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About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1898)
THE AMERICAN. WAR AGAINST SPAIN. HESOLUTIONS TO THi EFFECT IN THE S NATE. tuw HikH TlfMMilftwk la fevar f DwIanUt af trTlw BsasWb rimg MnU He Drlvaa rrm taa WwUfi Heaapbera Arttoa - Sbaoid Ha Had Wltboal f.rtker Dale.?. Clear la Dorks far BmIimi WASHINGTON. March 30. The discussion of the Cuban cuestlon In any of ita phases ia evidently an Ir- i resistible attraction. The prospective eonaideration of the critical problem In the senate yesterday drew another tremendous crowd to the galleries, and as on previous days when Cnba waa: the foremost topic, hundreds of people jammed the corridors, disap pointed because they could not gain admission. ' Senator Rawlins of Utah introduced Joint resolution recognizing the In dependence of Cuba and declaring; war against Spain. Senator Foraker offered In the sen ate a resolution for Cuban indeoend enee. Mr. Foraker spoke of the de lays caused by the De Lome incident nd the Maine incident, but declared that the Cuban Question would come up whatever was done with the Maine. Senator Frye introduced a resolu tion recitlrs the conditions in Cuba and directing: the president in his dis cretion to take steos to drive the na wal and military forces from the is land. . The resolution went to the commit tee on foreign relations. The Rawlins resolution also went to the foreign relations committee. Mr. Mason followed the Introduction of the resolutions in the senate with a vigorous war SDeech. lie described vividly the disaster to the Mlne. He said thftt if ninety of the victims had been senators or sons of senators we would not have been forty days de-Waf-In;; war. Yet the lives of all Americans were sacred a'lke under our law and eqnsi'y entitled to con sideration. Mr. Mason said the ca tastrophe sbouM be renelled vigor ously. He could not sneak for oth ers, but for himself he was for war. This declaration brought out a vig orous outburst of applause from the ggtlprle. Mr. Mason declared there could be no peace so Ion as a European na tion owns slaves In this hemisphere. He said it is not necessary for the Maine court to fix f responsibility. The law did that. If it was a .torpe do or a mine, it was a Snnish tornedo or a Spanish mine. Hence, Spain must answer. He would oppose any proposition of indemnity, as he wou'd oppose making a d'p'omatlc Incident f the catastrophe. He would have no kind of autonomv or any plan to as sist Spain, but his demand was that the Spanish flag should be driven from the western hemisphere. Nei ther did he believe that Cuba should tie required to pay an Indemnity to Spain. "We are told." he said, "we must wait for the Spanish elections, but if fpanlsh elections are as rotten as Spanish diplomacy we had better not wait Let us awake," said Mr. Mason In conclusion, "to glorious war as did our fathers a war that shall In iHiire the honor and renect of .our flPZall over the world." .WASHINGTON, March 30 Repre sentative Marsh of Illinois, chairman of the house committee on the mili tia, yesterday introduced the follow ing Joint resolution declaring war be tween the government of Spain and Its dependencies and the United States and her territories U is as follows: That war be and the same Is here by declared to exist between the jov rnment of Snain and her dependen cies and the United States and their territories, and that the president of the United States Is hereby author ised to use the whole land and na val force of the United States, inelud 1ns the militia and the naval militia thereof, to carry the same into effect, PRESIDENT COMMENDED, Cnglish Press Has Only Praise for the Message. LONDON, March 30. The Daily KewB says editorially this morning: Again has the unexpected happen ed. According to our American cor respondent's report the spirit of peace has descended upon the Amerl an people, apparently in the belief that United States Minister Wood lord has sent a dispatch containing assurances that Spain is willing un der conditions to withdraw its troops from Cuba and thus give the island effective autonomy if not independ ence. If this Is true, it throws the Maine disaster Into its true perspective by riving; America ' due satisfaction on the larger issue. Still there is uncer tainty. The president's message feeems to suggest some kind of repa ration. . There is the question of Cu ba's' future, which Is exoected to be Healt with In tomorrow's presiden tial message. General Woodford's dispatch comes ixtet In time "to a Just determination f the character of that communica tion. The situation may thus be summarized: The United States is willing to sti fle its resentment for the loss of the Maine W it receives satisfaction with Tezard to the Cuba of the future. It is a generous compromise and Spain will do well to be wise in time. The Daily Graphic says: President McKInley's message is the work of a man of character and a statesman. Its moderation, perfect fairness and un-American avoidance of emotional verbosity must command the sympathies of the civilized world, vfbe United States is fortunate in ltavlng a man of this caliber at its nead at this moment. His dignified Inppeal should strike a , responsive chord In Spain, who cannot afford to he less handsome than this American. The message is in the legislative branch, and leads us to attach more Importance than we otherwise should to rumors of a peaceful solution. The Times says: President McKinley's message Is temperate and contains nothlnz that fought to wound the feelings of the aot susceptible Spaniard. It baa In no way verified the antlelpatio that he would throw down the guantlet. Thla la a distinct rain. It must be admlttted. with every desire to excuse Spain's reluctance to yield to pres sure, that we cannot refuse, our sym pathy to the American people. If such an incident as the Maine's destruction bad happened to us It would have been very difficult even for Englishmen to preserve their boasted calm. We chare the grief at the loss of a noble vessel and its crew, and we admire the patlenc and reserve of n "uorratlc govern ment under Ulon and public excitement. ' - "ntlmenta of Eng land for Aw;'-': vhich we hope are reciprocated - pressed In the lau reate's cordi -erses. The Dally ' ' ilde says: "It Is Inconeeivah'- " the. Spanish gov ernment sh ' 1 ' i so mid as not to meet the feeliur of America, as evi denced in the Maine report and the president's message, half wsy." The Morning Post thinks the signs are for peace, and takes it for grant ed there will be an armistice until October, Spain and the United States co-operating meanwhile for the re lief of the sufferins Cubans. The Dally Telegraph and others comment favorably on the whole ques tion. I v ' PROTEST AGAINST DELAY. Advocate, af Prompt Action K Wj to Aeronipllsh It. WASHINGTON. March JO. The members of the house who are In fa vor of immediate and aggressive ac tion are discussing all sorts of meth ods by which the house can die brought to an expression of opinion. Yesterday there was even some talk of overruling the chair during the consideration of the naval appropria tion bill and attaching a resolution Teeognizing the Independence of Cu ba as a rider. But all this talk seems to be in the air. It has no coherence. The main thing the conservatives have to contend with is the over whelming protest which is going up against delay. The foreign affairs rommftttee of the house Is in a pe culiar condition. Chairman Hitt Is III and the regular meetin; of th committtee will not occur until about Thursday. If a way can be found to secure a meeting of the committee before Thursday it will be done. If not, the republican members of the committee will probably caucus on the question. There is a strong senti ment hi the house and in the commit tee against the proposition to vote money for supplies to relieve the starving Cubans unless It Is accom panied by action which will stop the war. At least three of the republic an members of the committtee have declared that they would oppose such a proposition with their votes and their voices on the floor. ' SPAIN STANDS PAT. Not Willing to Mska Concessions that re Asked. MADRID, March o0. iNew York World Cablegram.) A long cabinet session was held late yesterday aft ernoon, lasting wen into the evening, to consider the reply to be made to the United States government, through Minister Woodford, to the two notes sent last week by President McKinley, I can state on high authority that although no final response has yet been made, the Spanish l. sters can make no definite promise to terminate war In Cuba. Spain wiU promise to relieve the starving reconcentrados to its ut most ability, and wil accept the co operation of American relief commit tees if official and not accompanied by a naval demonstration that will en courage the insurgents. Spain is also willing to make home rule in Cuba more complete as an en couragement to peace, but the govern ment cannot assen- to any armistice which implies passive recognition by Spain of the beligerency of theCubans nor negotiate publicly or officially with the rebels, nor enter upon any discus sion leading, to the sale of Cuba or the Independence of tne Cubans. MADRID, March 30. Complete tranquillity prevails here and in the provinces. Public opinion Is quiet ed by the belief that the difficulties between Spain and the Lnited States will be arranged in a friendly manner and the newspapers place great stress upon the conference between General ,Woodford. the United States minis ter, and Senor Sagasta, the premier, vlhich is to take plane at 4 o'clock this afternoon, expressing the belief that it will have important pacific re suits. The Spanish newspapers also say the government of Spain has decided to do everything possible to avoid war, if the honor and dignity of SpaiTi are not affected. CRITICAL OUTLOOK, Wsr HMos Will Go on the first Bljrns of Trooble In Havens. NEW YORK, March 30. A special to the Herald from Washington says Havana's quiet is In danger of being disturbed by another outbreak such as occurrred In the Cuban city Just before the late second-class battleship Maine dropped anchor in its harbor. Consul General Lee has cabled to the state department that the situation Is critical. There Is danger of further riots growing out of the intense ante- American feeling among the Weyler ites. In the light of General Lee's dis patch, the administration authorities are now onite as much concerned about the situation in Havana as they are over the fear that congress will Attempt to force the hand of the presi dent. It is now remarried as one of the danger points of the situation. The navy department is keenly on the alert. The state department transmitted Consul General , Lee's message to Secretary Long, and he at once informed Captain V. T. Samp son, commander in chief of the fleet at Key Wet, of the character of its contents. Captain Sampson is in di rert communication with Consul Gen eral Iee. and at the slightest sign of trouble a message from the consul general to the naval officer will result in the arrival of a man of war in Havana harbor within four hours. Don't think every man's name mud because he Is short of dust is REPORT IN CONGRESS. PRESIDENT SSNDS IT. ACCOM PANIED BY MESSAGE. Taa Fieratlse Slakes a Utile Cass nt'BiHU C'aecreas ta ila be Report Deliberate i'aallderatfcm Be- Uaf Kipreseed thai Iba 1'auatry Act Haaarably la taa Maltar. IU A Massac raagraas. WASHINGTON. March 19 The president yesterday sent the follow ing message to congress: To the Congress of the United States: For some time prior to the visit of the Maine to Havo.ua harbor our consular representatives pointed out the advantages to follow from the visit of national ships to the Cuban waters, in accustoming the people to the presence of our Bag as the symbol of good wilt and of our ships in the fulfillment or the mtoslon of protection to American in terests, even though no immediate need therefor might exist. Accordingly, on the 24th of January last, after conference with the Span ish minister, in which tne lenewai ot visits of our war vessels to Spanish waters was discussed ana accept, the peninsular authorities at Madrid and Havana were advised oi me pur pose of thin government to resume frlendlv naval visits at I'unan norm, and that In that view the Maine wou'd forthwith call at the pun oi Havana.. This announcement was re ceived by the Spanish government with appreciation of the friendly cnar kcter of Uie visit of the Maine and with notification of intention to re turn the courtesy by sending Span- sh ships to the principal ports or the United States. Meanwniie tne Maine entered the port at Havana on the 25th of January, her arrival being marked with no special incident be sides the exchange of customary sa lutes and ceremonial visits. The Maine continued In the barttor of Havana during the three weeks following her arrival. No Apprecia ble excitement attended her stay, on the contrary, a feeling of relief and confidence followed the resumption of the long Interrupted friendly Inter course. So noticeable was this Im mediate effect of her visit that the consul general strongly urged that the nresence of our ships in CUDan waters should be kept up by retain ing the Maine at Havana, or in the event of her recall, by sending an other vessel there to take her place. At fortv minutes past 9 In tne 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 officers and 260 of her crew wrlshed. those who were not killed outright by the explosion being penned between decks by the tangle of wreckage and drowned by the Immediate sinking of the hull. Prompt assistance was rendered ny the neighboring vessels anchored In the harbor, aid being especially given by the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alnhonso XIII. and the Ward line steamer City of Washington, which lav not far distant. The wounneu were irenerouslv cared for by the BU thoritles of Havana, the hospitals beine freely opened to them, while the earliest recovered bodies of the dead were interred by the municipal ity In a nubile cemetery In tne city. Tributes of grief and sympathy were nfforo.i from all official ounrters of the island. The appalling calamity fell upon the neonle of our country wun crushing force, and for a brief time an intense excitement prevailed which in a community less Just ana self controlled that 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 tne tacts and await the material proof before forming a iudgmcnt as to the cause nri the responsibility, and If the facts warranted, the remedy due. This course necessarily recommended its elf from the outset to the executive, for only in the light of a dispassion ately ascertained certainty could It determine the nature and measure or full duty in the matter. The usual procedure was followed, as In all cases of casualty oi disaster to national vessels of any maritime state. A naval court of inquiry was at once organised, composed of offi cers well qualified bv rank and practi cal experience to discharge the oner ous dutv Imposed on them, and bv a strong force of wreckers and div ers the court proceeded to make a thorough Investigation on the spot, employing every available means for the Impartial and exact determinar tlon 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 opportun ity for 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 Marrh. instant, and hpvhig been ap proved on the 22,d bv the commander In chief of the United States naval force on the North Atlantic station, was transmitted to 'he executive. It Is herewith laid lefore the con cress, together with the voluminous testimony token lWore 'he court. Its pitmort is in brief as follows: "Whep the Mninc arrived at Ha. vana she was conducted by the regu lar government pilot to buoy No. 4. to which she was moored in from five to five and one-half fathoms of water. "The state of discipline on board and the condition of her magazines, boilers, coal bunkers and storage compartments are passed In review with the conclusion that excellent or der prevailed and that no Indication of any cause for an internal explosion existed in any quarter. "At 8 o'clock on the cvnlng of February 15 everything had been re ported seeuie ajid all was quiet. "At forty minutes past nine the vessel was suddenly destroyed. "There were two distinct explosions, with a brief interval between them. The first lifted the forward part of the vessel very perceptibly, the sec ond, which was more prolonged. Is attributed by the court to the partial explosion of two or more of the for ward magstlnea Tne evidence of the drvers estab lishes that the afterpart of the ship was practically Intact and sank la that condition. The forward part was completely demolished." Upon the evidence of concurrent ex ternal csuse the finding of the court Is as follows: 'At frame seventeen the outer shell of the ship, frum a point elev en aad one-hmlf feat from the middle line of the ship and sti feet above the keel, when in Its normal posMloa, has been f greed np so as to be now about four feet abovs the surface of the water: therefore, about thirty four feet above where It would be bs the ship sunk uninjured. "The outside bottom plating Is bent Into a reversed "V shape, the after wing of which, about fifteen fee broad and thirty-two feet In length (from frame seventeen to frame twenty-five) Is doubled bark upon It self against the continuation of the same plating extending forward. "At frame eighteen the vertical keel Is broken In two and the keel bent Into an angle similar to the an gle formed for the outside plates. This break Is about six feet below the sur face of the water and about thirty feet alve its normal position. In the opinion of the court this effect could have been produced only by the explo sion of a mine situated under tne bottom of the ship, ut about frame eighteen and somewhat on the port side of the ship." The conclusions of the court are: "That the loss of the Maine was jnot In any respect due to fault or negligence on the part or any or tne officers or members of lta crew. "That the- shin was dentroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or more of Its forward maga zines; and, "That no evidence has been ob tainable fining the responsibility for the destruction of the Maine upon anv person or persons." I have directed that the finding of the court of inquiry and the view of this government thereon be communi cated to the government of her maj esty, the queen, and I do not per mit myself to doubt that the sense of Justice of the Spanish nation will dic tate a course of action suggested by honor and friendly relations of the two governments. It was the duty of the executive to advlee the congress of" the result and In the meantime deliberate consid eration Is Invoked. (Signed.) WILLIAM M'KINT.ET. Executive Mansion. March 28, 1898. WANT THE TESTINONY. President Yields to Pressnre and Decides to Rend It. WASHINGTON, Marrh 29. The determination was reached earlv to day to send In the testimony taken before the board of inquiry, to .rc company the report. Members of the foreign relations committee of the senate made vigorous protests yes terday and this morning against the former program, saying that It would be a rreat ;eal of a farce to refer to that committee the findings of the court, and withhold the testimony. I was also pointed out that the with holding of the testimony would be construed by some persons to mean that an attemnt was beine made to keep from congress and the people testimony which was reearded as sensational. The first plan adopted if carried out, of having the testimony printed before being sent to congress, would not have delnyed to any zreat extent its consideration, as all the documents will have to he printed be fore being taken up In the committee. Thinks War Is I.lkrlT. IONDON, March 29 (New York World Cablegram Special Telegram.) Sir Charles Dilke said tonight: ' It is Impossible to express an cplnlon on such meager details of the findings of the Maine inquiry as have been pub lished here, but as to the general American-Spanish situation I can't see how war can now he avoided, l'o s it occur to you that affairs have come to such a pass with Spain that she may weleomn war as the best means of getting rid of Cuba? It has become such a millstone round her neck she nus free herself frrm ft somehow, a'ld to the proud Spaniard war would be the least displeasing way. I do net think mediation by any European power or powers likely." Havana at the Hnllint; Point. HAVANA, Marrh 29. Havana is sizzline and bubbling and all but boiling over the news that the Unit ed States demands an end be put to the Cuban war which circulated like lightning. It is Uie first tangible proof that the United States haa the conscience and nerve to back It All cable, urlvate' and otherwise, to all American correspondents and to the local nresB Is first read by Blan co's agent. This Information was nat urally suppressed, but was Important that It broke the bounds, of official reticence instantly, and, though as yet unknown to the masses, will reach them as soon and trouble la looked for even by not naturally tlm Id people. The Mesnace. WASHINGTON. March 29. The president's message today was referred in the house to the foreign affairs committee. There was no controversy over reference in which the nes .ii;e dealt with the loss of a battleship, a question which would ordinarily nine under the Jurisdiction of the na val committee, in all its hearings it so manifestly involved our interna tional relations that there was abso lutely no controversy as to the com mittee to which it suould go. o ArmlMloe Arranerd. WASHINGTON, March 29-Con-cernlng the reports of armistice, it can he stated positively that there will he no agreement on the basis of any ar mistice lor eight months or any other period. Four companies of the Kigh'cmth lnantry, stationed at Kort linss re ceived orders to day to prepare for Immediate transportation to San Antonio. WAS DONE BY A MINE. WAS OUTBID FORCE THAT DE STROYED TMB MAINE. Vteaiats af tka Catnt at laasilr Mm rabUa riaabla ta rts lUapaaslbllltr far lb. SMaaataf Batlaai Plata af tbs abbs Rbaw. tbs Maabar la Wbtob ba Hitli sat iass.s Was WraaksA, This Telle tba Star?. WASHINGTON. Msreh . Tke followln Is the full text of the re port of the court of Inquiry: KBT WEST. ria.. Monday. March 11. 1198. After full and msture con sideration of all the testtmonr be fore it. the court finds as follows: 1. That the United States battle ship Maine arrived In the harbor of Havana. Cuba, on the 26th dav of January, 1898, and was taken to buoy No. 4, In from live and one-half to six fathoms of water, by the recular government pilot. The United States consul genera) at Havana had notified the authorities at that place the pre vious evening of the intended arrival of the Maine. 2. The state of dHclpllne on board the Maine was excellent, and all or ders and regulations In regnrd to the care and safety of the shlo were strictly carried out. All ammunition was stored away In accordance with Instructions, and proper rare was tak en whenever ammunition was han dled. Nothing was stowed In any one of the ma;ar.lnes or shell rooms which was not permitted to be stowed there. The magazines and shell rooms were always locked after hav ing been onened. and after the de struction 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. The temperature of the marazlnes and shell rooms were taken datlv and reported. The only msrsr.line whlrh had an undue amount of heat was the after ten-Inch mnszlne, and that did not explode at the time the Maine was destroyed. The torpedo war beads were si stowed In the after part of the ship under the war room, and neither caused nor participated in the de Btructlon of the Maine. The dry gun cotton primers and de tonators were stowed In the cabin aft and remote from the scene of the ex plosion. The waste was carefully looked aft er on hoard the Maine to obviate dan ger. Special orders hi regard to thl bsd been given by the commanding oPrer. Varnishes, dryers, alcohol and other combustibles of this nature were stowed on or above the main deck and could not have had anvthine- to do with the destruction of the Maine. The medical stores were stowed aft under the ward room and remote from the scene of the explosion. No dan gerous store of anv kind were stow ed below Kn any of the other store rooms. The conl bunkers were Inspected. Of those h linkers adlolnlne: the for ward maearmes and shell wopi four were emntv. namely T13. 114, 115, P.A. "AIR" had been In use that day and "4i6 was fu'l of New river coal This coal had been carcfitUv Insp-"-'. ed before receiving It on board. The hunker In which it was stored was accessible on three sides at all times and tho fourth side at this time on account of hunkers R4 and Rfi belnz empty. TMs bunker, A16, had been Inspected that d-v bv the engineer of- fleer on dutv. The fire alarms In the bunkers were In workinsr order, and there had never been a case of spon taneous combustion of coal on board the Maine. The two other boilers of the ship were In use at the time of the dlsas ter, for auxiliary purposes only, with a comparatively low pressure of stesm, and helpr tended bv a reliable watch. These bo'lers could not hve caused the explosion of the ship. The four forward bol'er have since hen found by the divers, and are In fair condition. On the night of the destruction of the Maine everytMn bad been re ported secure for the night at 8 p. m. by reliable persons through the prop er authorities, to the commanding of fleer. At the time the Maine was de stroyed the ship was ouiet. aud therefore, least liable to a.cclden caused by movements from those on board. 3. The destruction of h MMne ni enrred at 9:40 p. m. on the 15th day of February. 18!S. In the harbor of Havana. Cuba, beinz at the time moored to the same bnov to which she had been taken unon her arrival There were two explosions of a dls tinctly different character, with a very short but distinct interval between them and the forward part of the shin was lifted to a marked derree at the time of the -first explosion The first explosion was more In the nature of a report, like that of a gun while the second exnlolon was more open, prolonged' Snd of greater vol nme. This second explosion was, the opinion of the court, caused by the partial explosion of two or more of the forward magazines of the Maine. The condi'ion of the wrerfc: 4. The evidence b-artne on being niini'imllv obtained from this div ers. cMri no' enable 'he court to form a definlt" fnnr'nsinn as to the con dition o' the wr'-K, a!tho"z'i It wis established that the after part of the shin wa nrTtirallv intact and sank In that ron-'it ;;n a very f"w nMniltes after the destruction of the forward part. The following facts in regard to the forward par! of the ship arc. however, established by the testimony: That portion of the port side of the pro tective deck, which extends from about frame thirty to about frame forty-one, was blown up aft, and over to port. The main deck from about frame thirty to about frame forty-one as blown up aft and silently over to starboard, folding the forward part of the middle super structure over and on top of the aft er part. This was--, in the i ptnion of the court, canst d by the partial explo sion of two or more of the forward ttagaxlne of the M.yiie I, At frame seventeen, the out- shell of the ship from a point ale ana ae-half feet from the middle 11a af the ship, and alt ' feet above Uv keel, when In Ma normal position. haa been forced up so as to be now abaat four feet from the sarface of the wat er; therefore about thirty-four fs above where tt won la be bad the hin sunk ntrfniured, 11 . The outside bottom plating is beat nto a reversed V shspe, the arte wing of whlrh about fifteen feet broa and thirty-two feet In length ffrosa frame seventeen to frame twenty-fla is doubled bark from Itself statist ths continuation bY the same platlae i taa d tag forward. At frame eighteen the vertical keel broken In two. and the flat ket bent' Into an ankle similar to the aav gel formed by 'the outside bottom plating. This break is now about ars feet. below the surface of the wataa and about thirty'feet above Its nor ms! position. In the pinion'1 of the court, tan effect could have been produced onrf by the explosion of a mine situate under the bottom of the ship at abe frame etrhteen. and somewhat oa the port side of the ship. . The court finds that the loss eg the Maine, on the occasion named. was not In any respect due to fanlt or negligence on the part of the of fleers or members of the crew of tat vessel. T. In the opinion of the court, the Maine was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, which cmsea the partial explosion of two or mora of her forward magazines. 8. The court hits been unable te obtain evidence fixing the responslbll- for the destruction of the Main upon any person or persons. W. T. SAMPSON. Captain U. 8. President.' "' . A. MAUIXi IJeulenant Commander U. S. N.. Judsn Advocate. The court, having finished the In quiry H whjS ordt'red to make as Journed at 11 a. m. to w;iit the ac tion of the convening au'hnrltr. W. T. SAMPSON, Captain U. 8. N., President. A. MARIX. Lieutenant Commander U. S: N., Judge Advocate. United States Klngsbln New Tor. March 22, 1K98, off Key Wrst, Fla. The proceedings and findings of the court of Inquiry In the above case, are approved. M. SICARD, Rear A-'nlral, Com mander In chle.f of the United States Naval Force on 'the North Atlantis Station. THE SPANISH REPORT. It Is r.saetty Opposite that of Our Inqatsy Board. WASinNGTON. March 29. A full synopsis of thn geport of the Spanish naval comtalsslun, which Investigate! the . destruction of the battleship Maine. Is here given by the Associa ted Press. Vt IS taken from a copy of the original report, which Is now on Ita way here from Havana, the syn opsis beng cabled in the meantime and today placed In the hands of taa government. The conclusions are di rectly opposite to those In the report of the court of Inquiry submitted te congress today. The synopsis Is as follows: The report' Contains declarations made by ocrular witnesses and i nerts. From these statements tt clotarly deduces and provea the ab sence of all those atteendant circum stances which are Invariably present on the occasion of the explosion of a. torpedo. ' The evidence of witnesses compar atively close to the Maine at the mom ent Is to the effect that onlv one ex plosion occurred: that no column ot water was thrown Into the air; that no shock to the side of the nearest vessel was felt, nor on land was any vibration noticed, and that no dea4 fish were found. The evidence of the senior pilot of the harbor states that there Is abund ance of fish .In the harbor, and thla Is corroborated by other witnesses. The assistant engineer of works state that after the explosions made during the execution of work In the harbor, he has always found dead fish. The divers were unable to examine the. bottom of the Maine, whlrh was burled In the nind, but a careful ex amination of the sides of the vessel, the rents and breaks In which all point outward, shows without a doubt that the explosion was from the in side. A minute examination of the bot tom of the harbor around the vessel shows absolutely no sign of the action of a torpedo, and tiie fiscal (Judge ad' vocate) of the commission can find ne precedent for the explosion of the stor age magazines of a vessel by a foe pedo. The report makes clear that owing to the special nature of the proceed ings followed, and the absolute respeet shown for the extra-terrltorialldad of the Maine, the commission has been prevented from" making such an ex amination of the inside of the vessel as would determine the hypothesis of, the external origin of theaccldent. Tnts is to be attributed to the regretiabie refusal to permit of the necessry co operation of the Spanish commission, both with the commander apd crew of the Maine, and the different Ameri can offictals commissioned to Investi gate the causes, of the accident, and later on with those employed In sal vage work. The report finished by uti'.ting that an examination of the In side and outside of the Maine, as soon ;.s such examination may be possible as also of the bottom where the ves sel rests, will prove that, supposing hat the remains (of the wreck) not to be totally or partially altered In the process of extrication, the explosion was undoubteu.y due to some interior cause. l'aintini: the Vtanthip. KEY WEST, Fla.. March 29. The I'nit.ed States cruiser Nashville sailed this morning for the Tortugas Islands. The departure of the Nashville is rn connection with the laying of the pro posed cable to the Tortugas. Painting the warshios was continued today and will probably be finished by tonight. The cruiser New York which Satur day was painted black, is being re painted a lead color toilav. Ex-Senator Blackburn of Kentucky has recovered from his ire nt in !' position and is out a; WashiuTtou.