The record-union., 1897-12-13
AMERICAN VIGILANCE AMI
SPANISH NEGLECT.


trolled the entire shore line OF Cuba,
and have prevented a single landing.
She has not done this, but has taken
her sesta with intermingle grumbllag
at the United States because it did not
wholly prevent filibustering expedi-
tons
In two years and a half, says the
Secretary. this Government has been
so vigilant that only six American
vessels aggregating so small capacity
as 1881 tons. are alleged to have sue
cessfully landed expeditions from the
United States. These six vessels, with
a single exception, have been tugs or
small pilot boats, incapable of carrying
large bodies of men or large quantities
Of arms and ammunition.
Three foreign ships with a capacity
of Lib tons have, it is alleged. slipped
through Spanish fingers and made sue
cessful filibustering landings. The
crews of these ships We're listed by the
Consuls of their nations in our ports,
and the Secretary suggests that ordi
nary vigilance on the part of the Span
ish officers in the United States should
have prompted them to notify these
Consuls Of the alleged illegality of the
expeditions of the foreign ships.
The point made in this relation is
that if these three foreign ships cleared
without knowledge of the illegal char
acter of their enterprise coming to the
United States officials, so it must be
clear that the foreign Consuls were
also ignorant of the true purpose of
clearance
On the Gulf and Atlantic Coast, says
the Secretary, in 1895 there were no
less than 1875 vessels of various
kinds of American tonnage and fit for
filibustering purposes, Yet only six out
OF the entire lot escaped our watchful-
ness. The Secretary is right in say
ing that this fact demonstrates the
absurdity of the charge that the
American nation has not been diligent
in preserving the neutrality laws from
invasion.
1t seems that in doing menial work
for the lazy Dons resting in ease in
their cabins off Moro, we have had
eight revenue cutters with 317 men.
the boats armed with Is guns. coast
cruising 7S,SSS miles in 169 months.
policing the shores of the Atlantic and
the Gulf in honest endeavor to pre-
vent fiiibustering expeditions reaching
Cuba from our sea coast This force
captured seven vessels and 115 men.
brought UP two expeditions and kept
under surveillance thirteen other ves-
sells, and from time to time we had
other revenue cutters engaged in SINH
lar work temporarily
Here, then, we have patrolled coast
line of $40 miles with diligence The
200 miles of Cuban coast if patrolled
with half as much sincerity by Span
ish cruisers. would not have witnessed,
in the opiItion of the Secretary, the
landing of a single cartridge or man IL
legally. But the fact is, that out of
sixty alleged unlawful expeditions,
Spain, with all her boasted naval
strength. has stopped but four expedi-
tions.
The Secretary points out that the La
rauda openly and for two days landed
her contraband of war with full knowl-
edge Of the Spanish naval officers, who
made 10 attempt to prevent the pro-
ceedi11g. We are of the opinion that
the Secretary might we'll have added
to his charge Of responsibility for this
landing, upon Spain, the further charge
that the Spanish officials did not wish
TO prevent the landing from the La
rauda, because they wished to use the
incident to infame the Spanish the
more against the United States. 1t was
not so much from fear for their pre-
cious hides, nor because of the slug
gishness of the Latin blood in their
veins, that they took no action, but
purpose.
The Secretary shows that in ali the
United States frustrated twenty eight
filibustering expeditions through the
activity of our revenue service; five
were headed off by our navy; two were
wrecked: one was driven back by
storm; one failed from other causes,
and one related to violation of the
British Enlistment Act. Only four ex-
petitions were frustrated by Spain.
OF the seventeen successful cases of
fflibustering. the Secretary points out
that one partial success was due to
weakness of the Spanish patrol on the
Cuban coast; in another the Spanish
officials have exonerated the Treasury
Department; in another the United
States is uninformed because of a dis
agreement among the Spanish officials
as 10 material facts; in three eases
wreck rendered procedure against the
boats impracticable; in five cases the
principal offenders have been convicted
and sentenced; one case is wholly with
in British jurisdiction. In three cases
the vessels have been libeled for con
fscation; in one other the ships Off
GERS have been indicted; in another a
principal is now prisoner; in one case
the libel has been dismissed, and In
two cases the facts are under investi-
cation at this time.
1t is submitted that this is q splendid
showing. We have given ii So much OF
repetitive notice because il is essen
tt11 IL