National Republican., 1873-11-14
ORR SPANISH COMPLICATIONS.

OUR SPANISH COMPLICATIONS.
The Government Ia without suf,cient on
riai information regarding the recent occur
renccs on the island Of Cuba to enable 1t to
act definitely, and Is, In fact, In possession Of
no information beyond that which has been
COW eyed to the public through the columns
Of the press. Il has not been satisfactorily
ascertained that the virginius was within
three miles Of the shore Of Jamaica at the
time Of her capture, and II 10, therefore, i'm
possible TO declare at this time whether the
capture wa. made In British waters. Itscems
that the Spanish vessel Tornado pursued the
virginius for eight hours. All accounts, both
official and unofficial, agree on this point. A
calculation Of the speed Of both vessels for |
this space Of time shows that they had
been headed towards the island Of Jamaics,
and that II tho chasc had been In tho dlrec-
lion Of British waters, tho ylrginius would,
under any circumstance, have been able to
reach the prescribed llmlt-ia other words,
shs would have reached the line underneath
the bluffs of the leland inside Of which she |
would not have been amcnable 70 capture. |
But the inference from the meagrc informa-
ton at hand is, that the chase was In direc- |
tion parallel with the coast up TO the time
when the Tornado, having repaired her ma
chincry, changed her course. At this time
the virginius changed her course also,
and undoubtedly attempted 70 reach point
Of safety. Whether she succeeded or not 10
n question yet to be settled. The Spanish
announcement, as printed In tho official
gazette at Madrid, distinctly asserts that she
did not reach that point before tho Tornado
overhauled her, and adds most positively
that she was six miles from the coast"
Until this important question Il settled the
State Department Is manifestly at o loss for
u basis upon which 10 rest q complaint.
The testimony regarding this point will
necessarily be vague, and perhaps unsatis-
factory, as the capture was made at 10
o'clock at night, when It was impossible 10
make reasonable estimate Of distances, and
when, as the moon was shining brightly, tho
difficulty of such an estimate was doubled.
Questions also arise regarding the registry
Of the virginius. Up to this lime the Span
sh authorities have raised no point against
TIC popular allegation that sho was an Amer
isAn vessel. No opportunity has been af-
forded them to do SO. for the reason that the
question has not yet been discussed, and that
NO point involving the nationality Of her
ownership has been raised. It Is possible
that the Spanish authorities may have
some information regarding this mos,
important feature Of tho matter, and
may be in readiness TO develop II
when the emergencies Of the case require
them to do so. Our Government standl
ready to-day to maintain that she was on
American vessel, aud will do so most earn
estly unless proof Is brought forward to show
that she had forfeited her right to lts protcc'
tion by the terms Of valid sale TO parties
who have no claim upon the United States.
Immediately upon receipt Of the newsof thu
first execution, Secretary Fish, In behalf O
this Government, took action intended Il
prevent additional butcheries. In dispatch
the language Of which was unmistakabl,
forcible and decided, he protested sgains
the executions Us barbarous, In violation o
the civilization Of the age, and as dlsgract
full. The repeated occasions for tho inter
yention Of our Government, In similar In
stances, induced the Secretary to assume
most positive position, and 1t Is Ger
tain that tho Spanish authorities at Mad
rid, to whom the dispatch was transmitte
through General sicklcs, accepted Its teno
US an indication Of our impatience, as well q
determination on our part to use every legit
mate cndcavor to put an end to the inhu
man atrocities of the volunteers. The dis
patch having been read to Senior Figueras
Minister sickles received assurance that tn
Madrid Government would interven
to prevent further executions, an
that the United States need no
make any further demand In tn
premises, rs the Spanish Government wa
ready to yield without such demand an
reclamation" that may be required by tn
usages of civilization, the laws of nationi
or treaty obligations. Our Government aC
cepted these promises as the uttcrances Q
men who made them In good faith, and wit
an honest intention to fullll them to III
letter. The orders were issued immediatel,
to be transmitted to tho Captain General I
Havana, who, no doubt, attempted to carr
them out; but In the meantime the Telegram
wires had been cut or disconnected betwee
Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and 1t Is no
apparent that Governor Burrlcll, the Spanis
commandant at the latter place, will asset
that on account Of this interruption Of con
munication he did not receive the order
delay the executions.
The American Vice Consul at Santiago
Cuba did everything in his power to pr,
vent the butcheries. Onicial dispatcht
from Consul General Hall, at Havana, Civ
him this credit, and unofficial informatio
has been received sufficiently In detail
show that he cxertcd every resource at h
command to accomplish tho desired objcc
Ithas been learned officially that when !
attempted to communicate with his superic
at Havana, by telegraph, the Spanish autho
tiles intcrvencd. As the Government has fu
control Of the telegraph, the interventlo
was successful In prohibiting him from send
ing the dispatches which he had written
No doubt exists regarding the authority thu
exercised by Governor Burrell or his asso
clatcs over the telegraph, as the wires ar
owned and exclusively controlled as q INC
nopoy by the Government. The wires wer
subsequently cut Or disconnected. While n
proof exists to show that the destruction @
communication was otherwise than accl
dental, the suspicion naturally arises that
was Intentional. But the prohibition eIer
clsed In preventing the vice consul from send
Ing his dispatches before the wires had beel
cnt IN Consul General Hall cannot be construe