The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-25

- 4.
E;sho,ies at Ottawa, that the Bermuda
had carried a flibustering expedition TO
Cuba and to-day the registrar of ship
ping here received telegram from Mr..
Davies. requesting him to exercise the
utmost caution to prevent an eXpedltioh
Of this character from leaving this port.
The fact that the vessel IS lying deep IN
the water. it is believed led the Consul
General at Montreal to communicate with
the government. The Spanish Consul at
this port is also watching the vessel.
Halifax. n. s., Nov. PA customs Of
fetal has made n thorough search Of the
Bermuda and reports everything all right.
The steamer was to load apples for Lon
don. but had abandoned this, and a. q.
Jones & Company have chartered her for
a round trip to Jamaica. The Spanish
Consul here is'a member of the charter
ing firm.
THE COMPETITOR PRISONERS.
Washington. Nov. 24.-The State De
partment has received absolutely no in
formation of any kind from Havana or
elsewhere concerning the report that the
Competitor prisoners have been tried III
Mora Castle by a secret and summary
e.. L
no statement will be made at the depart
ment concerning the report, but in view
of the plain provisions Of our treaty ana
also Of the clear requirements OF the
domestic laws Of Spain, the officials are
loath TO believe that the report IS cor
rect 1t is pointed out that under the
law for public order promulgated IN
Havana some months ago, 1t Is abso-
lutely essential that counsel shall be al
lowed prisoners on trial and that there
shall be no secrecy in proceedings. In
der the protocol of our treaty with SPAN
there likewise is provision for publicity
in trials and for full representation OF
accused by counsel. 1t is believed, III
view of these provisions of law, that the
authorities at Havana would not make
such fragrant breach Of law as the re-
port alleges.
From further inquiries, it is apparent
that the reports concerning the Competi~
tors prisoners are at least based on
misconception of the nature of the pre-
sent proceedings They have not vet
been Iaaced on trial on the general sense
of the word. the facts being that the
Spanish authorities are making an inves-
tigation Of the Competitor cases similar
to that provided for under our grand jury
system. that is, sort of preliminary
examination. The Consuls and vice
Consuls. of Spain in this country are IN
vestigating the claims Of the prisoners
arrested to America citizenship. For
instance one Of the men claims TO be
resident Of Kansas and the Consul for
that district is engaged in an enquiry as
TO his citizenship, either by birth or ma
turalization.
From Spanish sources it is learned that
there is no intention OF dealing with the
Competitor prisoners III harsh or UNJUST
manner. Consul General Lee was at the
State department again to-day When
asked as to the report that the Competi-
tor prisoners had been tried at Morac
Castle contrary TO a protest made by
him before he left Havana, General
Lee said: Il do not believe any trial
has occurred. If it had the facts would
be speedily reported here by Vice-Con-
sol Springer. There have been some pre-
liminary steps toward the trial, and the
depositions Of the prisoners were taken,
but further than this nothing has been
done so far as / know"
When Gen Lee was asked as to the
protest referred to as having been made
by him he said it probably referred to the
representations made by him before the
first trial of the Competitor prisoners,
and renewed in the present instance that
the men being on an American ship were
entitled 10 civil trial rather than
trial by court-martial, as provided IN the
treaty and protocol between the United
States and Spain.
The Consul General referred to an open
letter from a Fredericksburg, Va, editor
to President Cleveland which WAS pub
lished to-day urging the President TO act
on Cuba. Coming from felIow-toWns-
man, and a close friend Of Gen. Lee,
some significance might be attached to it,
but Gen. Lee said he desired to have II
understood that he knew nothing about
The letter and had nothing to do with it..
THE FLORIDA DEFENSES.
Washington, Nov. 24-At the War
department it is stated that there is moth
ing insignificant or new in the prepara-
tons for improving the battery defenses
ut Florida ports as Key West dispatches
state. The annual report of the Chief
Of Engineers, made public on june 10,
calls attention to the antiquated condi-
ton Of the coast defenses at Fort Marion,
St. Augustine and on Florida Keys. 1t
on them advantageously and adds that
''unler the authority given by Congress
TO the Secretary Of War it is intended
to advertise at an early date for pro-
posals for concentrating emplacements
for four 10-inch and two S-inch guns
on disappearing carriages and sixteen
12-inch mortars.
These are the guns referred 10 in
dispatches from Key West, stating that
| Lieut-Col Benyard has proceeded with
| great secrecy to make contracts for
mounting these big guns. The authorities
| say there is no secrecy and that the con
| tracts are the regular execution of the
| work publicly reported FIVE months ago.
| Similar work has been proceeding at
| Pensacola, Fla, where the emplaeemeEts
| Cor q battery Of three 10-inch guns on
| disappearing carriages will be ready to
-cceiye the guns some time next month
| The amount expended in preparing foI
this battery at Pensacola was $4,000 uI
| to September j.