The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-14
NO OFFICIAL NEWS YET,
Minister Muraga Says Only
One Side of the Story
Is Known.
AN INVESTIGATION STARTED
The ASsailIng Gunboat Was Proba.
bly, Searching for Cuban
FilibuSterS.

WASHINGTON, March 13.-Senor Muraga
the Spanish Minister, visited the State
Department to-day for the purpose of stat
ing the position of Spain, from the infor-
nation now at hand, on the firing of the
Spanish gunboat on the American mail
steamer Alliance. The Minister tele-
graphed for full particulars to the Cover
nor-General of Cuba, and in reply received
dispatch that the cruiser which pre-
sunably figured in the affair has not yet
returned. having prolonged her watch
along the Cuban coast. The Governor
General had no particulars of the incident.
Under the circum stances Senior Muraga
feels that only one side of the story has
yet been told. But should it appear that
there has been any offense or indiscretion
on the part OF the Spanish warship Senior
Muraga says that Spain will speedily make
every apology consistent with the friend
ship she bears to the United States.
Taking the version of the affair as given
by Captain Crossman of the Alliance Min
lister Muraga says it is apparent that the
American ship was in the jurisdictional
waters of Cuba and not on the high seas.
1t is evident, the Minister says, from the
firing of the blank cartridge, that the YES
sci was hailed that she might be asked as
to whether insurgents were on board.
The letter of Captain Crossman was re-
ceived at the State Department in the
afternoon mail. Secretary Uhl, after
looking over the letter carefully, wrote to
Captain Crossman asking for more particu-
lars bearing upon the incident. Until
these are furnished it is not probable the
complaint will be formally brought to the
attention of the Spanish Government. The
point upon which the State Department
requires further information from Captain
Crossman is the exact location of the
Alliance when she was first signaled by
the Spanish Government cruiser, and it is
possible the whole case may turn on this
point.
According to Captain Crossman's own
story he had been in the habit of taking
his ship on course that brought it within
mile of Cape May, the eastern extremity
have said on this occasion, hearing at
Colon that there was trouble in Cuba that
he kept off the land SO he was six miles off
the cape when the incident occurred.
From this incident it appears the captain
was aware that Spanish cruisers were
patrolling the coast in search of filibus-
tiers and that a rebellion was in progress,
but it is not clear that he was outside OF
the Spanish marine jurisdiction, consider
ing the fact that there are outlying keys
or islands belonging to the same nation.
That these may be regarded in establish
ing the boundary of the marine jurisdic-
ton is shown by the act of our own Gov
eminent in laying out the sixty-mile ex-
elusive line around the Pribyloff islands
last year.
There is another but minor point upon
which further information will be de-
manded, and that is whether the ships
officers can be sure that the shots fired by
the Spanish vessel were directed at the
Alliance or across her bows.