Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-21
FISHY, TO SAY THE LEAST.
THIS STORY ABOUT THE MORA CLAIM
he Federal Government Was to Seize Havana for Principal and Interest Had
 Not Mora Waived.

Washington. Aug. 20.-After many years of controversy the claim of Max ina Mora, a naturaliZed American citi- zen. against the government of Spain for the value of his sugar plantations in Cuba has been amicably settled, or rather practically so. for Spain has un- til September 15 to make the payment
 Spains final and positive agreement to pay at an early date was made some time ago, but since the cabinet council at Madrid committed the government to that promise difficulty arose through a further decision of the council to not pay the interest on the claim amounting to about $So. .oOO It was believed a the time that this attitude of the cabinet wold result in serious difficulty between the United States and Spain. The pa tience of the Washington government has been worn out through Spain's in sisting policy of making promises and then failing to keep them. So seriously did this government review the refusal to pay that a plan that might have ln- Volved the United States in war With spain probably would have been de cided on by the president, Secretary ol- ney and Secretary Herbert.
 This was no less than an intention 10 seize Havana and hold that port untll the Spanish government paid the amount of interest or custom revenues amounting to the full interest had been collected az the Havana custom house by the Un1ted States officers, who would nave been placed in charge. The statement that this plan was practically arranged is made on the best authority.
 In coming to such a serious conclusion the administration found a precedent for it in the recent action of Great Britain lm seizing he port of Corinto, Nicaragua, for the purpose of collecting indemnity claimed for subjects who had suffered at the hands of the Niciraguan govern ment during the Mosquito trougles.
 Rear Admiral Bunce, commanding the North Atlantic squadron, now cruising in New England waters, was selected as the officer to command the expedition to Havana and his fleet was to consist of the New York, the Montgomery, the Ra- leigh and the Minneapolis at present composing the squadron Of evoluuons; the Cincinnati. now at Key West, Fla, and such other vessels as could be pre- pared for service in time.
 It is stated in this connection that the evolutons which the stragetic squadron is supposed to be practicing along the Atlantic coast are merely designed to atisfy curiosity as to the assem blaze of such large number of vessels. There was little doubt in the minds of those who arranged the plan for the seizure of Havana that Spain would pay the indem- nifty very quickly when she learned of the character of the persuation to be em- ployed by this government.
 The waiver of Msra, however, with re- gard 10 the interest obviated the neces- sity of carrying out the plan which Spain by prompt payment would probably not have allowed to proceed further than the receipt of an ultimatum that the interest must be paid or Havana would be seized.
 The agreement between Spain, the United States and Mora was arranged after repeated conferences between Sec retary Olney. Senor Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister, and Morals attorney. Secretary Olney is at Falmouth and Se- nor de Lome at Swampscott. and Mora and his attorney were summoned to Massachusetts to sign the agreement Mora valves all claim for interest and Spain, represented by Senor de Lome agrees to make the payment on Septem- Der 15. The principal of the claim is $1 800, coo. and it is to be paid in Spanish gold, When the agreement was made Mora asked that the money be paid to a representative of the United States or his attorney, either in Washington or in Madrid but Senor de Lome insists that it should be paid to Morals attorney by Martinez Campos, the captain-general of Cuba in Havana. This dispute could not be arranged, and does not appear in the articlesof agreement.