The Portland daily press., 1873-11-27
The Cuban Outrage.
IMPOTENCE OF THE CASTEL-
AR GOVERNMENT.
War Preparations Actively Push
ed at Washington.
POSSIBILITIES ALMOST
CERTAIN.
Spain Yields all Demands.
THE VIRGINIUS TO BE SUR
RENDERED.
Gen. Sheridan Ordered to Wash
ingtOn.
Unfavorable Adviccs from Spain.
[Snecial of Boston journal

There is good reason to believe that official des-
patches have beer received to-day to confirm
the speculations of yesterday concerning the
probabilities of the over throw of the CASTELAR,
Republic and the establishment of Carlst
Regency in its place.
Intelligence this morning appears to indicate
that even should the CASTELAR, government offer
the promised satisfactory PREPARATION and be
of Cuba would not render obedience to the
commands of the home government.
Our Demands.
The position of our government relative to
the demanded surrender of the Virginius has
been misnterpreted. The demand means that
only the vessel be surrendered to the jurisdic-
ton of the United States courts, where Spain
can have an opportunity of substantiating the
allegations against the character of the Vir-
ginius i'll a proper judicial manner. in the
event of the failure of the CASTELAR, government
to satisfy our demand, it will remain for Con-
gress to determine whether the United States
shall demand at Havana what they will have
been unable to obtain at Madrid.
Great Activity i'm Warilke Preparations
Meanwhile the greatest activity in warlike
preparations continues New indications are
the fact that Gen. Sheridan has been sum-
moned to Washington for consultation, and
that the Navy Department will soon exhaust
the appropriation of three million five hundred
thousand dollars for construction and repairs
made for the fiscal year.
ITO the Associated Press.]
An Ominous Report.
New YORK Nov. 26.-The Herald's Wash
ington correspondent, who yesterday tele-
graphed that the extra work which had been
ordered was stopped in all the navy yards now
correspondents in Washington during the pas
week has been a serus of positive statements,
counteracted by positive denials of what the
wariike purposes of the government really
meant. 1t is now beyond concealment that
every effort is being put forth in anticipation of
actual hOstilities with Spain.
Multiplicity Of Naval Orders.
The Secretary of the Navy last evening re-
ceived information which quickened, if posi-
BILE, the activity of the Department in prepar-
ing for crisis. Orders, peremptory aud plen-
AIRY, were issued by the Secretary to the chiefs
of bureaus of ordinance, equipment and re-
cruiting, yards and docks, navigation, medicine
and surgery, provisions and clothing steam en-
gineering and construction and REPAIRS to at
once put the navy in the best possible condi-
ton without waiting for his approval The
chief of each bureau is to see that his orders
are executed with the least possible delay and
are to consider themselves at liberty to act in
an unrestricted manner. The results to be OBJ
tanned were immediate, and prompt action was
expected.
The next orders issued were to Rear Admiral
Cass. commanding the European squadron, to
the other vessels under full steam, to Key West
Dispatches were then prepared for the Rear
Admiral commanding the South Pacific aud
South Atlantic stations, which are now on their
way, to order all the vessels of their feet to
Key West and report to Navy Department at
that point.
A telegram has been sent to the commander
of the East India squadron informing him of
the gravity of the situation, and to issue orders
at once to every vessel of the feet to prepare
for any emergency.
Another and Better View Of the Situation.
Per contra, a Times double loaded editorial.
which reads as if it was semi-officially inspir-
ed, says we have reason to believe that the me-
gOtiatiOn with Spain has assumed a shape which
places the prospect eff war at a much greater
distance than was the case yesterday ho
Spanish government has, we believe, made
known its willingness to surrender the Virgin
ius and salute the flag and dellYer up the sur
vivors among the crew and passengers, in short,
to comply substantially with the demands Of
the United States Government, but 1t thinks
that the question whether or not the Virginius
was really an American vessel should be decd-
ed first. Upon his latter point the Govern
ment is not likely to recede from its original
position, namely, that the fact of the Virginius
carrying duly certified papers and sailing under
the American flag must be accepted as prima
facie proof that she was an American vessel.
The feeling In Washington at late hour last
night was that Spain would yield, and that th4s
the firm requirements Of our Government would
be acceded to.
Demand for the virginius.
A Washington special says that dispatches
from Minister Sickles last night, state that the
Spanish government has decided to release the
Virginius to the American authorities 1t is
stated that our government took the ground
that we alone, not Spain, should decide the
question whether the Virginius had forfeited
her right to sail under the American flag, and
whether those on board of her were engaged in
violating the laws of the United States. The
release Of the vessel was formally demanded as
the first step towards satisfactory adjustment
of the questions at issue.
Surrender Of the yirginius 10 the UNITED
States
A special dispatch from Washington contains
the following;
Secretary Fish and Admiral Polo, the Span.
ish minister. have agreed on O basis for the
settlement of the Virginius matter which agree,
ment has just been transmitted to the Spanish
Government by telegraph for approval.
The Virginius is to be surrendered to the
United States.
1t is tie opinion of the members of the Sen.
ate Committee of Foreign Relations that the
action of the Spanish government in deciding
to restore the Virginius removes any just cause
which this country may have had for declaring
war.
The Progress Of Negotiation,
WARRINGTON, NOV. lO.-AS IL Is not custom
airy for governments to make known, unless by
competent authority, the progress of negotia-
tions, it can therefore be said that the state
ments regarding an alleged agreement between
Spain and the United States are, to say the
least, premature, 1t is known that our govern
ment has protested to that of Spain against the
seizure of the Virgi.ius while flying the Amer.
lean flag, and the summary execution of a
number of persons captured, Notwithstanding
the effoitsof our vice consul to secure delay in
order that our government might be heard be-
fore judgment should be pronounced The
conduct of the Spanish man-ofwar, aud that Of
the authorities at Santiago de Cuba, being con-
trary not only to international law but against
comfy which should always exist among civil
liked and friendly nations.
The stay of farther executions at Santiago
de Cuba by order of the CASTELAR, government
places the case in condition for settlement
This government has already shown to the
Spanish government, or assumed that the Vir
ginius having United States flag was prin,d
facie an American vessel. At least this char.
acter was attached to her at the time of her
SEIZURE. and hence the United States, in the
absence OF proof that the ownership resided in
some foreign port we're bound to protect the
flag she carried. The Spanish government has
been afforded an opportunity to make the
proper explanations on three points and to JUS
tholity. The nationality of the vessel settled,
the remaining points will be Comparatively OF
easy solution and then include the nationality
OF the captives. If it should be determined that
| the VirginiuS W Is an American vessel in the
| sense that shielded her from capture, her sur.
| render would follow as a matter of course, and
| the firing salute to our flag would not be a Sc.
| we're draft on Spanish pride A demand for
| the surrender of the surviving passengers and
| crew and for q suitable indemnity for the bene
| fit of those slain at Santiago de Cuba would de.
pend on the contingencies aud on the facts OF
| the entire question. If such demand were
made it would not certainly include families OIL
those of any nationality other than our own
| Spain has before now delivered the captured
| American vessels to their owners through the
intervention of the United States goyeernmnt
| after long delays, the contests always being as
| to the la"-fulness of the transactions and Oul
| government has been engaged for many years
| in procuring the release from time to time Of
American citizens unjustly imprisoned or de
| prived of their property in the island OF Cubs
| while insisting upon respect to the Uuite(
! States flag and the right to navigate the grea
| highways of nations without the exercise O
! seach or ather mOlestation.
In repeated cases indemnity has been claim
ed for the families of those cruelty aud injusti
fiably put to death. the after cases of this kline
being those of Speakman and Myeth who sew
eral years ago were executed at Santiago d.
| Cuba, while it can be repeated that the Spanisl
| Cabinet still manifests disposition to do what
| ever their honor will warrant Aud while tn
United States asks nothing more than what tn
| facts in the dreseat controversy may Justify
| there is yet ne such condition of affairs as will
| anihorize.
| The statement that n concinsion has hee,