The New York herald., 1875-12-21
YHE CUBAN QUESTION.
The Spirit Of Discord Still
Calling Out for War.
AN OPENING FOR INTERVENTION
The Efficiency Of Our Navy for Offensive and
Defensive Operations.
SENATOR CRAGIN ON THE SITUATION.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1875.
The ghost OF with Spain will not down. With
Congress of the way begins to walk about again.
but, as yet on dim and shadowy way, ghost
should.
THE LATEST GOSSIP
the subject takes its rise in the assumption that
Spain in her recent could discuss the pac6ca.
tion OF Cuba In reply to the noto Of Mr. Gushing, be-
the latter did not refer to pacicaton at ALL but
only spoke OF the damage being done to various
mercial interests island by the continuation of
the war and in this argument, 1t is held, President
Grant will now find basis for making conjcctured
recommendation to Congress
FOR INTERVENTION
The underlined fear still exists that the President in
tends to 90 something dangerous" and there is
less apprehension concerning the length to which
he may go.
SENATOR cRAGrNs vRws.
In long interview to-day with Senator Cragn,
Chairman OF the Senate Committee on Naval Affairs,
the Hispano- Cuban question was discussed by him
without As to the possibility Of warlike
operations arising out OF the present status OF affairs,
he said emphatically that, while he had OF
knowing what President Grants purposes to tho
expected additional message Congress- he did not for
a moment hesitate to believe that the President would
RECOMMEND INTERVENTION,
and that, OF course, meant war He spoke quite freely
of his conviction that too much reliance for fight
ing placed upon iron cads while the efficacy the
torpedo system except IN harbors still waters
greatly exaggerated He felt that for time of course
in the of hostllties breaking out
on the would suffer materially but, notwithstand-
ing the acknowledged
WEAKNESS OUR NAVY
in the character OF vessels and their ncapacy to cope
with the formidable OF the Spanish trigatcs,
~ tial IN hicb tha
United States excelled Them which consisted in the
superior skill and seamanshp of officers and
sailors While he did how long it would take
TO make needed additions to navy in of TO
present inadequacy, he did not doubt that,
with the present condition Of
OUR NAVY YARDS,
which he had inspected last summer with the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs, much rapid work could be
done and tho requirements of the exgency early met
He expressed his belief in the superior effects pro
duced by the old method Of marine lighting and the
OF wooden vessels nstancng the commanding position
OF Great Britain in this regard Senator Cragn further
SAID while he could fathom what being contem-
plated by the President and had not made
any inquiries in that connection, he believed that
something serious was going to be done, and that
there something yet behind eve are going to
have stirring times before long" was his final remark
IL proper say in this connection, that than
year ago, while still Chairman of the Senate Com
mittee OF Naval Affairs Senator Cragin affirmed with
out reserve concealment, that the Cuban question
would sooner later, branch out into
cAsUs BELLr
with Spain. he personifes in his unrestrained yet
firm and moderate expressions the whole question,
the real character of the od-time down East fighting
Skipper who from the Atlantic coast out to the
high to fight Britain's best and strongest ship