of a mine situated under the bottom of the
ship, at about frame 18, and somewhat on the port side of the
ship.

The conclusions of the Court are:

That the loss of the "Maine" was not in any respect due to fault
or negligence on the part of any of the officers or members of
her crew.

That the ship was destroyed by the 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.

[Illustration: Partial View of the Wreck of the "Maine."]

To-day, in the midst of war with Spain, we have no more definite, no
more authoritative knowledge of the cause of this disaster than this.
Spain, indeed, through her official commission, decided that the
explosion was wholly internal, but the American people is not
convinced. Battleships are not in the habit of blowing themselves up,
and it is the expectation that the establishment of American authority
in Cuba will be followed by the unraveling of this murderous plot.
Undoubtedly an anecdote told of Captain Robley D. Evans (Fighting Bob)
of the navy expresses the popular conviction:

"The admiral in command of the United States fleet at Key West should
have sailed for Havana on getting news of the 'Maine's' destruction,"
said Evans. "He should have reduced the forts, seized the city,
discovered the assassins, and hanged them."

"But that would have been defiance of the orders of the Navy
Department," responded his auditor, aghast.

"Perhaps so," admitted Evans, "but the man who did it would have been
the next President of the United States."

While the "Maine" Court of Inquiry was in session measures looking
toward war were rapidly taken. March 9, a bill, which had passed both
houses of Congress without a dissenting voice, became a law,
appropriating $50,000,000 to be expended for the national defense. Out
of this sum the Navy Department bought two Brazilian cruisers building
in England, which were rechristened the "New Orleans" and "Albany." A
flotilla of yachts, seagoing tugs, and merchantmen was bought and
refitted. The great American liners "St. Paul," "City of Paris," "City
of New York," and "St. Louis" were chartered and made into auxiliary
cruisers. All Europe was ransacked for purchasable warships and
torpedo boats, with the result of p