Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-15

or outside the three-mile limit does not
affect the merits of the case.
From this 1t is apparent that the Secre-
tary has taken his stand on the decision of
the Alabama claims commission, which
was practically new dictum In international
law, for it had been the rule previous to
that decision to regard as the second ques-
tion the right of a nation to detain sus-
picious vessels passing within the limit
of three miles from its coasts over which
its marine Jurisdiction extends. 1t will
undoubtedly cost Spain bitter effort to
accept the force Of this doctrine, for, If
the right to stop suspicious ships in Cuban
waters is denied, the task of maintaining
an effective blockade against filibustering
expeditions wilr be extremely difficult, II
not impossible, without recourse to a for
NAL acknowledgment of the belligerency
of the insurgents. The Spanish government
would be exceedingly loath, as are nearly
all nations in such cases. to make such an
acknowledgment, for not only would 1t
immensely strengthen the rebellion moral
ly, but it would result In conferring upon
them certain very important aids In the
prosecution of their warfare. 1t was for
Just such a privilege that Admiral De
Cana struggled so hard in the Brazilian
rebellion, only to meet defeat through the
success of the efforts OF the Piexotto gov
ernment IN persuading the United states
against affording recognition of his bel
lgerency. r.
Mr.. Gresham in Charge.
Secretary Gresham came to the State De-
partment today in person, looking very
weak as the result of his illness, but de-
termined to keep the further negotiations
in his own hands. Looking to the future,
1t is fully expected, in view Of the prompt
action of the Spanish minister here In
promising in advance that II Spain was in
the wrong she would make all proper rep
aration, that the incident will be speedily
Id I1rxry fhn
Spanish government should be stang by
the urgency shown by the United States
in making the issue into refusing to meet
our demands our minister, MIR. Taylor, may
not unlikely demand his passports. and,
unless cooler counsels coming from some
disinterested and friendly nation prevail,
an ugly complication may result. ending In
the presence of considerable heet or
United States naval vessels in Cuban
waters to protect shipping.
The Secretary Criticised.
1t is said that Secretary Gresham acted
wholly on his own responsibility in this
matter, and that the President was not
consulted at all. He will probably approve
what has been done, but if he should not
the consequences might prove serious to
the Secretary of State. The latter is criti-
cised in certain quarters as having acted
hastily upon insufficient evidence. The
main argument used against him is that
there Is no legal proof that 1t was Span
ish warship that fired upon the Alianca.
The fact that she displayed the Spanish
aag is not regarded by the Secretary s
critics .as conclusive evidences on that
point inasmuch as that flag may have
been used by a piratical craft as a subter-
fuge to secure rich prize.
The fact that there is absolutely no evil
dence whatever as to the real identity of
the vessel that fired upon the Alliance is
also urged as reason for possible doubt
to hni Sy,on niCh
Spanish minister has repeatedly expressed
his disbelief of Capt. Crossnan.s narrative
and has given it as his best Information
that there was no Spanish warship in the
vicinity. at the time of the alleged occur
renee.
Our Fleet in the Gulf.
A telegram received at the Navy Depart
ment today from Admiral Meade an
nounced his arrival with his squadron at
La Guayra, on the coast of Venezuela. He
has now with him the flagship New York,
the triple-screw flyer Minneapolis and the
Cincinnati He could reach the Cuban
coast in a day or two, and there his fleet
might be reinforced quickly by The At
lanta and Raleigh. now at Colon, the Mont
gomery, on the Honduras coast. and the
Columbia, about to sail from New York
in few days, making fleet of seven
splendid new steel ships.
Capt. Crossmnn's Amdnvit.
The following is the affidavit of Capt.
Crossman CT the steamer Alliance, sent
to the State Department, accompanied by
a sketch chart:
The American steamship Alliance OF
the Columbian line, running between the
ports of New York, U. S. A.. and Colon,
r. Of c., under my command, was on her
homeward voyage on March 8.
"At half-past 6 o'clock am of that date
Mr.. F. w. Russell second officer, was ofii-
Ger of the deck and at his station on the
deck. Mr.. Russell reported to me that
there was steamer under the land, TO the
westward, steaming to the eastward.
II went on deck, and from the bridge,
with the aid of my marine glasses, made
her out to be barkentine-rigged steamer,
and shortly afterward l decided that she
was a war vessel
I'VE continued our course although on
| this voyage 1 was steering trifie more
easteIly. SO as not to approach the coast
| of Cuba within less than four miles, owing
| to the fact that had read dispatch in
| a Panama newspaper that there was
| trouble in the island of Cuba, and that a
| Spanish gunboat was patrolling the waters
around the east end Of the island.
| 1.-The steamer set her colors. the Spanish
| ensign, about fifteen minutes. past a. m.
| Immediately gave orders to set our colors
| ian American ensign) aft, on the staff. an6
| saluted the Spaniard by dipping our colors
| which salute was answered by the Span
lard. l then dipped again, acknowledging
his salute, and supposed the matter wa:
Suucu, DIS liz opduldTu ildu apparently
slowed down, and had, after saluting
hauled up more to the windward, or to-
ward the land.
| He was at this time about one and &
half to two miles from Us, on our por
beam. and dropping abaft that bearing, a:
we were continuing our course, north
| northeast to west by east, having the ides
in view to keep outside the distance Of {
| marine league from the land.
| about five minutes, OF possibly 1tttl'
| less, after the salute I heard a gun fired
| and turned to see what it meant. At th'
same time Mr.. Russell reported that th'
| Spaniard had fired blank. cartridge.
simply answered that as was on the higl
seas, I did not intend to stop. SO he coult
fire away which he did, another blanl
shot, about three or four minutes after tn
first and shortly afterward, at intervals o
few minutes, three more guns, with solit
4 shot, were fired at us, although all fel
short-two off the port quarter and the las
| astern of the starboard quarter, striking
the water about a quarter Of a mile distant
'1 omitted to state that upon looking a
the Spaniard after hearing the first sho
| found he had altered his ships cours
again. He was heading directly for us
and without doubt steaming at his bes
speed.
II judged that we were ssteaming faste
than he, so did not give any. orders to in
crease our speed. found we were grad