Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1898 — SPAIN A SUSPECT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SPAIN A SUSPECT

Proof of Foul Treachery in Havana Harbor. MINE MB THE MAINE Verdict of Court of Inquiry Says the Fact Is Clear. REPORT SENT TO CONGRESS. Whole Matter Is Referred to Committee on Foreign Relations. A MESSAGE FROM M’KINLEY. Reviews the Maine Affair, but Makes No Recommendations. Verdict of the Naval Court Shows that the United States Battleship Was Sent to the Bottom of Havana Harbor by the Ex plosion of a Mine - Board Docs Not Definitely Fix Responsibility, but Suggests It—President McKinley Reviews the History’ of the Maine from the Time She Was Sent to Havana—Report as Sent to Congress.

Washington correspondence: At noon Monday the findings of the naval board of inquiry as to the cause of the explosions that wrecked the Maine were sent to Congress by President McKinley. In anticipation of the report being presented, the largest crowd which has attended a session of Congress in years was at the capitol. Not one-tenth of the people who stormed the doors were able to gain admission. The members of the House awaited the report with the same feverish anxiety manifested by the public, and there was scarcely a vacant seat on the floor. The verdict of the court and the message from the White House accompanying is brief. The report as a whole is a formal, dispassionate recital of facts, ami bears the stamp of that strict officialism which marks naval procedure. An ab-

stract of the eight parts of the report is here given: 1. At the time of the explosion the battleship Maine was lying in five and one-half to six fathoms of water. 2. The discipline was excellent. Everything was stowed according to orders, including ammunition, guns, and stores.' The temperature of the magazines at 8 p. m. was normal, except iu the after 10-inch magazine, and that did not explode; 3. The explosion occurred at 0:40 o'clock in the evening of Feb. 15. There were two explosions, with a very short interval between them. The ship lifted on the first explosion. . 4. The court can form no definite opiuiou of the condition of the wreck from the divers’ evidence. 5. There are technical details of Wreckage, from which the court deduces that a mine was exploded under the ship on the port side. 6. The explosion was due to no fault of those on hoard. 7. In the opinion of the court the explosion of the mine caused the explosion of two magazines. 8. The court is unable to find evidence to fix the responsibility. The report is unanimous and is signed ■by all the members of the court." It does not refer to the existence or nonexistence of the mine in the harbor of Havana, except in the specific finding that a mine was exploded under the ship and the - opinion that the (explosion of the two magazines was caused by the explosion of a mine. This explains the remarkable destruction wrought. The explosion is thus shown to have combined the force of a mine without and two magazines within. The two ■explosions which the court finds to have occurred, with a very short interval between them, is an additional detail showing that two forces operated in causing the destruction. The feature of the report of deepest interest to the navy is the complete exoneration of Captain Sigsbee and all on board, contained in the second finding, setting forth the perfect order and discipline prevailing on the ship, and more directly stated in the sixth finding, Which declares the disaster to be due to no fault of those bn board. Message by McKinley. In sending the verdict of the naval court to> Congress President McKinley accompanied it with a brief message. He reviewed the history of the Maine from the time she was sent to Havana, but made no recommendations to the assembled law. makers. In his message the President said: “For some time prior to the visit of the Maine to Havana harbor, our consular representatives pointed out the advantages to flow irtia the visit of national ships to the

Cuban waters In accustoming the people t< the presence of our flag as the symbol of good will. and of our ships In the fulfillment of the mission of protection to American interests, even though uo Immediate need therefor might exist. “Accordingly, on the 24fh of January last, after conference with the Spanish minister, in which the renewal of visits of our war vessels to Spanish waters was discussed and accepted, the peninsular authorities at Madrid and Havana were gdvised of the purpose ‘of this Government to resume friendly naval visits at Cuban ports, and that in that view the Afaine'would forthwith caff at the port of Havana. “This announcement was received by the Spanish Government with appreciation of the friendly character of the visit of the Maine anff with notification of Intention to return the courtesy by sending Spanish ships to the principal ports of the United States. “The Maine continued in the harbor of Havana during the three weeks following her arrival.XNo appreciable excitement attended her star; on the contrary, a feeling of relief and confidence followed the resumption of the long-interrupted friendly intercourse. So noticeable was this immediate effect of her visit that the consul genent 1 strongly urged that the presence of our ships lu Cuban waters should be kept up by retaining the Maine at Havana, or. In the event of her recall, by sending another vessel there to take her place.” The President -referred to the disaster on the night of Feb. 15. the rescue of the survivors and care of the wounded. Then be proceeds!: . "The appalling calamity fell upon the people of our country with crushing force and for a brief time an intense excitement prevailed, which In a community less just and self-controlled than ours might have led to heavy acts of blind resentment. “This spirit, however, soon gave way to the calmer processes of reason, and to resolve to investigate the facts and await material proof before forming a judgment as to the cause, the responsibility, and. If the facts warranted, the remedy due. This course necessarily recommended itself from the outset to the Executive, for only In the light of a dispassionately ascertained certainty

it determine the nature and measure of Its full duty In the matter. ’’ “The usual procedure was followed. ns In all crises of casually or disaster to national vessels of any maritime state. “A naval court of Inquiry was at once organized. composed of officers w< 11 qualified by rank 'and practical experience to discharge the onerous duty imposed upon them. Aided by n strong force of wreckers and divers the court proceeded to make a thorough Investigation on the spot, employing every available means for the impartial and exact determination of the causes of the explosion. its operations have been conducted with the utmost deliberation and judgment, and. while independently pursued, no source of information,was neglected ami the fulb’st opportunity, was allowed for a simultaneous Investigation by the Spanish authorities. . “The finding of the court of inquiry was reached after twenty-three days of continuous labor, on the 21st of March. Instant, and having been approved on the 22d by the commander in chief of the United States naval force on the North Atlantic' station was transmitted to the executive. It is herewith laid before the Congress, together with the voluminous testimony taken before the court.” The President then gave a brief synopsis of the board's report, with the conclusions reached, and concluded his message as follows: “I have directed that the finding of the court of Inquiry and the views of this Government thereon be communicated to the Government of her Majesty, the Queen Regent, and I do not permit myself to doubt that the sense of justice of the Spanish nation will dictate a course of action suggested by honor and the friendly relations of the two governments. “It will be the duty of the Executive to advise the Congress of the result and In the meantime consideration is Invoked. When the reading of the document was completed the Senate agreed to the printing of the message, report and testimony and the reference of the documents to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Both houses then adjourned.

PRESIDENT M’KINLEY.

(From His Latest Photograph.)