Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1898 — REPORT ON THE MAINE AS PRESENTED TO CONGRESS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

REPORT ON THE MAINE AS PRESENTED TO CONGRESS.

Finding of Court of Inquiry Shows Conclusively That the Warship Was Destroyed by the Explosion of a Mine.

COLLOWING is the full text of the report of the court of inquiry delegated to 1 ascertain the causes of the Maine explosion: “United States Steamship lowa, First Rate, Key West, Fla:, Monday, March 21, 1898.—After full aud mature consideration of all the testimony before it, the court finds as follows: “1. That the United States battleship Mnine arived in the harbor of Havana. Cuba, on the 25th day of January, 1898, and was taken tp buoy No. 4, in from fiye aud one-half to six fathoms of water, by the regular Government pilot. “The United States consul general at Havana had notified the authorities at that place the previous evening of the intended arrival of the Maine. “The state of discipline on board the Maine was excellent, and all orders and regulations in regard to the care and safety of the ship were strictly carried out. All ammunition was stowed away in accordance .with instructions, and proper care was taken whenever amunition was handled. Nothing was stowed away in ithy one of the magazines or shellrooms which was not permitted to be stowed there. The magazines ahd shell-rooms were always locked after haying been opened, and after the destruction of the Maine the keys were found in their proper place in the Captain’s cabin, everything having been reported secure that evening at 8 o’clock. Usual Precautions Taken. “Tlie temperature of the magazines and shell-rooms was'taken daily and reported. The only magazine which had an undue amount of heat was the after 10inch magazine, and that did not explode at the time the Maine was destroyed. “The torpedo war heads were all stowed in the after part of the ship under the ward-room, and neither caused nor participated in the destruction of the Maine. “The dry gun cotton primers and detonators were stowed in the cabin aft and remote from the scene of the explosion. “The waste was carefully looked after on board the Maine tb obviate danger. Special orders in regard to this had been given by the commanding officer. “Varnishers, dryers, alcohol and other combustibles of this nature were stowed on or above the-main deck, and could not have had anything to do with the destruction of the Maine. “The medical stores were stowed aft under the wardroom and remote from the scene of the explosion. No dangerous stores of any kind were stowed below in any of the other storerooms. “The coal bunkers were inspected. Of these bunkers adjoining the forward magazines and shell-rooms, four were empty, namely, B 3, B 4, B 5 and B 6. A 15 had been in use that day, and AlO was full of New River coal. This coal had been earefujiy inspected before Receiving it on board. The bunker in which it was stowed was accessible on three sides at all times, and the fourth side at this time, oh account of bunkers B 4 and B G being empty. This bunker, A 16, had been inspected, that day by the .engineer officer on duty. “The fire alarms in the bunkers were in working order, and there bad never been a case of spontaneous combustion of coal on board the Maine. “The two after boilers of the ship were in use at the time of the disaster, but for auxiliary purposes only, with a comparatively low pressure of steam, and being tended by a reliable watch. These boilers could not have caused the explosion of the ship. The four forward boilers have since been found by the divers, and are in a fair condition. “On the night of the destruction of the Maine., everything had been reported secure for the night at 8 o’clock by reliable persons, through the proper authorities, to the commanding officer. At the time the Maine was destroyed the ship was quiet, and therefore least liable to accident caused by movements from those on board. “3. The destruction of the Maine occurred at 9:40 p. m. on the 15t.h day of February, 1898, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, being at the time moored in the same buoy to which she had been taken upon her arrival. “There were two explosions qf n distinctly different character, with a very short but distinct interval between them, and the forward part of the ship was lifted to a marked degree at the time of the first explosion. “The-tirst explosion was more in the nature of a report like that of a gun; while the second explosion was more open, prolonged and of greater volume. This second explosion was, in tlie opinion of the court, caused by the partial explosion of two or more, of the forward magazines of the Maine. Condition of the Wreck. “4. The evidence bearing on this, being principally obtained from divers, did not enable the court to form a definite conclusion as to the condition of the wreck, although it was established that the after part of the ship was practically Intact, and sank in that condition a very few minutes after the destruction of the forward part. "The following fuels in regard to the forward part of the ship, are, however, established by tlie testimony: “That portion of the port side of the protective deck, which extends from about frame 30 to aliout frame 41 was blown up aft and over to port. The main deck, from about frame 30 to about frame 41 was blown up aft and slightly over to starboard, folding the forward part of the middle superstructure over aud on top of the after part. “This was, in the opinion of the court, caused by the partial explosion of two or more of tlie forward magazines of the Maine. “5. At frame 17. the outer shell of the ship, from a point eleven and one-half feet from the middle line of the ship, and six from the middle line of the ship, and six feet above tlie keel, when ill its normal position, lias been forced up so ns to he now about four feet above the surface of the water; therefore, about thirty-four feet above whore It would lie had 4ho ship sunk uninjured. The outside bottom plating Is bent into a reversed V shape, the after wing of which, about fifteen feet broad and thirty-two feet in length (from frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon itself against the continuation of the same plating extending forward. “At frame 18 the vertical keel is broken in two. and the flat keel bent into an angle similar to the angle formed by the outside bottom plating. This break is now about six feet below the surface of'the water, and about thirty feet above its normal position.” Caused by Submarine Mine. “In the opinion of the court, .this effect could have been produced only by the explosion of a mine situated under the bottom of the ship at about frame 18, and somewhat ou the port side of tlie ship. "ti. The court finds that the loss of the Maine, on the occasion named, was not In any respect due to fault or negligence ou the part of any of the officers or members of the grew of said vessel. “7. in the opinion of the court the Maine was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward magazines. “8. The court lias inn'll unable to obtain evidence fixing the responsibility for the destruction of tlie Maine upon any person or persons. “IV. T. SAMPSON, “A. MARIX,. Captain U. S. X., President. “UlentQnnnt Commander U. S. N., Judge Advocate. “M. SIC Alt I', “Rear-Admiral, Commander-In-Chief of the United States Naval Force on the North Atlantic Station.”

MAINE BOARD OF INQUIRY.