St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-20
FIRED ON THE IRENE.

Continued From First Page.
seven machine She had two tor
pedo tubes.
The gun with which the Condo de
Venadito fired at the Alliance was
the forward one of the 4.72-inch
guns on the port side Not having
absolutely straight fire the Spanish
was obliged to yaw about in her
course in order to bring the gun to
bear on the chase. The gun was
121s feet long, and weighs &c tons.
1t throws an armor-piercing projec-
tile weighing 53.1 pounds, but in the
firing on the Alliance undoubtedly
only the common cast iron shell,
weighing 47.2 pounds, was used. The
charge of powder is 1871 pounds, and
the velocity given is 1896 feet strong
as the shell leaves the muzzle. The
velocity would, of course, diminish
with the projectile's flight, but if it
had hit the Alliance it would have
gone into her and exploded, the
bursting charge of the common shell
pelng about 21a pounds of. powder,
which would have wrecked a good
deal of material
CAPTAIN DENIES.
NEW YORK, March 19.-The cable
olspatch from Havana published today
10 the effect that the commander of
the spanish cruiser Condo de Venadito
mad reported that he had fired on a
steamer March s, off Cape Maysi, after
signaling her, and was replied to by
the hosting of British flag on the
steamer, has brought forth an affidavit
from Capt. Crossman, of the Alliance.
MADRID, March 12-The Epoca an
nounces that the Spanish minister to
the United States, Senior Muragua. has
cabled to Senior Groisard, the minister
of foreign affairs, saying that the ex-
element in the American press owing
to the firing upon the steamer Alliance
is abating. Senior Murugua, according
to the Epoca, added that the resent
ment shown by the American news
papers was never shared by Presi-
dent Cleveland.
ENGLAND IN 1T.
WASHINGTON, March 19.-As far as
can be learned, the state department
has not yet heard either from United
States Minister Taylor or from Consul
General Williams, at Havana, upon the
question of the identity of the Spanish
cruiser which fired upon the Alliance.
There is no question, however of the
correctness of the press dispatch which
represents that the offending craft was
the Condo de Venadito, although from
the commanders statement that the
steamer upon which he fired was flying
the British flag there is still a pos
sibilfty that his story refers to another
incident, for it is hard to conceive that
the stars and stripes could be mistaken
for the British ensign under the cir
cumstanceS. OF course it is a question
of fact that can easily be settled by the
testimony of the officers and crew of
the Alliance whether or not the colors
exhibited were American or British.
But 1t is said here that the flag matter
really fails to touch the main issue,
although it may result in Juggling Great
Britain into it for the defense of the
ensign, for the Spanish cruiser, &C
cording to the position taken by Sec
rotary Gresham, was bound to accept
the colors displayed in answer to sig
nails, as establishing the nationality
of the vessel.
1t begins to appear that our govern
ment is not disposed to be unduly ex-
acting in the matter OF a speedy re-
Spouse from the Spanish government
to the demands preferred by Minister
Taylor, inasmuch as the state depart
ment has been informed by Mr.. Taylor
that the entire Spanish cabinet has
| resigned, and it is realized that it is
F, no easy matter, even with the best of
| intentions, for the government to treat
this subject properly while it is dis
! tracted with internal turmoil