St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-15
SPAIN REGRETS IT.
Without Doubt Reparation
Will Be Made in the AlIi-
anca Affair."
UNCLE SAM INVESTIGATING.
No Demands viii Be Made I'm
til the Proofs Are Com
plete.
UNCLE SAM INVESTIGATING.
ABSURD TALK OF A BREAK.
Rumor Rife That a Declara-
ton of War Has Been
Threatened.

WASHINGTON, Marcn jl4.-IHe
department of state is moving with
deliberation in making up its case
against the Spanish government,
based on the firing by a Spanish
cruiser at the American steamship
Allanca, holding that in matters of
such moment it is absolutely essen
tial our government should be in
possession of the facts so as to avoid
the humiliation of retractfon
through making demand that
could not be sustained by the evil
dence. So far no reply has been
received at the department in re-
sponse to the request made upon
Capt. CroSsman, of the Allianca, for
further particulars of the incident.
In the meantime the officials are in
dustriously looking up precedents
for their guidance, and Mr.. Uhl,who
is still acting as secretary Of state
during the continued Illness Of Sec
retary Gresham, is in frequent con-
sultation with his superior at his
rooms in his hotel. One Of the
precedents which has been un-
earthed and brought to the atten-
tion of the acting secretary as hav-
ing a direct bearing upon the AL
lianca 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 au-
thority for the stoppage or deten-
ton of a mail steamer which is pur-
suing her usual route, even If that
route lay at places within the three
mile shore limit, and SO within the
marine Jurisdiction of the power
seeking to stop the ship. If this is
held to be sound doctrine, then, Of
course, the Spanish government
WILL MAKE PREPARATION
for the action of it's cruiser, even
should it appar that the Allianca
was within three miles of Cape
Maysia, as the Spanish minister
here believes. On the other hand,
if this decision is not of effect, then
what is known as the headland the
ory of jurisdiction will probably play
an important part in the adjustment
Of the matter. According to the con-
tention of Great Britain in the For
tune bay fisheries case, in which
the United States has acquiesced,
the line of marine jurisdiction is
drawn three miles from a line run
ming across from headland to head
land, in the case of a bay or a de-
preston in the general coast line
The Spanish authorities evidently
take the position, at this time in the
absence of exact adviceS, that the
Alliance was within such line, and
so within their jurisdiction, although
the ship may have been actually
more than three miles from the
nearest shore. Probably based on
the Alabama decision above referred
to, a rumor was in circulation today
to the effect that the state depart
ment had sent a sinister warming
to the Spanish government to the
effect that a
DECLARATION OF WAR
would follow a repetition of the Al
lianca affair. Acting Secretary Uhl
said this afternoon that he had no
further information to give to the
press than he had already given out,
and, taking their cue from him, the
other officials of the state depart
ment absolutely declined to say any
thing about the Allianca. But, from
the fact that no intimation of any
such precipitate action in the absence
of a knowledge of the facts has
been communicated to the Spanish
minister here, which would certainly
be the case if usual diplomatic ameni-
ties We're observed, even If such a
message had been sent to the Spanish
government directly through United
States Minister Taylor at Madrid, the
story failed to find much credence.
Senor Muruga, the Spanish minister
has not as yet received word from
Cuba as to the gunboat which fired
on the American ship, nor does he
know the name of the warship. The
delay is due to the fact that efgun-
doat is cruising off the eastern coast
of Cuba, 400 miles from Havana. =
The minister pronounces as abse-.
lutely false the publicati ton today in
the New York Herald that he had re-
ceived private informa ton of the fir
ing on the Alliance in advance of the
ship at New York.
MORE FACTS WANTED.
NEW YORK, March 14.-Following
is the letterfeceived by Capt. Cross
man from the state department at
Washington:
To Capt. James Crossman, Com
mander of the Allianca-Sir: I have
received your letter of March with,
out date, which reached the depart.
ment today, March IA, which reports
the circumstances under which the
above-named steamship on her home,
ward voyage from Colon, Colombia,
to New York off the north Cuban
coast, on the Sth inSt was fired upon
by Spanish gunboat.
The department desires to receive
from you statement of fact in the
possible, by a sketch-chart showing
the course of the Allianca in passing
Cape MayZi and the distance of the
vessel from the nearest point OF the
island OF C. ba. The affidavit should be
explicit upon the two points
Awaiting such, l am, sir, your obe>
dent servant. EDWIN F. UHL,
Acting Secretary.
Later in the day dispatch was re.
ceived from Secretary Gresham, ask.
ing Capt. Crossman to send the state
department exact data of the affair.
The captain telegraphed that the re,
port whould be sent at once.
Loss to the Revenue Service.
WASHINGTON, March 14.-Capt. I.
G. Shepard, chief of the revenue cutter
service of the treasury department,