New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-16

-Ir .XrsJI GOVERNMENT INFORMED THAT n.
rERrERENcE WITH AMERICAN COMMERCE.
Will NOT he TOLERATED SURPRISE
EXPRESSED AT SENIOR MrRUAGAs
CoNDUcT-No wARsHIPs TO BE
SENT TO CUBAN WATERS
WILL CLEVELAND RE-
VERSE HIS sECRE-
TARY's ACTION
IBv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. March l5.-The following instrue'
tons have been transmitted by cable u Minister
Taylor at Madrid by Secretary Gresham;
This Department is informed that on the sth
inst the United States NAL steamship Ahianca
on her homeWard voyage from Colon 10 New
York. when six miles from the coast OF cuba, or
Cape Maysi was repeatedly fired upon by
Spanish gunboIt, with solid shot which for:I-
nately fell short The Windward Passage, where
this occurred. IS the natural and usual highway
for vessels pvIng between pcrls 0f the iritoi
States and the Caribbean Sea. Through It sew
era regular lines OF American mail and CONNER
cial steamers pass weekly Within sight VI Cape
Maysi. They are we'll known. and their voyage
embraces no Cuban port f call. Forcble inter-
ference with them cannot be claimed "a bell
ligerent act whether they pass within three
miles OF the Cuban coast or not. and can under
no circumstances be tolerated when no state OF
exists.
THIS Government will expect promp; disavowal
Of the unauthorized act and due expression ~
regret on the part Of Spain. and II must insist
that immediate ard positive orders be given 10
Spanish naval commanders not 70 interfere with
legitimate American commerce passing through
that channel and prohibiting all acts wantony
imperng life and property lawfully under tho
flag Of the United States. You will communicate
this - the Minister for Foreign Affairs. and urge
Importance Of prompt and satisfactory response.
GRESHAM
THE RIGHT STAND TAKEN AT LAST.
mi. ,.orjs thu. he State IA
par,nen, has a; last been driven into taking the
right stand Their meaning Is clear: their pur-
pose cannot 10 msconsyrued They have in them
the true ring In the gratlfed surprise which Mr.
e;reshau1's reversal ~ his original Intentions
evokes on all sides no one IL disposed now to criti-
ci..a too harshly his indecisive attitude at an
earlier Stage ~ the controversy II proves at least
tina, when removed from certain blighting infiu-
ences he can rise 70 the level Of an American.
To what extent. indeed Mr. Clevelands alb
sence from town has contributed in bringing the
STATE Department 10 a proper realization or tho
gravit, u the offence committed against the flag
may perhaps never be known It is said that ef-
forts were made yesterday, before tho instruc-
tions were sent to Minister Taylor. To communt-
cate with Mr. Cleveland. and that they failed
Il Is idle 20 speculate upon what the result would
have been had they succeeded In view ~ tho
Cleveland 10 his dealings with Hawaii and other
countries /; is a matter probably II congratula-
tlon that benehcent Providence inspired him
Just Of this time with an uncomfortable desire to
inspect lighthouses along the Atlantic sesboard
The only fear now IS that upon his return 70
Washington he may reverse the action Of his
Secretary Of State and take the matter into his
own hands The ates; reports have him Wedging
his way with some difficulty through a lock In the
Alhemarle and Chesapeake Canal somewhere IN
the neighb0rhooi of Norfolk II will. IL Is said,
be az least twenty-five hours before the Violet
can discharge her freight AZ one OF the piers in
this city and many an anxious moment. there.
fore must pass before the faithful Thurber. glass
In hand discovers the consecrated tender in the
oine
SENIOR MURUAGAS INDIsCRETIONs.
Some surprise is expressed at the indifference
OF the STATE Department In permitting sehor
Muruaga, the Spanish Minister. to discuss In the
public prints In tho manner ne does the Allianca
incident and the attitude OF the Government
thereto Reference has already been made IN
these dispatches To some OF the comments which
he is reported 10 have made upon certain points
involved In the controversy. Yesterday he char
acterized Captain Crossman's statement
pure fabrication" To-day he returns TO tho
charge being quoted as saying: This looks very
much like sea-serpent affair Every now and
then captain states that ne has the sea
serpent and being swallowed by II
Captain Crossman is no doubt worthy officer,
but it looks very much though he had had a
dream as 10 seeing a Spanish gunboat." etc.
Again when the instructions sent u Minister
Ta, or were shown to him. he expressed his
aston!shment that this course has been taken
when vet only one side o. the story has been
told" And he winds up the interview with an
implied accusation Of bad faith against tho
eb fNr rot ? in tb oh, o/
coniraband OF war from this country to Cuba
Senor Muruagl is a gentleman whose departure
from Washington would cause universal regret
lie has innumerable friends. and deservedly so
Ha. he is doing everything possible apparently
L iniure his reputation FOR discreetness and
gravcly imperils his position as diplomat. II
is rot considered prudent to say the least nor
customary f1r the representative Of foreign
country to characterize publicly. and through
III newspapers. as pure fabrication" docu-
&tnts upon which the Government 10 which he
il accredited III 10 base grave and serious
protest and demand for reparatiOn. Nor is II
wise. perhaps. 70 assert or even imply. without
pioof or documentary evidence of any kind that
friendly Government has willingly clOced It's
eyes 10 an infraction Of the laws ~ neutrality
and nelGhborness. The fac, that the Admins
,ration Is ignoring these lnd!scretions does TO.
In any degree minimize the offence. but only
terds 10 Illustrate the Administraticn's aversion
10 doing anything tc preserve It's own sef-re- .
spcc;. Not So many years ago this same Admin
istraton. with brutal Indifference to the social
amenities and actuatcd only by desperate de-
SHE e. perpetuate itself for another term Of
years. drove from this country foreign Minis
ter who had ventured 10 give advice TO a former
subject OF his Government as TO how he should
vote The fate that overlook Lord Sackville
upon writing the Murchison letter is fresh In the
minds of most people. Ali that happened, how
ever a few days before election. Perhaps Senor
Muruaga thinks ne lack Of an emergency Of
this kind renders him comparatively safe under
the present regime
NO wARsHlPS GOING TO CUBA.
No ships, II appears. are 10 be sent into Cuban
waters. This Is In strange contrast to the prompt
dispatch Of man-of-war in 1880 when Spain
set up similar defence To that which Sehor