Evening star., 1895-03-19
IA CABINET MEETING
Numerous Foreign Complications
Discussed at Today's Session.
TEE AILlANCA CASEFARPRQM SETTLED
Spain's Reply Not Satisfactory to
the administration.
OFFICIALS SILENT AND SECRET

OFFICIALS SILENT AND SECRET
For the first time since the adjournment
Of Congress the President and his entire
cabinet assembled at the White House to-
day for general discussion of the state Of
public business. There were many import
ant matters to be settled, and the session
was protracted much beyond its usual du-
ration. Naturally, our numerous foreign
complications several of which originated
during the absence of the President, re-
ceived the principal attention. Secretary
Gresham's portfolio was observed to be un-
usually plethoric, and presumably con-
tanned all the latest correspondence in the
Spanish-Allianca controversy, the British
New Orleans incident and the Walsenburg
Italian affair. The negotiations for the set
tlement of these complications with Great
Britain and Italy are progressing satisfac-
torily. and will undoubtedly be honorably
adjusted by diplomatic methods.
The Alliancu Case.
The Alliance affair, however, is far from
settlement, and bids fair to run along in
diplomatic channels for long time before
1t can be considered a "clossd incident"
The Spanish government has practically
declined to accede to Secretary Greshams
peremptory demands for an apology until
satisfactory evidence is offered that her
officers have transgressed international
rights. 1t Is understood that Spain's pre-
Hminary reply, transmitted through Minis
ter Taylor at Madrid was in effect, that
II that country was in the wrong in the
matter she would speedily and voluntarily
make all proper reparation, but 1t was in
sisted that that point could not be clearly
established until the commanding officer of
the offending warship had made an official
report of the occurrence. Minister Taylor
was informed, so 1t Is asserted, that IL the
er on the high seas, as alleged by Capt.
Crossman, the action was in excess OF In
structions and would be disavowed with
proper expressions of regret, and that Or
ders would be given against the molesta-
ton of legitimate American commerce In
Cuban waters regardless of questions or
Jurisdiction. Before making final reply the
Spanish government requested reasonable
time in which to satisfy itself on the Vart-
GUS matters of fact in dispute.
Spain's Reply Not Satisfactory.
The reply of Spain is not entirely salts
factory to the administration. This theory
Is advanced as one of the reasons why
it is not made public. The secrecy on this
point is in strong contrast with the wide
publicity given to Secretary Gresham's
'uItimatum That message was given to
the press in this city the very morning 1t
was communicated to the Spanish foreign
minister by Mr.. Taylor. 1t Is now devel-
oped, that the message was made pubic
in this city and not in Madrid, as was at
first supposed.
Refuse to Discuss the Subject.
1t seems to have been borne in upon the
officials from the Secretary down that in
the present excited state of public feeling
in this country better progress can be
Ia n he
incident by keeping the various notes secret
than by giving publicity to them before a
conclusion has been reached. Therefore the
only response to definite inquiries that can
be obtained is a positive refusal to discuss
the subject in any aspect, and whether or
rot any action has yet been taken by the
Spanish government in the direction of is
suing Instructions to its naval officers to re-
frain from further interference with amer. .
from Havana, from which point the orders
will be distributed. AS the little gunboats
are widely scattered along the Cuban coast
and neignboring waters, II Will not pe an
es sy task to communicate these orders
speedily to all of them so 1t Is just possible
that there may be some further incident,
similar to the Allianca affair, before these
orders are made known to the spanish
Eaval commanders.
Not Over Intelligent Officers.
It appears, in the light of events Of this
officers of the smaller craft are not always
of a high degree of intelligence or rank, for
in cases where they have detainedAmerican
ships they have found it necessary to hold
the ship for several days in order that they
might fall in with another and larger
cl User with an officer aboard of sufficient
intelligence to read and pass upon the ade-
ouacy of the captives papers.
The general impression here is that the
Alliance incident has already passed the
acute phase, and may be sa1eiy leit 10
diplomatic adjustment in the ordinary
vance, assured the State Department that
ff Spain was in the wrong in the matter
she would voluntarily make proper
amends, and it is not doubted that II she
instruct her naval officers to abstain from
stopping American ships. The only ques-
tions then left to be settled will be oues-
tions of fact as to the location OF the ALI
anca when she was first signaled, the
exact attitude toward her of the Spanish
cruiser, and the question Of international
law as to the right of search inside OF the
marine league, the last only In case 1t is
shown that the Alliance was within that
limit.
A Grave Difference of Opinion.
The report of the captain general Of
Havana made public today shows that
there is a grave difference Of opinion be-
tween the Spanish naval officers and Capt.
Crossman as to the locality where the fir
ing occurred, the former maintaining that
1t occurred within a mile and a half of
shore, and the latter that it was outside
the three-mile limit. It Is said at the State
Department that no official information
has been received from Havana or else
where as to the identity of the Spanish
cruiser, but no attempt is made to dis
credit the press reports from Havana that
1t was the Conde de Venadito. The report
made by the commander of that vessel
that the Alliance was within the three
mile limit and that she displayed the
British flag are calculated to prolong the
diplomatic settlement of the affair in
definitely.
Ii HUNG CHANG IN JAPAN.
The Chiuesc YicerOY AcciYeS mt Shf-