The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-16
COMMUNICATIONS THAT PASSED
BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE
UNITED STATES IN 1895.
NOTHING TOUCHING ON rebellion.
Amicable Adjustment of the Alliancia
Case-A Diplomatic Victory in the
Way of Securing Minimum
Duties on American Goods.

Washington, July 13.-It requires 7l3
pages in the volume of foreign relations
to set out the correspondence whlch
passed between Spain and the United
States during 1895. yet in no case IS
there printed any matter in the nature
of reports from the United States
officially touching the rebellion, its cause,
progress or prospects. The chapter on
Spain begins with the celebrated Mora
case, which has been settled satlsfac-
torily by the payment of an indemnity
by Spain of IA million and IL half dollars,
and is now Il closed incident.
Next in order comes the Alliancia incl
dent, beginning with Secretary Ores
hams vigorous demand upon the Spanish
government for prompt disavOwal OF
The act of the Condo de NeninditO III
hiring upon the American steamship; for
an expression of regret and the issuance
of orders TO Spanish naval commanders
to refrain from interfering with legit-
mate American 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
publication. The Spanish government
showed an entire readiness to do every
thing that international law requires to
smooth away the bad impression made,
and after presenting report on the
subject from the Cuban officials, the
Duke Of Tetuan, Spanish minister of
foreign affairs, delivered to United
States Minister Taylor II statement in
which he says that the Alliancia was
fired upon with special purpose, not to
hit her, she being outside the jurisdiction
zone of Spain. This was IN invoun-
tary error which no one could lament
more than the government of his
majesty whose purpose never was to OBJ
struct or hinder the legitimate commerce
of the United States, and much less 10
give the slightest offensc to the flag of
n friendly power. He adds that instruc-
tons have been sent to the commander
of the ships of the navy to ''avod II
repetition of events similar to those now
i'll question"
Mr.. Uhl, then acting secretary of state
closed the incident by accepting the
dukes communication as a sufficient and
satisfactory explanation, without conced-
ing that the exact location of the
Alliancia At the time the shot was fired
can be considered as controlling circum-
stances.
Correspondence passing between the
state department and the resident minis
ter relative to the enforcement of the
United States neutrality laws takes con-
siderable space. 1t begins with the
cases of the yachts Amdeiz, Lagonda and
Baracoa, but these have already been
made public through legal proceedings.
Half dozen letters tell the story of
the fruitless attempt of Marshal Cam
pos, then captain general, to prevent
United States Consul General Williams
from exercising diplomatic functions in
intervening to protect American citizens
arrested by the Spanish officials in Cuba.
Secretary Olney acted with vigor and
promptness in this matter, addressing
himself to Minister de LONE and to the
Spanish government mt Madrd ut the
same time, through Minister Taylor,
and in less than month Consul General
Williams was recognized rs having full
powers to look after such matters. being
thus placed on an equality with the
German consuls in Cuba.
One short letter from United States
Minister Taylor to Secretary Gresham on
February 8. 1895, tells the story of Il
diplomatic victory that. from its business
value, deserves u prominent place in the
volume. This was the final concession
by the Spanish government to the
United States citizens of the right to
pay minimum import duties on goods
sent to Cuba.
A prcmonition of claims to be pre-,
ferred against Spain appears in several
Iet'erS IRON E' E' StkllS ~ Co'' vi
Boston. to Secretary Olney. giving notice
of the destruction of their valuable Sole
dad sugar estate by the insurgents. Incl.
dentally they note that the insurgents
are mainly negroes and that the orders
10 burn their property We're sent from
Cuban headquarters in New York, with
purpose of causing trouble between the
United States and Spain.
The chapter on Spain ends with cases
relating to certain American citizens ar
rested and expelled from Cuba, Fran
cisco Garlic, John X. Somers and II. w
AinSley.