The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-07-14
RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.
The State Departments Dealings
with Alfonso's Government,
THE CUBAN WAR NOT MENTIONED


Though the Alliance Incident Is Re
ported, as Well as Consul Williams Ef-
forts in Behalf of Arrested Americans. |
WASHINGTON, July 14-It requires sew /
enty-one printed pages in the volume of |
foreign relations to set out the correspond |
ence which has passed between the United
States and Spain during the year 1895, yet |
in no case is there printed any matter in
the nature of reports from United States
officers touching the Cuban rebellion, its !
causes, progress or prospects. The chapter
on Spain begins with the celebrated Mora
case, which, having been settled satisfac
torily by the payment Of an indemnity by
Spain of 81 100000 is now a closed In
cident
Next in order comes the Alliance Incl
dent, beginning with Secretary Gresham's
vigorous demand upon the Spanish gov
ernment for u prompt disavowal of the act
of the Conde de Venadito in firing Supon
the American steamship, for an express
sion of regret and the issuance Of orders
to Spanish naval commanders to refrain
from interference with legitimate Ameri-
can commerce, whether within three miles
Of the Cuban coast or not,
The conclusion of this incident is for the
first time told officially in this publica-
ton. The Spanish government showed an
entire readiness to do everything that in
| ternational law requires to smooth away
the bad impression made by the incident,
and after procuring a report on the sub
! ject from the Cuban officials the Duke
| Tetuan, Spanish minister of foreign af-
fairs, delivered to United States Minister
| Taylor a statement, in which he says that
the Alliance was fired upon with special
purpose not to hit her, she being outside
of the jurisdictional zone of Spain.
This was an involuntary error which no
one could lament more than the govern
ment of his majesty, whose purpose never
was to set obstacles or hindrances to the
legitimate commerce of the United States
and much less to give the slightest offense
to the flag of friendly power. He adds
that instructions have been sent to the
commanders of the ships of the navy to
avoid "A repetition Of events similar TO that
now in question, which is disavowediby
the government Of his majesty,
Mr.. Uhl, then acting secretary of state,
closed the incident by accepting the duke 5
communication as sufficient and salts
factory explanation, without conceding
that the exact location of the Alliance at
the time the shot was fired can be consid-
cred as a controlling circumstances.
Correspondence passing between the
state department and the resident Spanish
minister relative TO the enforcement of
the United States neutrality laws takes
up considerable space. 1t begins with the
cases of the yachts Lagonda and Baracoa,
but these have already been made public
through legal proceedings.
Half dozen letters tell the story of the
frutless attempt of Marshal Campos, then
captain general, to prevent United State.
Consul General Williams from exercising
} diplomatic functions in Intervening K
protect American citizens arrested by the
Spanish officials in Cuba, Secretary
Olney acted with vigor and promptnes;
: in this matter, addressing himself to Min
lister De LONE here and to the Spanish
! government at Madrid at the same time
through Minister Taylor, and in less thar
! a month Consul General Williams wa!
recognized as having full powers to lool
after such matters, being thus placed OF
an equality with the German consuls il
Cuba,
One short letter from United State.
Minister Taylor to Secretary Gresham OF
Feb. 8, 1895, tells the story of diplomatic
victory that from its business value de
serves prominent place in the volume
l. MS WIS Ullt ulldl COuCSSSlOn DN tIle span
!, ish government to the United States citi
: zens of the right to pay minimum impor
= duties on goods sent to Cuba.
A premonition of claims to be preferred
against Spain appears in several letters
from e. Atkins & Co., of Boston, to See
retary Olney, giving notice of the destruc
ton of their valuable Soledad sugar estat,
by the insurgents. Incidentally they not
that the insurgents are mainly negroes
and that the orders to burn their property
were sent from Cuban headquarters il
New York with purpose of causing
trouble between the United States anC
9 Spain.
The chapter on Spain ends with CORE
spondence relative to the cases of certain
American citizens arrested and expelled
from Cuba-Francisco Corrillo, John A
Somers and the Ansleys