The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-12-31

disposition to comply with the mandates tn
7 nome government and obligations of the srea
ty with thu United States without further dis
cusslon, is becoming general. The genera
commanding at Santiago de Cuba in the alb
sence of Gen. Burriel, acting without orders
| placed 81 Virginius prisoners aboard the Span
ish man .of-war Bazan, and sent them to Oh
enfugcs. The few remaining prisoners. either
too i'll to be removed, or being youths Of ten
| der age, have been set at liberty The pris
oners while at Santiago were we'll treated by
the authorities and in no way molested by the
! populace When the Bazan reached Cienfu.
| gos, her commander announced by telegraph
| to Havana his arrival with the prisoners. The
captain-general answered by ordering the i'm
| mediate return of the Bazan and prisoners to
| Santiago, where they must have arrived by
now.
The protocol, signed by Admiral Palo
with Secretary Fish on the 29th of November,
was with the full appreciation of his govern
ment, after mature deliberation of all it's con-
sequences, and since that time it has expressed
no inclination whatever for an exchange of it's
terms. The excitement in the island of Cuba,
and the alleged threats concerning the Virgin
ius, gave reasonable foundation for fear on
the part of many persons that the vessel
and her surviving passengers and crew would
not be promptly delivered to the Unite States
authorities according to the terms of the
agreement; but such apprehensions have not
been shared by the executive branch of our
government, for it can be positively stated
that there is nothing to diminish its confidence
in the sincerity of purpose of the Spanish
government, or it's ability to execute its en-
gagements. The delay of transactions has
been unavoidable, and only recently the ar
rangement for the consummation Of the terms
has been completed. Whatever may have
been suggested heretofore as to the pro-
gramme it can be now asserted that the Vir-
ginius will be delivered to one of our navy
vessels within the next ten days at Cuban
port in open day, and the surviving passen-
gers and crew will be transferred TO United
States ship at Santiago de Cuba in an equally
open manner. The vessels to perform these
services will soon, be, if they have not already
been, designated by the secretary of the navy.
This is the condition of affairs tonight, which
has served to inspire a hope of continued
peace with Spain in order that the United
States may continue to give their moral sup
port to the CASTELAR, government in its efforts
to establish republic.
The secretary of the navy has sent
the following letter to the speaker Of the
house of representatives, which has been re-
Fo,,ro1 +o +ba norono;+taa Oo onoroOri 10 tinns
"Under circumstances of the present emer-
gency am compelled to ask that special
appropriation be made to cover the expenses
of putting the iron-clad and cruise navy of the
United States in a condition for immediate
and active service. I have taken measures to
put every available iron clad and wood ship OF
our navy in a condition for immediate duty. l
have ordered all the ships of the various
squadrons within reach to rendezvous at Key
West. am enlisting men TO supply and fill
up the crews of all our vessels. I have accu-
rnulGted materials, provisions and supplies for
their maintenance and support, and advanced
ammunition and all weapons of naval warfare
for their use The circumstances which have
constrained the department to this unusual
activity and consequent expenditure are
known to you and the country. The fact that
they occurred during the recess of congress
made it necessary that l should myself assume
the responsibility of prompt action, relying
upon the wisdom and justice of the people
and their representatives for support I have
not, as yet, exceeded the appropriations, but
these measures, with the cost Of prepar-
ing, transporting and concentrating every
thing necessary to carry them out, have
already almost exhausted the money of the
working bureaus of the department, and
this must be supplied at once, if the
work goes on. The cost of putting our
iron-clads in service, work already underta-
ken and in some instances far advanced, will
also require large. appropriation. The
amount required to reimburse the bureaus so
as to carry them through this year, and also to
put all our available monitors in order, will
not be less than one million dollars. If our
force is to be increased, or if the powerful
double turreted monitors Miantonomah, Mon
adnoct and Puritan are to re put into condi-
ton for usefulness, at least one million more
will be required"