The
Cortland Democrat, Friday, April 1, 1898.
NAVAL BOARD REPORTS.
Maine Blown Up by Submarine Mine.
PRAISE FOR SHIP'S CREW.
President
McKinley Sends a Brief Message to Congress.
WASHINGTON, March 29.—The following is the
full text of the report of the court of inquiry:
KEY WEST, Fla., March 24.—After full and
mature consideration of all the testimony before it, the court finds as
follows:
1. That the United States battleship Maine
arrived in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, on the 25th day of January,
1898, and was taken to buoy No. 4 in from 5 1/2 to 6 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 in accordance
with prescribed instruction, and proper care was taken whenever ammunition was
handled.
Nothing was stowed in any one of the
magazines or shell rooms which was not permitted to be stored there. The magazines
and shell rooms were always locked after having been opened, and after the
destruction of the Maine the keys were found in their proper place in the
captain’s cabin. Everything had been reported secure at 8 P. M.
The temperature of the magazines and shell
rooms were taken daily and reported. The only magazine which had an undo amount
of heat was the after 10-inch magazine, and that did not explode at the time
the Maine was destroyed.
A
CAREFUL WATCH.
All
Combustible Material Stowed in Safe Places.
2. The torpedo war heads were all stowed in
the after part of the ship under the wardroom, and neither caused not
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. Waste was carefully looked after on the Maine to obviate danger.
Special orders in regard to this had been given by the commanding officer.
Varnishes, dryers, alcohol and other combustibles of this nature were stowed on
or above the main deck, and could not have 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 daily. Of
those bunkers adjacent to the forward magazine and shell rooms, four were
empty, namely, B3, B4, B5, and B6. A15 had been in use that day and A16 was
full of new river coal,. This coal had been carefully 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 on account of bunker
B4 and B6 being empty. This bunker A10 had been inspected that day by the
engineer officer on duty.
The fire alarms in the bunkers were in
working order and there had 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 cause the explosion of the ship. The four forward
boilers have been found by the divers and are in fair condition.
On the night of the night of the destruction
of the Maine everything had been reported secure for the night at 8 P. M. 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.
TWO
EXPLOSIONS.
The
First Was an External One and Fired the Magazines.
3. The destruction of the Maine occurred at
9:40 P. M. on the 15th day of February, 1898, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba,
she being at the time moored to the same buoy to which she had been taken upon
her arrival.
There were two explosions of a 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 first explosion was most in the nature of a report like
that of a gun, while the second explosion was, in the opinion of the court,
caused by the partial explosion of two or more of the forward magazines of the
Maine.
4. The evidence bearing upon 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 facts
in regard to the forward part of the ship are, however, established by the
testimony:
That portion of the port side of the
protective deck which extends from about frame 30 to about frame [17] was blown
up aft, and over to port. The main deck from about frame [17] was blown up aft
and slightly over to starboard, folding the forward part of the middle
superstructure over and on top of the after part.
This was, in the opinion of the court,
caused by the partial explosion of two or more of the forward magazines of the
Maine.
5. At frame 17 the outer shell of the ship
from a point 11 1/2 feet from the middle line of the ship and 6 feet above the
keel when in its normal position has been forced up so as to be now about 4
feet above the surface of the water; therefore about 31 feet above where it
would be had the ship sunk uninjured. The outside bottom plating is bent into a
reversed V shape, the after wing of which, about 15 feet broad and 30 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 30 feet above its normal position.
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 on the port side of the ship.
VERDICT
OF THE COURT.
Loss of
the Ship Not Due to Negligence of Officers or Crew.
6. The court finds that
the loss of the Maine, on the occasion named, was not in any respect due to
fault or negligence on the part of any of the officers or members of the crew
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 has been unable
to obtain evidence fixing the responsibility for the destruction of the Maine
upon any person or persons.
W. T. SAMPSON, Captain, U. S.
N., President.
A. MARIX, Lt. Commander, U. S.
N., Judge Advocate.
The court having finished the
inquiry it was ordered to make adjournment at 11 A. M. to await the action of
the convening authority.
W. T. SAMPSON, Captain, U. S.
N., President.
A. MARIX, Lt. Commander, U. S.
N., Judge Advocate.
U. S. Flagship New York, March
22, 1898, off Key West, Fla.
The proceedings and findings
of the court of inquiry in the above case are approved.
M. SICARD, Rear Admiral,
Commander-in-Chief of the United States naval force on the North Atlantic
squadron.
 |
| William McKinley. |
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE.
His Communication to Congress a
Recapitulation of the Court of Inquiry Report.
WASHINGTON, March 29.—The president
sent the following message to congress:
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 flow from the visit of national ships to the Cuban waters in
accustoming the people to the presence of our flag as the symbol of good will and our ships in
the fulfillment of the mission of protection to American interests, even though
no immediate need therefore might exist.
Accordingly on the 24th of
January last, after conference with the Spanish minister in which the renewal
of visits of our war vessels was discussed and accepted, the Peninsular
authorities at Madrid and Havana were advised of the purpose 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 received
by the Spanish government with appreciation 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 Havana on the 25th of January, her arrival being
met with no special incident besides the exchange of customary salutes and
ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the
harbor of Havana during the three weeks following her arrival. No appreciable
excitement attended her stay; on the contrary, a feeling of relief and
confidence followed the resumption of long interrupted friendly intercourse. So
noticeable was this immediate effect of her visit that the [U. S.] consul
general strongly urged the presence of our ships in 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 EXPLOSION.
The Horrible Scenes Following the Blowing Up
of the Maine.
At 40 minutes past 9 on the evening
of the 15th 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
officer and 264 of her crew perished, those who were not killed outright by her
explosion being pinned between decks by the tangle of wreckage and drowned by
the immediate sinking of the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered
by neighboring vessels anchored in the harbor, 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 generously
cared for by the authorities of Havana, the hospitals being freely opened to
them, while the earliest recovered bodies of the dead were interred by the
municipality in a public cemetery in the city. Tributes of grief and sympathy were
offered from all official quarters of the island.
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 hasty acts of blind resentment. This spirit, however,
soon gave way to the calmer processes of reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await material proofs before forming a judgment as to
the cause, the responsibility, and as 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 could it determine the nature and measure
of its full duty in the matter. The usual procedure was followed as to all
cases of casualty to a disaster to national vessels of any maritime state. A
naval court of inquiry was at once organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical experience to discharge the onerous duty
imposed on them.
Aided by a 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 and the fullest opportunity was
allowed for a simultaneous investigation by the Spanish authorities.
The finding of the court of
inquiry was reached after 23 days of continuous labor on the 21st of March, 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 congress, together with the voluminous testimony taken
before the court.
A SYNOPSIS.
What the Report of the Board Tends to Show.
Its report is, in brief, as
follows:
"When the Maine arrived
at Havana she was conducted by the regular government pilot to buoy No. 4, to
which she was moored in from five and a half to six fathoms of water.
"The state of discipline
on board and the condition of her magazines, boilers, coal bunkers and storage
departments are passed in review, with the conclusion that excellent order
prevailed and that no indication of any cause for an internal explosion existed
in any quarter.
"At 8 o'clock in the evening
of February 15 everything had been reported secure, and all was quiet.
"At forty minutes past
nine o'clock the vessel was suddenly destroyed.
"There were two distinct
explosions with a brief interval between them. The first lifted the forward
part of the ship very perceptibly; the second, which was more open, prolonged
and of greater volume, is attributed by the court to partial explosion of two or
more of the forward magazines.
"The evidence of the
divers establishes that the after part of the ship was practically intact, and
sank in that condition a very few minutes after the explosion. The forward part
was completely demolished."
Upon the evidence of a
concurrent external cause the finding of the court is as follows:
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 feet above the keel when in its normal position, has been forced up so
as to be now about four feet above the surface of the water, therefore about 34
feet above where it would be had the ship sank 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 (frame 17 to 25) is doubled back upon itself
against the continuation of the same plating extended 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 plate. This break is now about six feet below the
surface of the water and about thirty feet above its normal position.
In the opinion of the court
the…could have been produced only by the explosion of a mine situated under the
bottom of the ship at about frame 18, and somewhat on the…side of the ship.
The conclusions of the court
are:
That the loss of the Maine was
not in any respect due to the fault or negligence on the part of any of the
officers or members of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by
an explosion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines; and
That no evidence has been
obtainable fixing the responsibility for the destruction of the Maine upon any
person or persons.
I have directed the findings
of the court of inquiry and the views of this government thereon be
communicated to the government of her majesty, Queen Regent, and do not permit myself to doubt that the…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 [results] and in the meantime [deliberative
consideration] is involved.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, March 28,
1898.
HERE AND THERE.
The public schools have a
vacation this week.
Look out for April fools and
other fools to-day.
The local [Cortland] branch of
the Order of United American Machinists celebrated their fifth anniversary
Wednesday evening.
Bingham Bros. & Miller on
Wednesday night moved to their new store, one door north of their old stand.
Beginning next Sunday church
services will begin at 7:30 Sunday evenings and continue through the summer.
On our third page will be
found a sectional cut of the battleship Maine which gives an accurate view of
her makeup.
There has been a small
quantity of maple sugar made this season, and the prospects are that the
harvest is at an end.
John L. Sullivan makes his
Initial visit to the Cortland opera house, Friday, April 22, in the musical
farce, ''A Trip Across the Ocean.''
Richard Halloran, who has been
the D. L. & W. R. R. flagman on Clinton-ave. for many years, died at his
home Monday evening, aged 68 years.
Miss Jennie May Phelps of
Blodgett Mills, formerly of McGrawville, was brought to the Cortland Hospital
Monday for treatment.
The Cortland City band have
reorganized and are now practicing under Mr. Frank Goddard as leader. They are
open for engagements.
James Keenan died at his home
on Sunday at the age of 75 years. The funeral was held Tuesday morning from the
house and St. Mary's church.
The eastern end of the track
of the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. is daily nearing Cincinnatus. Tracklaying has been resumed and an excursion
to Cincinnatus will soon be in order.
The Ellis Omnibus & Cab
company shipped Monday a coach to Mechanicsville, N. Y., an Omnibus to
Montrose, Pa., and a coach to Swanton, Vt. The shops of this company started up
with a good force last week.
Editor R. R. Davis of the
Tully Times has our congratulations on his appointment as postmaster of that
place. He has long deserved recognition from his party and a large circle of
friends will rejoice that he has at last received it.
The Y. M. C. A. basketball team
have elected W. H. Mills captain of first squad and William Chamberlain captain
second squad. The baseball team have chosen W. C. Reynolds captain and
Secretary Armstrong manager.
On April 23 the Whitney Point
Reporter will issue a special number on the subject of the disastrous fire
which so nearly wiped out the town, with cuts and descriptions of the place
before and after. This is in line with the enterprise previously shown by that
paper.
Mr. Samuel Parsons, who is
compiling a new directory of Cortland, Homer Marathon and McGrawville, has
nearly completed the business part of the town. He will not take up the
residence portion till the spring moving is over and residents again become
permanent.
Mrs. Sarah M. Freer, relict of
the late Stephen D. Freer, passed away last Saturday morning at her home on
Port Watson-st. She is survived by one daughter, Miss Mary Freer and by three
sons, Stephen D., Joseph and William. The funeral was held Monday afternoon
from the house at 3 o'clock, and was attended by a large number of relatives
and friends.
Professor Charles L Crandall
has installed a private electric plant, operated by a windmill by means of
which he illuminates his residence on West Hill. The capacity of the apparatus
is about 30 lights. It has been in operation several weeks and is said to give
great satisfaction. A feature of the plant is a storage battery which can
supply a current for a week so that in the event of a calm there would be no
intermission in the service. The plant cost about $500 complete and was put in by
J. L. Marshall.—Ithaca Journal.
Dr. C. D Ver Nooy, whom we mentioned
several weeks ago as coming to Cortland, is now located at No. 58 Port Watson-st , the office of the
late Dr. White. Dr. Ver Nooy succeeded Dr. White at Enfield when the latter
moved to Homer some six years ago and now succeeds him here. During his
practice there he has been very successful, particularly in chronic diseases.
His office hours are from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P. M. He resides at No. 84 Port
Watson-st.
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