Of one of the most eventful DAYS
the national capital has seen since the
close of the civil war; 1t was day
OF profoundly important action, of the
deepest anxiety coupled with naval
and military activity one step follow
ing another in rapid succession. Rep
resentative men of the administration.
public men in all branches OF official
and congressional life, no less than the
public in general shared ia the tension
to which. the situation has been
wrought. There was no effort among
the highest officials, nor, JUDGED. was it
possible from what was clearly an
parent in the developments of the day
to minimize the situation.
Viewed in detail, the findings of the
court of inquiry was the most vital
future. Commander Mark, judge ad-
vocate of the court Of inquiry, deliv.
cred the report to Secretary Long
early in the morning, and shortly after
it was carried to the White House and
placed in the hands of the president
At 1920 the cabinet assembled. halt
an hour earlier than usual, and began
the consideration of the momentous
document. Even the rigid
Rules of Secrecy
which prevailed at cabinet meetings.
were made doubly strict in this case.
and no intimation of the results
reached by the court were known un-
til o'clock, when an Associated Press
bulletin gave the information to the
country, as well as the eagerly waiting
officials throughout Washington.
These results, briefly stated, are that
the loss of the Maine was due to an
explosion 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 a powerful
submarine mine, the exact character
Of which is not determined by the tes-
timony, though the belief was ex-
pressed that it was a floating subma-
rine mine. There were two explosions
the court finds; the first was from IT,;
outside, and that set off one of the
smaller magazines. 1t was this result.
expressed in detail and with the pre-
cision Of a court deeply conscious of
its responsibility, together with the
evidence on which it was based, that
occupied the attention, of the cabinet
throughout it's extended sessions All
other and lesser subjects gave way to
this foremost question. There was no
change in the plan Of making the re-
port public and transmitting it to
congress early next week, accom-
panied by
l3@S Brief Message
from the president While interest
was thus conferred at the White House
the navy aud war departments were
hurrying forward their work of pre-
parations. The advance of the Spanish
torpedo f1otilla continued to- receive
the closest attention OF naval officials,
and while, so far as could be ascer-
tanned, no definite line Of action was
determined upon, the need of inter-
cepting this feet was urged by the
highest naval authorities. From the
standpoint Of the Spanish government
this movement was not menace,
having been decided upon many weeks
ago. On the contrary. the Spanish
government holds that the extensive
armament Of the Dry Tortugas is
more direct hostile act against Spain
than any movement OF the fotilla.
49, a 1<l1l.,4s 1, =