The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, April 07, 1898, Image 2
-v. - ?* - : '* .1. v.
THE COUNTY RECORD, N|
Published Every Thursday
?at?
KINGSTREE, SOUtk CAROLINA,
?B T?
LOUIS J. BRISTOW,
Editor and Proprietor.
According to State Engineer Adams's i
Teport, New York's commerce, from !
being seventy-eight per cent, of the '
country's business, has fallen to thirty- j
seven per cent. This means, get :
nearer jsljt material, interprets tho St. ! (
Louis Star.
I ' There can be no doubt that the Tn- :
dians who granted the San Carlos j
railroad franchise as soon as the promoters
had stocked their tepees with
beef, flour and coffee, are getting
civilized. Some of them will go to
Ti>t. nreJicts the San
Francisco Examiner.
_______________
The statement is made by Chief Bon^
# % Her, of New York City, that a recent
fire only confirms the theory that there
are no such things as fire-proof bnildings.
Considering tlio number of .
< these high structures his suggestions |
as to what must be done in the war of ' j
3 * *
preparing for* blazes in these giant i
pilea ought to be attended to at once.
A Chicago paper complains that
$130,030,000 worth of property in . 1
that city is held by absentee landlords.
And the worst of it is that i
many of theso absentee landlords
make their home in New York, thus
heloinc to swell the population of the j
latter city. How to keep Chicago !
people in Chicago is apparently a live j J
question in the Western metropolis. :
' From Sydney comes a curious story j
of the wreck of the brig Minora and
the saving of the captain's life, though j
he was the only man on the vessel
who couldn't swim a stroke. The ;
other five made a gallant struggle for !
life, but they went down exhausted, ;
while he clung to a plank for twenty- I
four hours and was picked up in an
exhausted condition. His case furnishes
no argument against the value !
of a knowedge of swimming; it simply J
eerves to show the irony of ff.te, which
often dooms to death the man who is
the best equipped for saving his life. j
That relations between France and ; |
Germany are really becoming much | 1
better is unmistakably proved by the
firmly re-established mutual relations ; j
in the art world of the two countries, |
' writes Wolf von Schierbrand. "Stars"
, from the French and from the Ger- . <
aaan art firmament are now Sitting to j
and fro. Here in Berlin we have had I 1
i <
nearly all the leading names in the- ; <
atricals, for instance, and just to men- 1
ton those daring the last mouth there i
W6re, or im, Matirel, tho l*st opera !
singer in France; ilnie. Richard, of
the Grand Opera; Colonne, the famous (
leader; Cocquelin, jeune; lie jane, and j
now, too, Yvette Guilbert. The latter
receives $750 for half an hour's sing- j
ing every nigh^ which is an enormous
sum for a German specialty theatre to j
pay. Bat it mast be profitable, for ,
she draws crowded houses ever night, ;
end when she appeared at the annaal
' * Presse ball, given for the benefit fund
of superannuated writers and newst
. paper men, she demonstrated her j 1
quickly acquired popularity by V. ;
-amount of attention shown her by her !
y hosts. , ' \
f The world's railway mileage a' 'he
present time is equivalent t> inoro
than seventeen times the length of the
equator. In more exact figure?, the
world's railway mileage, aci ordiag to j
the latest verified returns, ag^. crr.tca
0 ' 1 1
433,956 miles, or 3$,S10 miles mora 1
than in 1891. This enormous mileaga j
Is distributed omqpg tho various sub* t
divisions of the globe in the following ,
manner; Europe, 155,281 miles; 1
Asia, 26,890 miles; Africa, 81G9miles; j
America, 229,722 miles, and Australia, j
13,839 miles. From the foregoing 1
table it appears that America not only j
heads the list in the building of rail*
ways, but that the mileage represent- , ,
?d by the various railway systems on j
AV*Q TY*nra fTian pnnnl.t \
UU) OAUU Vi IIUV fcuvr.iv ?-?? t
(he combined mileage of the various i j
ystems on the other side. But while ^
America is credited with the greatest j
railway mileage, the greatest percent- j
|. age of gain belongs to Africa. Since
1891 tho railway mileage of the ucrk '
continent has increased 23.2 per cent. |
"With respect to the other subdivisions '
tho showing is as follows: Europe, i
9.7 per cent; Asia, 22.1 per cent.; {
America, 8 per cent; Australia, 12.7 1
per cent. For the entire world the per- t
centage of gaiu is 9.8 per cent. Siity ^
years ago the world's railway mileage t
aggregated barely more than one j
thousand miles, and yet to-day tho <
globe is iaterlaoed with a perfect net- \
work of iron rails. What surpassing <
wonders has the nineteenth century ; 4
Jarougbtfco easel
4 r
v.
0 '
' 1
MAINE REPORT?
|
Conrt of Inquiry Finds Vessel!
Was Blssa Dp By a Mine. ;
rHE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, j
Submits the Findings to Both Mouses
cf Congress. ?
i
!
All the Expert Evidence, With the Conclusions
of the Naval Koar.l, llcail l:i j
Senate and House and Immediately ,
Jteferred to the Foreign Affairs Committee*
in Both Branches ? The Board'*: i
Kcport Convicts Spain of Fov.l l'lny 1
Only by Implication?\o rctjvr.tibility
For tho UWunter F1xe?l?.Has- >
niine* Blew l"p, But Xot Until After
the Mine Had Been Exploded?*Ship
Broken l:i Two?Fores of Explosion
Came From Fort to Starboard, I.iftins
the Skip in Air.
s
WAsaixoioN, D. C. (Speeiail.?The
lags of the Court of Inquiry whioh invest!Sated
the disaster causing the loss of the
battleshio Maine on February 15. in Havana
Harbor, were transmitted to Congress at
noon Monday. Taev woro accompanied by
tho following messago from the President:
To the Congress of the United States:
For some timo prior to tho visit of tho
Maine to Havana Harbor oar Consu'.arrc.resentaiives
pointed out tho advantages to
Dow from the visit of National ships to tho '
Cuban waters, in accustoming tho people !
to the presence of oar flag as the symbol
of good will and of our ships in the fulfilment
of the mission of protection to American
interests, even though no immediate
need therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the 21th of January last,
after conference with tho Spanish Minis- :
ter, in which the renewal of visits of our ;
war vessels to Spanish waters was discussed
and accepted, the Peninsular an- '
thorities at Madrid and Havana were advised
of tho 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 Ha- ,
vana. This announcement was received t>y
I he Spanish Government with appreciation
of the friendly character to the visit j
of the Maine and with notification of intention
to return the courtesy by sending
Spanish ships to the principal ports of tho
United States. Meanwhile tho Maine en- J
tered the port of Havana on the 2Jt!? of
January, her arrival being m&rkeu w::a no
ipecial* incident besides the exchange of
customary salutes and ceremonial visits. J
Tne Maine continued in the harbor of
Havana during the three weeks following
her arrival. Xo appreciable excitement
attended her stay; on the con- J
trarv, a feeling of relief an i confidence
followed the resumption of the long interrupted
friendly intercourse. So noticeable
was this immediate effect of her visit J
that the Consul-General strongly urged ]
that the presence of our ships iu Cuban i
waters should be kept up by retaining the
Maine at Havana, or, iu the event of her '
recall, by sending auother vessel .there !
to take her place.
Resume of the Tragedy.
At 9.40 o'clock ir. the evening of the l.'tt i
3f February the Maine was destroyed bj j
an explosion, by which the entire forward i
part of the ship was literally wrecked. Ir J
this catastrophe two officers and 264 of hei
crew perisbeJ, those who were not killed '
autright by her explosion being penned bo j
tweea decks by the tangle of wreckage aa< ,
irownei by the immediate sinking of th< !
?bin.
Prompt assistance was rendered bj i
>-Ki : in 1
VUU \ '.aacia uavuviv.' *u ,
the harbor, aid being especially giver j
by the boats of tho Spanish cruiser Al- ,
pthoaso XII. and the Ward line stearaei
City of Washington, which lay not far distant.
The wounded were generously caro l ;
lor by the authorities in Havana, the lios- :
pitals being freely open to them, whilo the I
farliest recovered bodies of the dead wore
Interred by the municioality in 'a public '
emotery in the city. Tributes of grief an l j
sympathy were offered from nil official
juarters of the island. The appalling calamity
fell upon the people of our country
vith crushing force, and for abrieftiine i
Intense excitement prevailed, which in a ]
jommunity less just and 6elf-eontroiled .
;haa ours might have led to hasty ;
i?ts of blind resentment. This spirit, (
however, soon gave way to calmer
wooesMS of reason and to the resolve to .
investigate the facts and await material ,
iroof before forming a judgment as to the
!j?use, the responsibility and If the facts
nreuted (be noedf dm. This course '
eeessarily recommended itself from the
>utst>: to* tho Executive, for only in the
igiit of a dispassionately ascertained ceralary
could it determine the nature and 1
'asure of bis fud duty in the matter. The i
i-uai f<rocwtiore was fallowed as in all cases 1
casualty or disaster to national vessels
(Hijfct or tiie Naval Court.
<f nny maritime State. AXaval Court of In- ,
jutrv wts ni once organised composed
ct uCit? well qualiiled by rank ^
ind practical experience to discharge tho }
inerons duty imposed upon them. Aided i
iy a strong force of wreckers and divers
:ho court proceeded to make a thorough j
nvestigslion on the spot, employing every ,
ivailable means for the impartial and ex- (
let determination of the cause of the ox- ,
ilosion. Its operations have been conic
*ted with the utmost deliberation an l
udgment and while independently pursued,
10 source of information was neglected, |
ind the fullest opportunity was allowed for ,
* eitrnHanoAtic i ? ATI >iV tl?M 2sr.fi.n
sh authorities.
The finding of the Court o! Inquiry was
reached, after twenty-three days of conIlnuoas
labor, on the 21st of March and,
4avin? been approve;! on the 22d by the
Commander-in-Chief cf tho United States
uaval force of the \ ?rth Atlantic station
ivas transmitted to the Executive. It Is
ierowitli 'aid before the Congress, together
with the voiumtuous testimony taken be'ore
the court. Its purport is", in brief, as
[olio vest
"When the Maine arrived at Havana rho
vas conducted oy the regular Government
Jilot to Buoy No. 4, to which she was
noored in from live and one-half to six
athoms of water.
'The state of discipline on board and tho
ondition of her masasiaes, boilers ar.d
:oal bunkers and storage compartments
ire passed in review, with tho conclusion
hat excellent order prevailed, and that no
ndication of aDy cause for an internal ex)losio:?
existed i:i any quarter. At
! o'clock in the evening of Feb. 15 everyhiujj
had been reporie.i secure and ail
ras quiet. At 9:40 o'clock the vessel was
suddenly destroyed. Tnere were two disinct
explosions, with a brief interval beween
tnetn. Tne first lifted the forward
:?art of tue ship very percentibly; thesecsnd.which
was more open, proloncredand of
treater volume, is attributed by the Court
a the partial explosion of two or more
>f the forward nsnRazines. The evidence
>f tlte divers establishes that the afterpart ?
>f the ship was practically intact and eanir |
in that condition a very few minutes aftei
the exp'.o?sou. The forward part was completely
demolished. Upon the evidence of
a concurrent externa! cause the Hading ot
tho court is us follows:
The Cause Itxternal.
"At frame 17 the out? r shell of the ship,
from a point eleven and one-half feet from
tho raiddio line of the ship aad six feet
noovethe keel when in its normal position,
has been forced up so as to be now about
four fee: above the surface of the water;
therefore about thirty-four feet above
where it wouiu bo hud tue ship sunk uninjured.
"The outside bottom plating Is bent into
a reversed shape, the after wing of which,
about 13 feet t read and S2 fee: in length
(fr >m frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled
back upon itself again-: the continuation
cf the same plating extending forward.
"At frp.me'l^tfc" vertical keel is broken
similar to the angle formed by the outside
bottom plate?. ''bis Iron.'.: is now about
b fe~: below the surface of the water and
about "0 foot n' <iw its uormr.1 position.
*iu tn?* opinion of i.'i * court, this effect
could have 1 <\jn produced oulv by the explosion
or a nine situated under tho bottom
of the siH:\ at about frame IS, and
somewhat on tho port side of the ship.
The conciv.-ions of the court are:
Conclusions of the Court.
' That the 1 >ss of the Te liae was not in
any rcspo *t due to fault or negligence on
the part of a ay of the o .fleers ?r members
of bi-r crew; "that tho ship was destroyed
l v tno explosion of a submarine mine,
which cause I the partial explosion of two
or more of her forward magazines,'
und mat' no evidence has been obtainable
fixing tho responsibility for the
destruction of the Haino "upon any
per- ">a or persons."
I bnvu directs I that tho 'finding of
the Court of Inquiry and tho views
of this (Government thereon be comtmiuieuied
to the Government of her
majesty, the Queen Urgent, and I do
no; pinr.it myself to doabt that the sense
..f justice of the S: unish nation will dictate
a course of action suggested bv honor 1
and the friendly relations of the two Gov- 1
enuaeots.
It will be the duty of the Executive to j
ndviso the Congress of the result, aud in :
the meantime deliberate consideration is ,
Invoked.
(signed) William McKinlet. j
Executive Mansion, March 23, 1S33.
OFFICIAL REPORT ON THE MAINE. j
Submarine Mine Klew Her L'p, But Spain I
Is Not Blamed.
Washington, D. C. (Special).?The fol- j
lowing is the full teat of the report of the j
Court of Inquiry
U. 8. S. Iowa. 1st Itate. j
Err West, Flo., Monday, March 21,1S99.) i
After full and nature consideration o? j
nil the testimony bofore it, the Court flads j
as follows:
1. Tuat the United States battleship I
Maino arrived in the harbor of Havana, j
Cuba, on the 25th day of January, 1893, and ;
was taken to buoy So. 4 in from live and a 1
half to six fathoms of water, by tho regular i
Government pilot.
Tho United States Consul-General at |
Havana had notified the authorities at that J
place. the previous evening, of the intend- ;
ed arrival of the Maine.
2. Tae 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 store ! in accordance
with prescribed* instructions, and
proper care was taken whenever ammuni- j
lion was handled. t
Nothing was stored in any one of the ,
trxo or spaix.
magazines or shell-rooms -which was not
permitted to be stored there.
Ammunition Inspected,
The magazines and shell-rooms were always
locked after having been opened, and
liter the destruction of the Maine the
keys -were found in their proper place In
:he Captain's cabin, everything having
l>een reported secure that evening at 8
p. m.
The temperature of the magazines an<J
shell-rooms was taken daily and reported,
rhe only magazine which had an undue
iimount of heat was the after ten-incb
magazine, r.nd that did not oxolode at the j
lime the Maine was destroyed.
The torpedo war heads were al! stowed
in the after part of the ship, under the
ward room, and neither caused nor participated
in the destruction of the 3Iaine.
The dry gen cotton primers and detonators
were stowed in tiro cabin alt, and removed
from the scene of the e.vp!o3ion.
IVaste was carefully looked after on the
Maine to obviate danger. Special orders
in regard to this had been given bv the
tommauding officer. Varnishes, dryers,
ileohol and other combustibles of this
nature were stowed on or above the main
leek, and could not have had anything to
lo with the destruction of the Maine.
The medical stores were stored aft under
the ward room and remote from the scene
jf the explosioij.
No dangerous stores of any kind were
stored below in any of the other storerooms.
j
The Coal Brokers All Itight.
The coal bunkers were inspected daily.
3f those bunkers adjacent to the forward
magazines and.shell rooms, four were
sraptv, namely: "B 3, B 4, B 5, B 6."
"A 15" had been in use that day and "A
16" 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
it all times, and the fourth side at this time
r>n account of bunkers "B 4" and "B 6" being
empty. This bunker. "A 16" had been
inspected that day by the eng.ncor officei
)Q duty.
iiiv ura Ji;iri.is to iuo L'j.jh-i.i ??cio i.i
iTorkincr order and t'?ere bad never been :i
>0^0 of spontaneous combustion of coal on
ward the Maine.
'The two after ooilers of the s'alp were In
ise at ih2 time cf the disaster, but for
luxiliary purposes only, with a cotnparaively
low pressure of steam and being
euded by a reliable watch, these boilers
!oald not have caused the explosion of the
iaip. The four forward boilers have since
>een found by the divers and uro in a fair
iooditlon.
Cn the night of the destruction of the
ilaino everything bad been reported secure
or theuiglit at 8 p. a. by reliable persons
trough the proper authorities to the cornnandintj
officer. At the time the Maine
ras destroyed the ship was quiet, and.
*. K *
4L
^therefore. least liable to accfdent*caused
by movements from those on board.
Explosions.
8. The destruction of the Maine occurred J
nt 9.40 p. m. on February 15, 1898, in th?
: harbor of Havana, Cuba, she being at the
time moored to the same buov to which
she had been taken upon her arrival. There
were two explosions of a distinctly differ" ;
ent character, with a very short but distant
interval between them,"and the forward
part of the ship was lifted to a marked de^
gree 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 explosion was more open,prolonged
auu m gresier volume. j.ne secona explosion
was, in the opinion of the Court,
caused by tho partial explosion of two or
more of tho forward magazines of the
Maine.
Condition of the Wreck.
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 tho 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 pro'
tective deck which extends from about
frame S3 to about frame 41 was blown up
a:t and over to port. The main deck from
about frame 30 to about frame 41 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 tho forward
magazines of the Maine.
5. At frame 17. the outer shell of the
ship, from a point eleven and, a half feet
from the middle lino 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 thirty-four feet
above where it would be had the ship sunk,
uninjured. The outside bottom plating is1,
SXSOB NL01. wwiw, J
(The new Spanish Minister at Washington.}
bent Into a reversed V-sbape, the after
wir.<? nf vriii.-h About fifteen feet broad and
ithirty feet In length (from frame 17 to
framo 25), Is doubled back upon itself
against the continuation of the same plat- j
ing extending forward.
At frame 18 the vertical keel is broken in 1
two, and the liat keel bent into an angle j
similar to the angle formed by the outside j
bottom plating. This break is now about :
six feet below the surface of the water and j
about thirty feet above its normal position }
In the opinion of the court tijisefTec. '
could have been produced only by the ext j
plosion of a mine situated under the bot- j
torn of tho ship at about frame IS and
somewhat on the port side of the 9hip.
Destroyed by a Mine.
6. The court finds that the loss of the '
Maine, on the occasion named, was not in '
any respect due to fanlt or negligence on I
the part of any of the otflcers or members j
of the crew of said vessel. ,
7. In tbe opinion of the court the Maine i
was destroyed by the explosion of a sub- i
marine mine, which caused the partial ex- j
plosion of two or more of her for^td >
magazines.
8. The Court has been unable to obtain 1
evidence fixing the responsibility for the j
destruction of t jo Muiae upon any person
or persons. A. MaKIX,
Lieutenant Com man Jo r V. S. X.. Judge !
Advocate.
AY. T. Sampsov.
Captain U. S. X., President. j
The court having finished tha inquiry It j
was ordered to make, adjourned at 11 a." m., i
to await the action of the convening au- I
thority.
W. T. Sampson,
Captain U. S. X., President. !
A. Mabtx,
Lieutenant Commander U. S. X., Judge
Advocate. i
United Stat?3 Flagship New York. J '
March 22,1S3S, 01 Key West, Fla..
FThe proceedings and finding^ of th
Court of Inqniry in the above case are ap i
proved. M. Sicabd, Bear Admiral,
Commander-in-Chief of the United States
naval force on the Xortb Atlantic Sta
lion.
MESSAGE AND REPORT IN CONGRESS j
Uead and Referred to Foreign Affairs
Committees in Itoth Houses.
Wasiiixotox, D. C. (Special).?Except on j
the occasion of the inauguration of a j
President, no such crowds as surged !
through the corridors and stormed the
galleries for admission on the day the j
Maine reporj was sent in have been seen at
the Capitol in a quarter of a century. At
daylight people were alreaiv seeking eatrance
to the Capitol and hours before
noon, when thotwo Houses convened, the
marble stairways were choked with wishing,
jostling people presing toward the
gaiieries. Xot an inch of space remained
In the public galleries at 9 o'clock, though
longlinesof people stretching down the
stairways to the lower corridors continued
to press forward. .Within a few minutes
after the reservo galleries were thrown
open they, too, w ?re completely filled with
IQ9 exception tu niuaiT ...w
diplomatic corps nnd the families of the
President and Cabinet. Admission to
the?j Kail cries was strictly by card. Many
distinguished personages were la the gai- !
leries.
In tho Senate the reading of the journal
Vvas dispensed with, and at two minutes
past tweiv" "ie message from the President
was d.-.ivered by .Mr. Pruden, one of
liis secretaries. At 12.12 .Mr. .Morgan, of
Alabama, asked that tho President's message
bo in id before the Senate. The VicePresident
presented tho message and the
clerks proceeded to read it. When they ,
got through with It Mr. Davis move ! t hat ,
the messag?, report and testimony bo ordered
prtete'- *od reilutad to th > C > nmitt-?e
on Foreign UeUtioas. The motion was
a;:r-o 1 to.
la the Ilousa at exactly 12 o'*l ?'k tho !
Speakerascended the rostrumand call*! the :
body to order. Arr.id the impressive silence J
tha. followed t!ie blind chaplain delivered ;
n ?ol??mn prayer, which rang through tiie
hall like si warning. He referred to tho
stern clouds that hung over the country
threatening to break at p.nv time. After
the journal came th? reading of the President's
message. There was an outburst of
applanso in the galleries am' on the door ,
when the reading of tho message was co i- '
eluded. Tiio President's message was refer- |
red to committee without debate. This was
the Committee on Foreign Affairs ua ier
the rules. No motion was made. Immediately
after the announcement of KaprC-seatatiro
Simpkiu's death tho Mouse at 12.1J
P. If, adjourned for tha day.
%
1*" ' *
? ^
imnt:
President Puts Hostile Finalities in
v the Hands of Congress.
DIPLOMACY NOW AT AN END.
?.IacTriu KeacliM a Defin!t9 Cnnclsslon tc
^ Mtike A'o Further CoDcear.ion* to,tli?
United States?'The SjjunUh Torpedo
Flotilla Arrives at Forto Eloo?Oui
War Fleets Strips For Hostilities
W?srixGTos, D. C. (Special).?Tht> Spanish
answer to tho Administration's de->
man&s lor tho restoration of civil order irCuba
brought tho two Governments alii
Madrid and Washington dellnitcly to the
parting of tho way. Though In a measure,
fragmentary and obscure, tho summary
tho concessions offered by tho Sagasta
Cabinet, which Minister Woodford transmitted
by cable, was full an l clear enough
to show that Spain, whilo yielding fa;
more than the United States eoald have
reasonably espected at any previous stage
of tho negotiations between too two countries,
had nevertheless left unfulfilled thu
condition of absolute independence for the
Cubans, which has withi'u tho last few
days come to bo looked on as tho most
popular and essentia! feature of the solution
of the Cuban problem.
The Cabinet meeting racclved Spain's
answer to tho proposition of this Government.
and. ilndiui it unt atisfaetorv, prac
ticaliy decided npju a poiley which placed
the whole record*before Congress, aad tho
responsibility of further action upon that
body. j
Too Spntifsh Minister called at the State I
1 Department aad was in conference with
Judge Day for some time. Although thera
was the strictest reserve as to what occurred.
it can be stated positively that the
I United States submitted no further pro- j
I positions, nor did the Spanish Minister of- j
fer anything which changed the situation j
of aUairs. Both sides regarded the issue
as maio up.
Great surpriso was felt In Washington
when news came by way of Madrid tiint
the Spanish torpedo boat flotilla had arrived
at Porto Rico. The threo torpedo ;
boats, three torpedo destroyers an^ the j
troop ship convoying them made good j
time. They had only been sighted once, J
i and that was on March 23, the day they j
sailed, when a vessel that reached London
j from Las Palma3 passed them a few j
miles oH the Canary Islands, steaming :
lowly south.
El .Liberal gives tho following description
ofjiia little flotilla:
Torpedo oatcner iruror, suu mas; com- ;
niander, D. Carlior; 72 men. Torpedo |
catcher Pluton, 450 tons; commander, P.
Ya?qucz; 72 men. Torpedo catcher Torror,
.405 tons; commander, F. de la ltocha; 72 !
i .men. Torpedo boat Kayo, 123 tons; eomimaader,
Senor Rizo; 72 men. Torpedo ]
boat Aror, 120 tons; commander, R. de
:EguIn; 26, men. Torpedo boat Arlote, 129
tons; commander, M. ^omoza; 26 men. j
Transport Ciudad de Cadiz.
Hailing on March23, they have taken nine !
days to make the trip across the Atlantic, j
The fleet has made better time than was ;
expected. The qnick passage is explained |
by the fact that thoy met nothing but good j
weather and that they had no accidents. j
Soon after the arrival of the news that
Spain's torpedo flotilla had reached Porto
Rico, official advices were received at tho
State Department from Consul Goneral
Lee, announcing that the Vizcaya and
Oqnendo, the formidable Spanish cruisers,
thad sailed for Porto Rico.
~By this action Spain prevented the
blockade of her armored cruisers in the
harbor of Havana and has taken measures
to reinforce her torpedo boat flotilla to
such an extent that it will be impossible
for the naval force of this Government to
take them without probably sustaining
serious damage itself.
Tho realities of war were made evident
to the crew3 of both'the naval fleets at
Hampton Reads and at Key We3t, when all
the deck furniture, as well as the fifteen or
twenty cutters which every warship carries,
wero sent asbore.
The decks wore literally cleared for action.
Only tho boats used by the officers
In going from ship to ship were left on
board. This means that when actual battle
comes thero will be no escape?no lifeboats
for the COO men on each of the firstclass
battle-ships. They most oil survive
or perish with the ship.
The Spaniards would depend for the defense
of Havana solely upon the submarino
mines which have already done such deadly
work against the Maine.
But Captain Sampson will not be caught i
napping. It is estimated that Havana I
can be blockaded and starved into; sub- j
mission in from ten to fifteen days.
Secretary Gage and Chairman Dinglov j
conferred on "war taxes."* Withit^ few ;
days of the beginning of hostilities addi- ;
tional taxes will be levied on beer and
tobacco. New import taxes will bo ;
imposed on tea and coffee. The
war taxes imposed from 1861 to 1865
raised $311,000,000 per annum. If exactly
the same taxes were imposed to-day on ex
actly the same articles. Secretary Gage I
estimates that the revenue T70uid be $328,000,000
yearly. The vast lncrease**hows
the growth of the country since the lost
war.
ENGLAND'S ATTITUDE.
Cordial Greeting For Colonel Hay?Formal
Sow* For Spanish Ambassador.
Europe in diplomacy often indicates an
important political attitude by a social
method. The entire Diplomatic Corps was
at the Queen's lores, in London, but a significant
interpretation was put upon an incident
which the qniuiclated observer
night regard as of no consequence. When
Colonel Hay,the United Stato3 Ambassador,
passed before the Duke of York and the
other British royalties, all of then ad- ,
vanced and cordially shook hands with
him. The Spanish Minister immediately
followed Colonel Hay and was receded with i
formal bows.
Captain Sigsbee to Assist Secretary Long, i
Captain C. D. Sigsbee, who commanded
the battlc-3blp Maine at the time of the
explosion, has been assigned to duty as
aide to secretary or tae ruavy Jbong. it is :
especially satisfactory to the latter at thi3 I
timo, as it will enable hits to recuperate j
from the great strain to which ho was sub- j
jocted during the stay in Havana after t'ao ,
ship was blown up. ,
j
King's Dae ^Titers to Aid Cuban*. i
A movement has been started among tho
Hirer's Daughters of the country to supply
doming for tho destitute people in Cuba. t
St. Thomas Dill Laid Aside.
The Senate spent almost an entire day in i
discussing the proposition to buy the Danish
West Indies, and tho debate developed such
a wide difference of opinion that it was.de- i
cided not to pres3 the subject iurther at !
this time.
5aiional Volunteer Moveircnt.
Lieutenant General John if. Schofleld J
took formal charge in New Ycrk City of tho ;
National Volunteer Reserve, and Congress
will be asked to give the movement official
standing, _
A
| SPAIN'S ANSWER.
Official Summary of the Proposition^ , 3
Which This Nation Made.
Wasbisotos, D. C. (Special).?An official
summary of the propositions submitted bjj,
j tko United states and of Spain's reply wan
piven out. The o.Helal abstract of Preai-_
j dent HcXlnley's propositions to Spain waps
"First?That Spain shall sand tao reson!
eentr l ies hue'.: to their homes and permit
the United States to aid in sapplying then*
I with means of sustaining life cntil normal' '
j conditions can be restored.
I 'Second?That there shall bo an arm!34 vs
tlce between Spain and Cuba, with the end!
in view of securing a settlement of the difi .
ficultios and the withdrawal of the Spanish
forces from Cuba. , %
"Third?In case cf a failure of tba
Cubans and the Spaniards to cotne to
understanding during the armistice Sp^Hn
i will submit the entire matter to Fresidenji^ i
McKinley'as arbitrator, with the undof?
stan^jn^ that he will decide in that event
lUf 1*1 "JlllII ?.
| Thts Is the o2eili abstract of Spain's r?"plTt
' *4
"Spain Inferos tba Government of to? ?
TTnitod States that General Blanco has re- V
' voiced the bnndo relating to the roconcen-X j, X
trad OS in the western provinces of Cu'oa. "jj^j
which r^e understood to bo t ho provinces oftJS
Mat anz as, Santa Clara, HaKar.a and PIiw^B^
del Kfo; that the Spanish Government hasjfifl^
placed at the disposal of the Governot-^B fj
(ier>ral the or.'dlt of 3,000.000 peeeta^^^H
({ eCO.OOPh to tbo end that the eountrjSa ^
people may return a: once cud with sudBB s,
cess to their labor.
"Toe Spanish Govern meat jWill accoU^HiJ
whatever assistance to feed and sa<*eor tXMM';1
necessitous ntav be sent from the CniteHKv,
States in accordance with tho plan cow lC|
1 operation. ,A|
"Snain prcpcfs to eonfldo the prerari^^^B
tlon for r.n honorable and sta'oie penco *
tbe In.-ular Parliament,without whose eonJ^W^
currency t':o ilpanish Government woalj^H
"not bo able to p.rrivb at the final mult, be4fl lag
understood that the powers reservedf?! ' .
by the central government are not lessenoflj
or diminished. .
* As the Cuban Chambers will not rueJUHH
until the fourth of# May, the Spanish Gofln
ernment will not, on its part/objeet to^HH
suspension of hostilities if ashe?l for by
insurgents from ths GenernMa-Chlef, flH j
whom It will belong to determine the dnzBH
tlon and the condition of the uspensIonM^j^H
It was after the receipt of this reply than
President HcKinley decided to pat thflF 1
whole matter in tbe hands of Congress. *lra
ONE MILLION FOR DEFENSE. fj|
?few York r.f>Ki<latnre Pats Tiir.i Aruouab*. 3
In Governor Bltck'i Hands.
For the second time in the history of
"?-? -* V- ! - J.? f.U SI
Ol*.') U1 .low ivrk HO UUtUlUV. Kit MUSU
to ask the Legislature for an appropriation n
for war purposes. Governor Edwin D. J?
Morgan, of Now York City, was the first; 2 >
and his cait came during tho Civil War. BM '
Governor Frank S. Black, of Troy, is th? *a
second. Governor Black asked for bvtj^S
$1,000,000, and that as an emergency fund Si
to obviate the expensive necessity for n* In
convening the Legislature should the slta-j fa
ation require. j
Almost at iho very opoaing of the closing
day of the session Governor Black sent V
the following message to the Legislature; '
"To the Legislature:?Event3 are now
transpiring of so grave and general import
that the attention of every cniightene<|
people is llxed upon our own. The crista
which our national government now meets
involves those deep considerations whlefy
affect the future of the race. To aid tha^
government by approval and support, tq
sustain its hand when raised for jnstieq :
and fair play, is the duty of every State!
No honr has ever been so fall 6f peril that
New York has faltered while it passed. Be-<
cause of her past history and her present
greatness she should be the first to under!
stand the meaning of to-day. After long re*
flection ,and with an earnest desire to do thaC
which ought to be done and to refrain from
that which ought not to be done, I recott^F
mend.that before you adjourn you taker
such action as your wisdom shall decided
upon to provide against such urgent need*
as the future may disclose.
"I hope the day is still remote whiehf
shall consume the means vou set apart!
Bat if the time should come whea foroenr-i
nace and national self-respect can no long-^
er stay together, there can be fiat one!
answer to the duty thus arising. , ;
"I believe you will, not in haste or angec >
toward any other people, but in the dclib-|
er.ito purpcso to defend your own, and
a sign of hopo to the struggling and disj j
tressed, realizing that patriotism withoatj
preparation is as fragiie as a dream, so act^
that the enlightened sentiment of the world:
will justify you. Feask S. Buick." i
The reading of the message was received)
by both branches with an immediate re-i
quest for action. Not a voice was raised in'
opposition, and when the necessary bill was!
introduced the vote taken showed a full
roll call of yeas. The Assembly passed the
bill in three minutes. The time taken by1
the Senate to pass the bill was less thaw
fifteen minutes.
The bill was engrossed at once and trans^
? ?. n a m T-aA hU
miibiTVL i j lira \iv*cruvi| w?v ?u?av** . ?
signature to It at 11.30 o'clock. The meas-J
ore will be known as Chapter 181, Laws oC
1838, and it passed both houses of the Leg-?
lslatcre, was engrossed and signed by tM|
Governor in one hoar and twenty minutes*
which beats all legislative records.
GERMAN DEMANDS ON SPAIN. .
v |
Satisfaction Wanted For D tin igcj Doad|
by Iniarreutj.
Germany has began diplomat;** represon-'
tat ions to Spain relative to the Carina oabal
ca39, and the Gorman cruiser Cider, oa her!
way to Bahia, ha? been ordered to get
ready to proceed to Ca va if satisfaction
is not quickly fort teem!eg. - .
The German version of the Cunaneihai
case is that some Cuban insurgents, durihgj
tie night of ?larch 18, attacked a German,
relinery of Caanamaba, {also written Can-!
naaiaber.) belonging to tho firm of Fischer
A Schmidt of Trinidad, Province of Sact?|
Clara. The insurgents arc said to have;
rifled the safes, barasi the buildings, kiiied'.
lour persons, and wounded tun occupants
cf the reflaery. ?
/"I
The Qceen Co iigratnLatea CapUin SltibtK
Sir Julian Pauneefote, the British Ambassador,
paid n personal call on Captain'
'QlrroKan ?* fhn Vn?r nnnf WnehiniyJ
ton, and left with him a note of cont: retaliation
iubehnlrof ths Queen and Govern^""^
meat of Great Britain for Ills escape from' ^
death in the Maine disaster and his con- jl
duct on that occasion. I
Killed Wife and Himself. I
Harbert Dickorman, a railroad clerk,. I
shot iii3 wife and then himself withtho,
saute pistol at the home of Mrs. Diekermau's^ ( 1
father. inErookiine, Mass. Dickermnn was; 1
thirty yea?s old. and his wife was twenty-j I
.seven. 13 :.t ii were highly re's pa c ted audi . 1
r.o can so f ar tho murder and saicido is j I
known. . .
Earthquake In California. " .tl r
Great damage was dona by an earthquake} \
la California. Property valued at CoOO.QOOi
was destroyed at Maro Island Navy Yard at!
San Franfcisco. L.V_
_ =ryRelief
For 201,000 Reconcenlrado*. jr*?5
Supplies from the United States havel
now reached 102 towns in Cuba, and fcnvoi
been distributed to 201,000 reconcentrsdc^) ?
Axudni Sentenced to Death. !
Karditzl and Georgil, who attempted tOj
assassinate King George of Greece, mi
Athens, wore sentenced to death. j
' i
" J
Mam
^