Show 00 Of SPANISH FIENDS Maine Was Wrecked and Our Sailors Murdered By the Enemy at Havana FULL ABSTRACT OF THE OFFICIAL REPORT Blown Up By a Mine Which Lifted the Great Battleship and Exploded Two Magazines A Formal Dispassionate Recital of the Facts No Evidence to Fix Responsibility Re-sponsibility Report Is Guarded In Expression and Neither Spain Nor the Spanish Are MentionedComplete Exoneration of Captain Sigsbee and All On BoardThe Temperature In the Forward Magazines Maga-zines Was Normal and the Accident Theory Is Completely Demolished The Associated Press abstract of the court of inquiry report Copyright 1S9S bj the Associated Press Washington March 7The Associated Press presents herewith a complete com-plete abstract of the report of the court of inquiry which investigated the wreckage of the battleship Maine This abstract is made from the report it stlf access to which was obtained today despite official secrecy unparalleled in the handling of official papers The report is made up of eight parts as follows FirstThe court finds that at the time of the explosion the battleship Maine was lying in five and onehalf to six fathoms of water SecondThe discipline aboard the ship was excellent everything stored according to ordersammunition guns stores etc The temperature of the magazine at S p in was normal except in the after teninch magazine maga-zine and that did not explode Third The explosion occurred at 940 oclock on the evening of February Feb-ruary 15 THERE WERE TWO EXPLOSIONS WITH A VERY SHORT INTERVAL BETWEEN THEM THE SHIP LIFTED ON THE FIRST EXPLOSION Fourth The court can form no definite opinion of the condition of the wreck from the divers evidence FifthThe technical details of the wreckage from which the court deduces THAT A MINE WAS EXPLODED UNDER THE SHIP ON TEE PORT SIDE I SixthThe explosion was due to no fault of those on board SeventhOpinion of the the court stating that the EXPLOSION OF THE MINE CAUSED THE EXPLOSION OF TWO MAGAZINES EighthThe court declares that it CANNOT FIND EVIDENCE TO FIX RESPONSIBILITY REPORT IS UNANIMOUS The report is unanimous andis signed by all the members of the court It docs not refer to the existence of nonexistence of the mine in the harbor of Havazia except in the specific finding that a mine was underthe ship and the opinion that the explosion of the two magazines was caused by the explosion of a mine The report as a whole is a formal dispassionate recital of facts and bears the stamp of that strict officialism which marks naval procedure It IP brief not exceeding 1800 words and among the eight points goes to the greatest length under the second heading which deals with the discipline and order of the ship This the court specifies with extreme minuteness the least detail of the satisfactory condition of everything on board 4 > eing given f 1 ACCIDENT THEORY EXPLODED The normal temperature of the large forward magazines at S oclock only an hour and 40 minutes before the explosion disposes of the question of accidental combustion within these magazines While the court holds that these magazines did not explode fromJlnternal causes they nevertheless are of the opinion that the explosion of the mine under the portside port-side of the ship caused the explosion of the two magazines This will explain the remarkable destruction wrought the explosion thus being shown to have combined the force of a mine without and the 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 finding that the ship lifted on the first explosion indicates an external source and one of tremendous power to be able to lift a battleship of thousands of tons The character of the wreckage wreck-age technically described in the fifth part of the report from which the court deduces that a mine was exploded under the ship on the port side sustains sus-tains the view taken by some experts shortly after the disaster that the force of the explosion was exerted from port to starboard THE NAVY EXONERATED 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 which declares the disaster to be due to no fault of those on board The inability of the court to find evidence to fix responsibility as stated In the eighth part makes the report so guarded in expression of blame that neither Spain nor the Spanish are mentioned throughout SPANISH COURTS REPORT Messenger On the Run With It From Havana to Washington London March 7The Madrid corre fcpondent of the Times noting that Spain at present Is playing a relatively passive i part In the Cuban situation and contrasting con-trasting the warlike attitude of the Vnited States with subdued and apparently ap-parently inactivity prevailing at Madrid bays The irnistry however Is eager to draw President McKInleys attention at th earliest moment to the report of the Spirish commission as to the Maine Jaster and It is understood that a mes tenger is going post haste from Havana with the document and will reach Washington Wash-ington probably on Tuesday The government gov-ernment believes that the simultaneous presentation of the two reports to eon cress would avert or at any rate mitigate miti-gate any tempestuous display of feeling Should however the Spanish report arrive at Washington too late or otherwise other-wise be withheld from the immediate perusal of congress it is suggested that Senor Poo y Bernabe be directed to lirnt it at the cost of the Spanish legation lega-tion in Washington and thus secure for it the ear of the American people Although it is not fully understood why under such delicate circumstances President McKinley should be in such haste to submit the Jmerlcan report and prefeiimablv other Cuban matters to congress it is expected broadly speaking that it is the collective American legisla lure which Spain mistrusts and not the I residential unit NEW PLAN OF AUTONOMY Proposition Which Spain Hopes Will Meet Our Approval i London March SThe Washington i correspondent of the Daily Chronicle I says Spain has intimated to the government govern-ment of the United I States t 1tn it has I a new plan of autonomy to propose and trusts that the United Sties will I induce the Cubans to accept It The details I 7 de-tails of the scheme are as yet uadi vulgod but it is believed the project would give the Cubans virtual independence I pendence BRITISH PRESS OPINION I I Nothing But Emancipation of Cuba Will Satisfy Americans I London March JThe Times In an editorial quoting the statement of its I New York correspondent George VV Smalley that despite the war talk I the best opinion still holds to President McKinley and peace the greatest danger I dan-ger is from a possible irresistible out i I burst of unreasoning of generous sen j timent says i This does not tend to lessen the I chances of war for although such waves of sentiment not infrequently I subside as rapidly as they arise they may last long enough to lead for good I or evil to irrevocable decisions I The Times proceeding to comment j generally on the situation expresses j I the opinion tht war is inevitable If I the United States Interferes in Cuba while the result is certain beforehand II It expresses gratification that General Woodford has taken the unusual and I significant step of publishing an emphatic i em-phatic contradiction of the malicious i rumors circulated by the Spanish yellow yel-low press which reported him as adopting a provocative attitude I The Times after declaring that this statement should greatly assist the peace party In America concludes its editorial as follows I While hoping that we may yet be I spared the sad spectacle of a contest between two friendly nations both hound to us by the ties of old friendship friend-ship if the worst comes we should not of course forget while maintain ing the duties of neutrality toward both that one of them is knitted to us yet more closely by ties of blood The Standard editorially reviews the j whole situation and says Unfortunately there is such a pro found distrust In the United States of the competency If not of the good faith of the Spanish government that noth ing but emancipation of Cuba Is likely to satisfy American public opinion The name of suzerainty might per haps be retained but nothing short of practical independence would be held satisfactory and this is the view which commends itself to English as well as American judgment The Dally News in an editorial justl fying the attitude of the United States sasAmerica America has no spite against Spain to gratify and no selfish interest to serve It is all very well to call Senator Sen-ator Thurston a fanatic because he invokes in-vokes the principles of the Christian foheag fo i Sftfa religion 1 against the cruelties of a Christian power But he speaks of what he reps and his testimony is not contradicted Spain is entitled to govern Cuba but not to extirpate the Cubans A weak despotism is the most cruel government govern-ment President McKinleys calm and sober language does honor to him as a Christian and statesman and Spain will commit a grievous mistake if she interprets in-terprets this as a confession j weakness weak-ness Senor Sagasta has a great opportunity opportun-ity In President McKinley he has a highminded and generous opponent who will make things as easy for Spain as he can It is curious how completely at this critical time Mr Sherman has fallen into the background and Mr McKinley Mc-Kinley come to the front SPIRIT OF TRADES UNIONS Chicago Printers Demand That Cuban Butchery Cease Chicago March 7At the regular meeting of Chicago Typographical union No 16 held today the following open letter was ordered telegraphed to Washington George Foss 1401 Stoughton Street W E Mason Senator and Colleagues Col-leagues Washington Chicago Typographical union No 16 believes that the eloquent appeals to the intelligence of the American people by Senators Thurston Proctor and Galllnger in the United States senate sen-ate on behalf of the starving women and children of Cuba place the United States in a position where their duty to civilization and humanity is clear This union therefore calls upon the Chicago congressmen and senators of Illinois to insist upon the United States demanding that the butchery starvation and inhuman policy pursued by Spain in Cuba under the guise of socalled warfare shall cease forthwith forth-with and in the name of humanity which rises superior to diplomacy and precedent to enforce such demand immediately im-mediately peaceably if possible by force of arms if necessary GEORGE W DAY Charles Deacon President Secretary Threw Over a Bargain Rome March 27The Fanfulla says the Italian government has declined to sell to the United States the warship Danta Buena for which SO000000 lire was offered being 5000000 over her cost price |