Captain Siggsbee, who survived the wreck of the Maine, published an open address in which he advised that adverse criticism be delayed until an official investigation could be made of the affair.
The official investigation was had by a Court of Inquiry, composed of Captain W.T.Sampson of the Iowa, Captain F.C.Chadwick of the New York, Lieutenant-Commander W.P.Potter of the New York, and Lieutenant-Commander Adolph Marix of the Vermont, appointed by the President.

Divers were employed; many witnesses were examined, and the court, by a unanimous decision, rendered March 21, 1898, after a four weeks session, reported as follows: "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 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." Responsibility in this report is not fixed on any "person or persons." It reads something like the usual verdict of a coroner's jury after investigating the death of some colored man who has been lynched,--"he came to his death by the hands of parties unknown." This report on the Maine's destruction, _unlike_ the usual coroner's jury verdict, however, in one respect, was not accepted by the people who claimed that Spain was responsible, either directly or indirectly, for the explosion, and the public still clamored for war to avenge the outrage.
[Illustration: U.S.S.

MAINE] CONGRESS ALSO CATCHES the war fever and appropriated $50,000,000 "for the national defence" by a unanimous vote of both houses.

The war and navy departments became very active; agents were sent abroad to buy war ships, but the President still hesitated to state his position until he had succeeded in getting the American Consuls out of Cuba who were in danger from the Spaniards there.

Consul Hyatt embarked from Santiago April 3, and Consul General Lee, who was delayed in getting off American refugees, left on April 10, and on that day the PRESIDENT SENT HIS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.