The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-16
MURAGUA AsTOUNDED.
Does Not Like the Tenor of Gresh-
ANS Cable.

/
ANS Cable.
Washington, March 15.-The text of
/ Secretary Greshams demand on Spain
was shown by representative of the
Associated Press to Senior Muragua,
the Spanish minister.
I'm astonished," said he, that this
course should be taken when only one
side of the story has been told, and any
action must be based on an ex parte
! statement of Captain Crossman.'
He scanned the text of the demand
forwarded to Spain, commenting on the
| severity of the language: This gov
eminent will expect a prompt disa
vowal," and due expression of regret
on the part of Spain" with immediate
and positive orders" to the Spanish
naval commanders. Senior Muragua
had received no copy of the demand
from the state department and had not
any intimation that this step had been
or would be taken; nor had any word
yet come from the Spanish government
to him.
Certainly there will be no reply I'M
til all the facts are known, not alone
from Captain Crossman, but from the
commander of the Spanish gunboat
alleged to have done the firing. Spain
will wait until able to act intelligently
OH the WIlOlG case. spain Will uIl-
doubtedly rest upon the recognized
principle of international law, that
the country maintained her sover-
eighty over the waters within her jul
risdiction limits
He regarded the terms of the de-
mand surprising in asserting that in
reference with American ships cannot
be claimed as belligerent act,
whether they pass within three miles
Of the Cuban coas. or not. This, he
considered a denial Of the recognized
sovereignty of Spain over the jurisdic-
tional waters of Cuba.
There is another very important
consideration to be observed. If the
United States made this demand then
it is essential that the United States
take steps to prevent the shipping of
insurgent goods intended to be used
against Spain. Already it has been
established that three yachts-La
Gonda, Baracoa and Amadis-have
been loading with insurgent arms at
Fernandini, Fla. They had been appre-
hended but subsequently released. The
arms were put in warehouse pending
attachment. When this was settled.
Mr. Borden, in charge Of them, had
shipped them to unknown points,
'It is notorious the minister said,
that this traffic was going on. 1t is
essential that Spain should protect her
self or should have the protection of
the United States. If, therefore, the
demand is made by the United States,
il would be opportune to consider
what protection would be given to
Spain"
The state department officials today
rather expected that Spains answer
would indicate desire by the Span
ish government for proper opportunity
to ascertain the facts before taking ac-
ton in the matter. But this, it is said
at the department, will scarcely avail
in the present case, unless the message
conveys some assurances that tie
Spanish government has instructed its
naval commanders to refrain from fur
Their interference with vessels flying
the American flag.
A notable feature of Secretary
Gresham's dispatch is the statement
that when an American vessel is on
her usual route, the fact that she is
inside or outside the three-mile limit
does not affect the merits Of the case
From this it is apparent the secretary
has taken his stand on the decision of
the Alabama claims commission which
was practically a new dictum in in
ternational law, for it had been the
rule previous to that decision to regard
as beyond question the right Of a ma
ton to detain suspicious vessels
passing within the limit of three miles
from the coasts over which its marine