The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-15
Assistant Secretary Uhl and His Aids
Are RansackinE the A-chives of
the 0Rce for Precedents.
MORE INFORMATION NEEDED
CAPTAIN CRossHAN Requested To
FORWARD FURTHER DETAILS.
He Is Certain His Steamer Was Out
side the Thrce-MIle Limit when the
Spanish War ship Fired ut Him.

WASHINGTON, March ls-The Depart
ment of State is moving with deliberation
in making up its case against the Spanish
government based on the firing by Span
iSh cruiser at the American steamship Al
lianca, holding that in matters of such mo-
ment il is absolutely essential that our gov-
ernment should be in possession of the ex-
act facts, so as to avoid the humiliation OF
retracting, through making a demand that
could not be sustained by the evidence
so far reply has been received in re-
sponse TO the request made Captain
Crossman, of the Allianca, for further par
ticulars of the incident. The officials are
industriously looking up precedents for their
guidance, and Mr. UhI, who is still acting
as Secretary of State during the continued
illness of Secretary Gresham. is in frequent
consultation with his superior at his rooms
in his hotel. one of the precedents which
has been unearthed and brought to the at
tention of the acting Secretary as having
direct bearing on the Allianca incident was
found in the proceedings of the Alabama
Claims Commission. In one of the decisions
announced by Judge French the court held
that there was no authority for the stop
page or detention of a mail steamer which
is pursuing her usual route, even IL that
route lay at places within the three-miie
shore limit, and SO within the marine juris
diction of the power seeking to stop this
ship. If this is held TO be sound doctrine
then, of course, the Spanish government
will make reparation for the action of it's
cruiser, even should 1t appear that the
Allianca was within three miles of Cape
Maysi, as the Spanish minister here be-
lieves.
On the other hand, If this decision is not
offset, then what Is known as the headland
al MIA
important part in the adjustment of the
matter. According to the contention OF
Great Britain in the Fortune bay fisheries
case, in which the United States has
quiesced, the line of marine jurisdiction is
drawn three miles from a line running
across from headland to headland, in the
case of bay depression in the general
coast line. The Spanish authorities evident
ly take the position at this time, in the
absence of exact advices, that the Alliance
was within such a line and so within their
Jurisdiction, although the ship may nave
been actually more than three miles from
the nearest shore. Probably based on the
Alabama decision above referred 10, ru-
NOR was in circulation to-day TO the erect
that the State Department had sent sinister
warning to the Spanish government TO the
effect that a declaration of war would
follow a repetition Of the Allianca ailalr.
Acting Secretary TN sag TINS ai , i've
to the press than he had already gwen OUT.
and, taking their cue from MN, the othtr
officials Of the state Departmen&t & Ii,ana
affair. But from the TACT that no intlinh-
tion of any such precipitate action, IN tne
absence of a knowledge OF tne t hac's, ,,n,ss mas
been communicated TO the spanish MINIS
ter here. which would certainly be me me
case if usual diplomatic amenities were oo-
served even If such a. message had peen
sent to the Spanish government dlrectly
through United States Minister Taylor at
Madrid, the story failed to find much creo-
II is said that the State Department Of
fcials and the Spanish minister have con-
pared notes on the law appilcsuie 20 tnc
Justice has already specifically ruled on
the right of a warship under ceslaln ia Sns
cumstances TO fire blank cartridges anu
then solid shot across the BOWS or nIyi Tt
chant ship in order to command halt. me
opinion was rendered by Attorney genera az
Blatk on July 2S. 1860. and is contained In
ions This applies TO the high seas she.e
being no question as to the rlgnt o. ue
tention the al, Ailldnca ~ snnsaTs mar IN the iudr-
n,ent OF Senor Muruaga, that the Spanish
war shin kept within the strict letter or
Stetas This still leaves open the question
whether the Spanish ship fred the shotted
gun across the bows or the AillanSa or
3ireo-tfv at her Captain Crossman, OF the
American ship, contends that the shots We're
fired to hit. Ihe spanish captain Is yet 10
be heard from on this point
Senor Muruaga had not, up TO y. M
to-day, received word from CUBA as 10 tne
gunboat which fired on the Americsl
Ship, nor does he know the name OF the
war ship. The delay IS due to the fact
that the gunboat Is cruising of the east
ern coast of Cuba, four hundred miles from
lutely false the publication to-day In the
New York Herald that he had received
private information Of the hring on the
Allianca in advance Of the snip at Ne"