Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-16
ence there for the maintenance of the



Never before has the United States had
such a powerful array of warships in the
Caribbean sea. The fleet is in command
of Rear Admiral r. W. Meade, than whom
there is no better or more patriotic officer
in the navy. 1t comprises the armored
cruiser New York. Capt. R. D. Evans, of
$500 tons. carrying six eight-ineh and
twelve rapid-f1re. four-inch guns; the
triple-screw flyer Minneapolis, Capt. Wad-
leigh, Of 1875 tons. with, one eight-tnch,
two six-inch and eight rapid-fire four-inch
guns; the cruiser Cincinnati, Capt. Glass,
and the cruiser Raleigh, Capt. Miller. sister
ships, of 3,213 tons, and each carrying one
six-tnch and ten rapid-fire five-inch guns;
the Roach cruiser Atlanta, Capt. Cromwell,
of 3025 tons. with two eight-inch and six
stx-inCh guns, and the cruiser Montgomery,
Commander Davis. of 2,014 tons. carrying
nine rapid-fire nine-inch guns. These are
all new steel cruisers. provided with the
best modern armament, and, with the ex-
ceptfon OF the Atlanta, capable of the
highest speed.
Although somewhat scattered at present
they can easily be concentrated at any
given point in the Caribbean sea or Gulf
of Mexico in less than a weeks time. The
New York, Minneapolis and Cincinnati are
at La Guayra. Venezuela; the Atlanta and
Raleigh are at Colon and the Montgomery
is on the Honduran coast. AS already said,
these vessels constitute a force overwhelm-
ingly greater than that Of Spain at present
available for service in Cuban waters.
ReinfOrcements IL Necessary.
Other vessels that can speedily reinforce
the squadron are the triple-screw cruiser
Columbia, which is under orders to sail
fl ON New York next week to join Admiral
Meade's fleet, and the cruiser Chicago,
Capt. Mahan, of 45OO tons. carrying four
S-inch, eight 6-inch and two 5-inch guns,
which arrived at Bermuda today from Eu-
rope. The Columbia is a sister ship to the
Minneapolis. and carries the same number
and character of guns. Other vessels that
can be made available within few weeks
are the battleship Maine. 6.GS2 tons, with
four 10-inCh and six 6-inch guns; the new
monitor Puritan. 6.O6O tons, with four 12-
inch and six rapid-fre finch guns. and the
modern monitors, Miantonomoh, Anlphi-
trite and Terror, $3.50 tons each, and each
carrying four 1O-inch guns. These vessels
are at navy yards on the Atlantic coast
and can be put in commission at short
notice. Two other vessels that could also
be utilized are the nondescript Vesuvius
and the old wooden man-of-war Lancaster,
now receiving modern battery at New
York. Thus it appears that the United
States is fully prepared to maintain any
position it may assume with Spain with
regard to the free and unmolestad naviga-
ton Of the waters of the West Indies.
Form of Apology.
In the event of Spains apologizlng for
the Alliance affair the question has arisen
as to what form the apology will take.
In diplomatic usage an expression of
regret is often accompanied by an offer to
salute the flag of the country to which
international discourtesy has been given.
This was the course of the United States
in salutirg g the French flag in 1855, and
saluting the Brazilian flag in 1866.
In the former case the French flag was
saluted as a means of apologizing for an
indignity against the French consul at San
Francisco. Mr. Marcy. the then Secretary
of State, first offered to make the apology
by salutlng the French flag on French
Count de Sartiges. the French minister at
Washington, asked in addition that when
the consular flag at San Francisco was
rehoisted 1t should receive a salute. This
was declined by Mr.: Marcy. France was
not satisfied, but after some months the
French government agreed to accept as
sufficient satisfaction an expression of re-
gret by the government Of the United
States, coupled with the provision that
when a French national ship or squadron
shall appear in the harbor of San Fran
cisco the United States authorities there,
military or naval, will salute the national
flag borne by such ship or squadron with
a national salute, and the French ship or
squadron whose flag is thus saluted will
return the salute, gun for gum" The sa-
lutte to the flag was thus given and with
such apology the incident closed.
The Brazilian Incident.
In 1865 the United States sent a man-of-
war to Brazil for the express purpose Of
offering an apology by firing a salute to
the Brazilian flag. The United States had
previously seized the confederate ship Flor
Ida at Bahia, Brazil, thus violating the
laws. Mr.. Seward, then Secre-
tary of State, announced purpose to make
full apology, including the dismissal Of the
United States consul at Bahia, who advised
the attack, the court-martial of the United
States naval commander who committed
the offense and a saluteSto the Brazilian
flag. The last feature of the apology was
executed with much ceremony on the very
spot where Brazilian neutrality had been
invaded.
In the Virginius case the United States
demanded a salute of our flag as apart of
was afterward waived on it's appearing
that the papers of the Virginius were based
on false affidavit.
The official salutes of the United States to
foreigners Is made up of as many shots as
there are states in the Union. The salute
to the President in his fleet is fixed num-
Der of twenty-one guns. Should Spain sa-
lutte our flag 1t would probably be by firing
twenty-one guns.
The Spanish Minister'S Position.
Senior Muruaga, the Spanish minister, is
calmly awaiting developments, but up to
noon today he had not heard from the
State Department or from Spain concern
that the minister had been at the State
Department during the morning, but this
was not the case. and as Secretary
Gresham IS dealing directly with the Span
ish officials at Madrid, Senior Muruaga
feels that he will have no occasion to
with the department unless
Mr.. Gresham should send for him.
The minister said today that he hoped
the excitement over the affair would not
prevent temperate and good-natured con-
Of the case. He has been frank
and outspoken concerning 1t, but does not
want this to be mistaken for Irritation. or
lack of diplomatic courtesy to the author
tiles here.
'At the very outset" said the minister,
Il sought Mr.. Uhl. the acting secretary,
and assured him that If the facts disclosed
that the Spanish boat was in the wrong
an apology would be made, and my only
desire has been to have official action based
on established facts
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