New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-12
ANXIETY IN WASHINGTON
SPAIN'S IRRITATING POLICY.
GRAVE COMPLICATIONS FEARED BY THE
ADMINISTRATION.

REDR sss FOR MANY kNNoYANcEs REFUSED BY
THE MADRID FOREIGN oFFIcE-ADMIRAL
Bu.cE's FORMIDABLE FLEET TO BE IN
cREAsEp-BrrTER FEELING AGAINST
THIS COUNTRY IN sPAIN-PREP-
ARATIoNs FOR EMERGENCIES.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE1
Washington. Nov 11.-Relatons between
Spain and this Government have taken turn
within the last two or three months winch
- c~r,rhllod the Administration to hoid ltsei
sharply on guard against any possible e"ers
,....,.. Dip.umatc exchanges CONTINUE VI
course as usual: but Of late the attitude as
sumed by Spain In all negotiations has peeh
far from conciliatOry or Satisfactory Co"
plants made by this Government oi III"
Justice done to American citizens or American
commerce have been. as rule. isnoreu vi
pigeonholed. and in the rare cases where
answers have been given they nave proven iai
from adequate or conclusive SO cool. indeed'
has the tone OF the Spanish Foreign Office been.
and so patent Is its indifference to representa-
tions and remonstrances from Washington. that
the Administration has been forced more ana
moro To prepare itself for the gravest con-
tlngencies.
For some time past annoying exactions on
American commerce have been reported from
Havana for which redress has been sought III
vain from the Spanish Government Discrin-
nations against American captains and Shippers
have increased and little or no pretence mas peen
made Of repairing the injuries already done OF
OF putting end to the unjust practices OF .he
Spanish customs and revenue officials IN Cupa.
Many sources OF irritation consequently exist
from any one OF which may spring alarming
complications.
MORE SHIPS FOR ADMIRAL BUNCE
The surest indication that the Government
feels apprehensve about the situation Is 10 De
found In the significant increase Of the North
Atlantic fleet Never before has 50 powerful
n SQUADRON been assembled under an American
Admiral as that now gathered at Ncw-York and
Norfolk Admiral Bunces command consists OF
twelve modern vessels OF war. namely. the IN
dIara the Massachusetts,. the New-fork' the
| Columbia the Maine. the Texas. the Newark 'he
Terror the Raleigh the Katahdin. the Mont
gomery and the transport Fern. The list IN
cludes two powerful battle-shps. two other
battle-ships carrying a somewhat lighter oat-
terry one armored cruiser. one monitor. four pro-
tecied cruisers and one ram.
Already formidable. this fleet Is 10 be materially
augmented In effectiveness under urgent direc-
tInIS OF the Secretary OF the NdNSs MI ii''"''s
has sen, ont imperative instructions to hasten
the completion Of the armored cruiser BrooKyh'
now nearly ready for service. The vessel Is ex-
,ac,od IN he In commission before the close Of
this month She is the improved sister OF the
b,r New-York. and would he more than match
for any cruiser In the Spanish Navy. Secretary
Uerh.r, has also sent out strict orders to hurry
nm the big heavily armored monitor Puritan, now
a, the New York Navy Yard Many naval ofti-
GERS regard this vessel as the best fighter In the
| Navy.
The addition OF these two vessels Will increase
the command of Admiral Bunce to fourteen
ships eight more armored and protected war
shlrs than Admiral Meade commanded when the
home squadron was considered splendid fleet
t-ive ., ,hesa ships have been added 10 the squad
| RON I'm the course ~ the last few months. TWO
more will ioin II inside ~ twenty days. If re-
ports are Trustworthy. and they seem 10 be- the
monitor Mlant0nomoh. now out or service NJ the
| New-York station Is 10 be commissioned at once.
also the vesuvlus The Castlne has just been
| brought home from the South Atlantic Station
and is AT Norfolk The Marbehead is on the
wav home from EuroDe. These two ships Will
to,n Admiral Bunce's fleet before the month ex-
| plres Thus he will have n command three
| times the size and power OF that which Admiral
| Meade had In charge when the Cuban troubles
first became serious and about five times more
numerous than the country has to-day on any
| foreign station
| straw In relation 10 the matter Is the recent
| action OF the Navy Department concerning re-
| pairs on the Newark. That vessel needs many
| improvements. and a Board OF Inquiry recon-
mended a few davs ago thai she be put out or
servce and extensively overhauled. This recon-
mendation Mr. Herbert dsapproved. He di-
rected that the ship be got ready for service I'M
| mediatev There Is no doubt that the naval au-
| thorities have shown extraordinary activity In
the last few months. They are continuing their
zeal and there must be some unusual cause for
this. on no previous occasion have the efforts
of the officials been earnest as now to con-
centrate powerful fleet In home waters
ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT IN SPAIN.
There is no doubt that hostile declaration
against this country would be popular In Spain.
| Emtarr ssed by the revolution In Cuba. worried
| over the outlook In the Philippines. fearful as
to the course OF Don Carlos and his sympa-
thIzers the distress OF the present Government
is extreme SO great has become the trouble OF
the Ministry that Pr"mer Canovas seems TO
regard II as both polite and patriotic to take
some extraordinary action which will centre
| feeling In Spain subject that Is distinctly
national In character. such as war with foreign
| Power This course is sure TO prove OF advan-
tage to the interests of Alfonso
Don Carlos is to-day the most potent factor
In Spain. He is "a constant shadow across the
| political path OF the infant King. on account
Of his patriotic stand on the Cuban war, par
tIcularly his rebuke to his followers who OBJ
struc,ed the passage by the Cortes OF meas
ures to raise funds to carry on the war. Don
xx-itb MI hoa
| greatly Increased. This shrewd. ambitious Span
| lard has recently shown much activity. He has
secured control OF widely circulated Madrid
Journal and through It's columns he Is belaboring
| the Ministry with all energy. dcnouncing 1t In Sc
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