The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-15
Taft Submits Findings
Of Investigating
Board.
CAUSE is NOT
LEFT IN DOUBT
Definite Conclusion Re c h c d
That Explosion Which Caused
Historic Disaster Came From
the Outside-Wre ckage
Found "Dished Upwards"
Referred to Committee.

Washington, December l4-pres,dent
iait '-day sent to Congress brief
formal message transmitting tho full
text OF the report OF the Investigating
board which found that the battleship
-isihe was blown UP in Havana harbor
oy an external explosion The board
! was headed by admiral vreeland. OF
the navy. and included Colonel Will
nam 81 Black. Of the corps OF engl-
| Heers OF the army. 1t began work on
| the exposed wreck at Havana on No
3ember 20. and found that the injuries
10 the bottom OF the Maine were
caused By the explosion Of charge
OF a low form OF explosive exterior
TO the chip between frames IS and 81,
port side. This resulted In ignitink
( and exploding the contents OF the six
men reserve magazine. The more or
/ less complete explosion OF the con-
tents Of the remaining forward maya
| zines followed
| All Dishcd Upwards.
| ne board In it's report emphasized
tho fact that It found that what is
| called the port larboard strake-a con-
tinuous line OF planking running from
| stem to stern was "dished upwards ns
| a
straight line" that another strake, tech
nocally called &C." was displaced up
wards and inwardH for 100 square feet"
| and that part OF the inner bottom plating
| was displaced upwards and left APP
proSimately six feet above It's Original
| position.
rho destruction wrought by the two
explosions of distinctly different char
acter was found to be much more
1 n n tx-n
The report in technical terms described
how plates were crumpled. how sorue
| portions of what had once been Il
! great battleship were turned inside
out and how parts OF the bottom works
| generally were displaced.
The debris of one-pounders. six
Founders. six-Inch and ten-inch am
| munition was found widely scattered
| through the wreck" said tho report
Tho location of much OF this ma
terial bore little relation to it's orig
inal stowagc condition. Powder tanks
| were torn asunder or crushed and
| flattened.
The condition of the vertical keel
and fiat keel at frame eighteen was
ascribed by the court OF inquiry Of
| lsas"-the year OF the war with Spain
that followed the blowing up of the
Maine-"to the direct effect of an ex-
pios'oi eAterlor 10 the snip in that
vicinity. Because OF Its better OBJ
portunity for a detailed examination
OF this wreckage now fully exposed
| the present board concluded that the
external explosion which ignited the
magazines was not In tho vicinity OF
| this frame eighteen"
Form Closed Chamber.
The protected deck and hull OF the
| ship" said the report. formed a closed
chamber in which the gases were gen
Grated and partially expanded before
| rupture
The bow portion OF the Maine was
found pointed nose downward In the
| mud. to port, and Ia lying on its star
| board side. The upper part Of that
portion OF the ship in the vicinity Of
the forward magazines was entirely
| swept away. Only about one-half OF
the bottom was left in position.
The Maine explosion occurred almost
fourteen years ago. In that disaster
two officers and c64 Of her crew per-
| ished. The report perfnnctorily was
ordered printed and referred to the
Naval Affairs Committee.
Approves Pre-eut System.
Washington. December 1.-THE sys-
tenn employed by the United States
| Agricultural Department is far In al
vance OF that of any other country,
in tho opinion of Victor II. Olmstead,
| chief statistician of the department..
as expressed in his annual report. just
l.issucd. He says that he has found
that "the crop reporting systems of
| European countries contain no fea-
lures or cover no range better or
| broader than the system in use here"
"An important feature was added
during the past year to the crop re-
! porting system OF the bureau" he says,
'fo-wit, the auantitktive interpreta-
| ton OF the figures indicating the con-
ditions Of growing crops for which
! quantitative estimates are made at the
close of each year.
"Of the leading crops for which
auantitative interpretations of condi-
lions are made all are included cx-
cept the cotton crop. In the case OF
cotton, It is impossible 10 interpret the
condition figures because of the fact
that an important clement necessary
to such an Interpretation Is lacking,
to-wit. the abandoned acreage OF cot
ton. This cannot be ascertaincd until
the close OF the season."
Honored by House.
Washington. December 14-Siden-
ham T.. Ancona, e!Ghty-scven years OLD
one OF the few living members Of the
special session of Congress OF 1851.
which met July 4 to declare state OF
war against tho Confederacy, was paId
an unusual honor in the House to-day.
Amidst cheers from both sides OF the
House, tho body took recess Of ten
minutes to permit a public reception
for Mr.. Ancona in 'front.' of the Speak
er's desk. Every Representative ln5thc
House fled paBt the ,.white-halred yea