The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-26
THE SPANISH ARMADA.
4 Review Of the SituatiOn-The United States
Marshal in Full Possession-0rdery and
Instructions from WashingtOn-Sur-
misses as to What Spain Means
With Fleet in New York Har-
bOr-The Application to
Bend the Cunboats.

bOr-The Application to
Bend the Gunboats.
1t is not necessary to draw upon one's Imagination
to give this AFFAIR OF the Spanish gunboats any
satlonal colorinQ The facts connected with their
seizure and all the circumstances surrounding 1t are
in oil truth, weighty enough to make it the promi-
ncnt sensation OF the me II is not alone the mag.
nitude OF the money value Of tue objects seized
thirty new gunboats, with their tackle, apparel,
engines and furnture-but more so the extent and
nmincatfon OF the interests involved, the high po
lfical importance at homo ~ well az abroad, OF the
questions raised for decision and which IL may be
dlmcult TO avoid, and further also, the present
certainty a. to the attitude which the governments
Of Regent Serrano, IN Spain. may assume should
their wishes In tine matter be thwarted. All tins
taken In connection renders this complication OF the
Spanish gunboats OF the most serious the Ameri-
can government has had to meet for years past.
There are several parties interested and in order 70
place the whole matter In its true light before the
public short reference Will suficc.
Ftrst-The government Of Spain determined to
crush out the revolution OF the Cubans ct all hazards
and ct any cost. That government, 1t will DO recol-
lected, has courteousy, but firmly declined the oner
mediate between Spain and the insurgents In Cuba.
The Spanish appear to believe that their national
honor and dignity involved in the case, ana are
said to have declared their Interchangeable resolution
not to part with the possession Of Cuba at the beck
OF revolution nor to allow Sd far as in their power
lies any interference between the spanish govern
ment and Its colony the part OF foreign govern
ment. They have urged the speedy completion Of
these quit boats; for they affect to believe,
and probably do believe, that with the aid
Of these vessels they could suppress in
very short time all organized resistance
to their rule the island, which event ts thing of
necessity for them, since the home government OF
Spain is In need Of funds and Cuba has hitherto
most Iavshly replenshed the Spanish treasury,
while now, since the revolution, the colony costs
vast sums Of money for armament and other war
expenses. 1t ia therefore matter OF serious con-
with Spain TO obtain the release Of these boats
In order that they may be used for the purpose they
were destined to effect.
iSeoond-The people Of Cuba. or at least that por.
ton Of them which is in open revolt against Spain,
have now for over year maintained them
selves. with varying results and according to sworn
statement in the hands OF District Attorney Pierre
point Exercised exclusive Jurisdiction and control
throughout the greater part OF the island to wit the
district extending from Santiago de Cuba, ON
the Caribbean Sea, to Baracoa ON the Allan
tic Ocean, and from Barac0a TO Sagua,
on the Atlantic Ocean, and from Sagua TO Cien-
fucgos the Caribbean Sea, and thence to Santiago
de Cuban And the people or this district and their
sympathizers, saiders and abettorsp oil over the
island feel that Spain In possession OF these gun
boats, would materially alter the present relations
between the revolutionists and that country, that
the chances Of the ultimate success Of the former
would be considerably essened, and the time for
ousting monarchicai rule and erecting the island
into an Independent republic indefinitely postponed
7htrd-The American people, who have that
innate fondness. SO Characteristic Of all generous
hearted nations for sympathizing with the weak
against the strong, and especially when the weak
struggle Tor "liberty and independence" as ia the
case in Cuba When, the early part Of the present
century, the nrst throes Of revolutionary uprsings
In the Spanish-American provinces were per-
ceived the voice of Henry Clay only gave utterance
to the general sentiment Of the country in favor
the recognition OF these nascent republics And the
popularity gained among Americans by the SELF
sacrificing patriotism OF Miranda not yet forgot
ten. the American people OF to-day are possessed
OF the same republican instincts and liberal impulses
as they were fifty and sixty years ago, and hence
their sympathies with the struggling Cuoans. Yet
F0wth-The administration at Washington is no
lcSH HHcCLcQ Uy Lneso eVeutb tuHu arc SPAIN, the
Cubans and the American people. The adminlstra-
ton Is the constitutional and authoritative mead OF
the nation and speaks and acts IN It's name. II has,
as o matter Of course in representative popular
government feel the public pulse to ascertain the
public will and shape Its policy In accordance with
the public demand But 1t is not permitted
to act upon this alone. 1t must take into con-
sderation questions OF international law interna-
ti0nal comfy, and weigh the events of the
day In the scale OF law, justice and oftentmes
also Of expedency. And herein lies the great DIM
Guilty In the present instance. During the rebellion
OF the Southern States France made similar offer
OF her good offices at mediation, and the offer was
politely declined just Spain has now declined the
late offer Of the United States. 1t then claimed
by the American government that the revolt OF o
part OF the people was simply and exclusively Q
domestic AFFAIR." that the territorial Jurisdiction OF
the government remained intact and that for for
eign government to recognize any other within the
established limits OF the country was viewed the
light Of an 'unfriendly act,n and upon this was
based the oftrepeated complaints against England
OF conceding begerent rights to the South. his Is
exactly the position advanced by Spain now ana
relied upon by her government at home and her
tenance any act intended, howsosver remotely, to
aid the Cubans Besides this question or International
law. as expOunded and insisted on by the American
government since 1851; besides this question OF in
ternatlonal comfy pressed by Spain there comes
INTO play the laws OI CODBress rs enacted
In 1915 From all this 1t Will be that the stu
alton, viewed imparlially from all sides. 10 an ex
ceedlngly embarrassing one, demanding the exer-
else OF wisdom and craftsmanship In the highest
degree.
WHAT JUDGE PIERREPONT SAYS.
Such Is the situation Of this affair at present.
Ana II was in full view Of these several interests
involved and the bearing OF the several questions
which enter into the consideration OF this matter OF
the spanish gunboats, that Judge Pierrepont re-
marked yesterday that 1t was more OF political
than OF 4 legal question; that II will depend upon
the way In which the administration may treat 1t
it shall become It's most popular act or its
wncths- 1T ne himself did not pretend to
possess possess s uHa wisdom saysss wese
ought to be taken, but he wou,s Aatsllniiy anu
promptly carry out whatever instructions he should
receive from his superior officers
MARSHAL HARLOW IN FULL POSSESSION.
AS was reported IN these columns yesterday,
United states Marshal Barlow took possession late
on "Wednesday afternoon OF all the thirty boats.
Ahwart the dock, at the loot OF Thirteenth street,