Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-04-04
THE SITUATION AT TANeIER.
Tho War Ship Enterprise Lying at An
chor Within Cable Communication of
the Navy Department.

The War Ship Enterprise Lying at An.
chor Within Cable Communication of
the Navy Department.
WASHINGTON, April quite q furry
has been created among the State Depart
ment officials by the cable dispatch from
Tsngier, stating in an interview
cabled TO the Madrid Epoea that
Secretary Bayard had stated that Cap
tain McCalla, of the Enterprise, had
orders under no possible contingency
to use his guns. The dispatch to the Span
ish journal appears either to have been .
gross misststement or a wilful perversion OF
the Secretarys utterances on the subject.
Assistant Secretary Rives SAYS:
Every intelligent person should know
that the State Department issues no orders
10 naval officers. In this case, 50 far as
know. there has been absolutely no COM
munication, direct or indirect between the
Department and Captain McCalls or any
other naval officer. His vessel had sail d
for the station Of the Mediterranean
squadron before the trouble in Morocco SIS
sumed its present aspect, and no word has
been sent him or received from him."
A prominent naval officer attached 70
the Bureau of Navigation said TO a World
correspondent:
.'The Secretary of State has not in any
way interfered with the Navy Department
in this case, and the Madrid story is made
from whole cloth. There seems to be O
very general misunderstanding on the
present status of affairs in Morocco, which
little explanation may clear up. In the
first place. the enterprise was bound for
Villa Farnche, the station of the Mediter-
ranean squadron, when the difficulty be-
tween Consul General Lewis and the Moors
assumed menacing proportions When the
vessel reached Gibralter, it is supposed
McCalla found written instructions await
ing him, sent there by Admiral Green COM
mander of the squadron, to proceed to
Tangier, Consul-General Lewis having
cabled the Admiral Following out these
orders, McCalla sailed across the straits,
distance of about twentymiles, and cast
anchor off the city. He then cabled the
Navy Department, announcing his arrival
and stating that after investigating the sit
uation of affairs he would report in writing
1t is supposed that the report is now on its
way to the Department and may be re-
ceived in almost any mail. Consul-General
Lewis has also prepared a report and has ad-
vised the State Department thatitis already
overdue here.
This, then, is the present status of af-
fairs. As for any special instructions issued
to Captain McCalla for his guidance in this
difficulty, none have been given him, un-
less by Admiral Green, under whose i'm
mediate authority he has been since the
Enterprise touched the Gibraltar. An
officer in command of United States man.
of-war, however, does, of course, obey the
rules and regulations of the service, and OBJ
serves the usages OF civilized nations, which
constitute sort of general inter
national law Captain NcCalla has
no orders not TO fire on Tangier,
but he will not do so unless it
should.become necessary. He is now lying
stanchor within cable communication Of the
Navy Department, and can easily inform US
of any unex pected change. If, however, q
hostile demonstration OF force should be
made against him by the Moors-if, for in
stance, they should go step too far in this
sport they seem to be having with our little
vessel and fire upon her-McCalla would
not only fire back. but he would knock the
dirty little town into cooked bat in even
less time than it takes to tell it.
"The impression that the United States
has formulated its policy in this case and
that final orders have been issued in accor-
dance with it is a false one. We are, as IL
were, within speaking distance of both consul
and man-of-war and are now waiting for full
reports from both. Noinstructions have been
issued, and none will be until further state
ment. have been received unles. q special
zx;1.,nr should ariee -