New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-13
An OUTRAGE TO THE FLAG.

Whenever there are political disturbances In
the island of Cuba Spanish naval officers con-
! slider themselves at liberty to insult the Ameri-
can flag The incident reported by Captain
Crossman of the steamship Allianca has been
| paralleled many times during the last thirty
| years. The vessel Is not In the Cuban trade,
| but Is on the nail route between New-York and
Colon. On the morning Of March s, while pass
| ing the eastern end Of the island on her way
north she was fired upon several times by
Spanish cruiser and chased for twenty-five
| miles The Spanish flag had been saluted twice
| and the Alliance was on the high seas and more
| than two leagues from land when this outrage
was committed. The State Department has
| been informed of the occurrence, and suitable
| apology and disavowal Of authority for the
| attempted exercise Of the right Of search VIII
| be received In due time from Madrid That is
| what always happens after an afront OF this
kind but so little moral effect Is produced by
these acts Of reparaton that the offence Is re-
/ peatel whenever there is fresh revolutionary
outbreak.
From the establishment Of American indie
pendence the principle has been upheld by the
United States Government that in time Of peace
n vessel on the high seas remains under the
Jurisdiction Of the country whose flag is right
fully carried; and that any visitation. molesia-
ton or detention Of such vessel by force on the
mart OF any foreign Power Is derogatory 10 the
sovereignty Of the nation. That principle was
asserted early in the century In controversies
with France and Great Britain. and It's validity
| has been recognized by those Powers Spain Is
| the only Power which ever ventures TO trife
with the dignity Of the United States by firing
upon the American flag and searching ships ON
| the high seas; and its Government Invariably
| tenders its apologies whenever a remonstrance
| is offered The officials IN Cuba can have no
| reasonable excuse for ignorance Of the laws OF
nations In this respect.
! The Virginius, flying the American flag, was
captured on the high seas on November 3, 1873
| by the Spanish cruiser Tornado. taken into
Santiago with her crew and passengers, and
many Of the latter were put TO death without
| trial. Although the ship was restored and an
indemnity paid through Secretary Fish's instr'i-
mentality his immediate successor, Secretary
Evarts, he'd to deal with four separate instances
| Of the visitation and search Of American vessels
by Spanish cruisers. In each case several shots
were fred into the rigging after the flag had
| been displayed, and the vessels were visited
| and searched by armed crews outside the terri
| tOrial jurisdiction or CUBA. Inc STATE depart
| ment reminded the Madrid Government that
| the United States never had recognized any pre-
| tence or exercise Of sovereignty on the part OF
| Spain beyond a single league from the Cuban
| coast in time Of peace Apologies speedily fol-
| lowed, and the offence was repeated on the first
| convenient occasion.
| The Spanish officials understand the regula-
| tons Of international law in this respect. They
know that they have right either TO fire upon
| merchant ships or to search them when a league
outside land. They never attempt to insult the
British OF the German flag, but consider II a
harmless pastime to challenge American sover-
| eighty on the high seas. Whenever there are
| signs Of instruction or revolt on the island
these depredations upon American commerce are
| committed What renders these constantly re-
peated offences peculiarly exaspcratng Is the fact
| that Cuba remains under Spanish rule simply
! and solely because the United States Government
does not show any sympathy with insurrection
there. The Washington Government any day
can kindle an irreprcssible conflict from one
end Of the island TO the other by taking cogni-
| Zance Of the actual conditions of public Opln-
| ion and warning Spain Of the consequences OF
| the continuance Of disagreement there. Not
| all the battaOns Of the Peninsula could retain
or recOnquer Cuba If one word Of sympathy or
| interest for revoutionsts were heard from
| Washington.