Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-11-25
WHOLE NO. 1905.
Prospects OF War.
ACTIVITY AT THE NAVY YARD.

ACTIVITY AT TUE NAVY YARD.
WASHINGTON, November l7.--Or-
ders were given at the navy depart
ment yesterday and day before for the
immediate fitting out of three vessels
of-war, and the fact made known by
the recent dispatches from Spain
and the vague hints given out in
Washington diplomatic circles, that
negotiations are now in progress be-
tween Minister Gushing and the gov
eminent at Madrid in relation to the
treaty of 1895, have been the occas.
ion of
MANY WILD RUMoRs
touching the mutual relations of the
two nations, and these rumors have
been seized upon and exaggerated by
the members of the Cuban bond ring,
until, if one halt of them were
worthy of credit, there would be
reason to fear that we were even now
on the eve of war with Spain
There is no doubt that it has long
been the desire of our government TO
secure a modification of the treaty of
1895 and especially the repeal of
certain sections of it which are very
onerous upon the upon the United
States, and have been omitted from
all recent treaties with foreign pow
ers. II is well known, also, that Min
lister Gushing, before his departure
for Spain, discussed this subject
freely in conversation with friends,
and expressed a hope that one result
of his nilsson might be to bring the
Spanish government to consent to
these changes in the treaty.
THE LATE NOTE.
While, therefore, the terms of the
note of the United States, which has
recently been discussed by the
Spanish cabinet, have been given to
the public, it is inferred from what
is known of our own policy in regard
to this subject, and from the charac.
ter of Spain's reported answer to the
note, that it related chiefly, if not
wholly, to the desired changes in the
treaty, and that
1T DID NOT TREAT OF THE WAR
that has 80 long been in progress in
progress in Cuba. exciting article
on the relation between the United
States and Spain, which appeared in
the London Tins of November 8, has
caused considerable here to day. 1t
is proper to say that that article was
based on a wholly mistaken idea of
the character of the diplomatic note
of the United States TO the Spanish
government. A so called semi
official dispatch was sent out from
Washington to the press Of the coun-
try just previous to the publication OF
that article which purportod to give
at some length a statement Of the
attitude of the United States towards
Spain, and while it did not say that
the policy there enunciated had been
officially annouced to Spain in the
diplomatic note in question, the ex-
istence of which had just been learn
ed, the natural inference derived from
the whole dispatch was to that effect.
THE TROUBLESOME PROVISION.
The section of the treaty of 1895
which General Gushing is endeavor-
ing to have modified is the twelfth,
and in these words:
The merchant ship of either Of the parties
which shall be making into port belonging to
the enemy of the other party, and concern
ing whose voyage and species of goods on
board there shall be just grounds of suspicion,
shall be compelled to exhibit as well upon the
high seas in the ports, and have not only
her passports but likewise certificates, ex-
pressly showing that her goods are not Of the
number of those which have been prohibited
as contraband.
1t is evidently this treaty right to
search vessels upon The high seas
upon suspicion only that the Madrid
dispatches indicate that the Spanish
government is unwilling TO surrender.
Diplomatists have long insisted that
this section alone has prevented
THE RECOGNITION OF CUBAN
beligrency by the United States. SO
long as this section stands, il the
United States should recognize Cuba,
every American merchantmen would
be compelled by the treaty to submit
to this inquisitiye search Of Spanish
frigates L the section should be
abrogated, one great obstacle to the
recognition of Cuba would be remov-
ed. Spain understands this and re
sists. This is the Interpretation of
the recent dispatches in diplomatic
circles.