The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-09
RESPONSIBILITY OF SPAIN
Psr ths LaEdiB, Of Fllllbustsrins Ex'
petitions Set Forth.
VIGILANCE OF THIS GOVERNMENT
Far Exceeds That Of spain--No'a"'e '"-
stances Of Amazing Inaction on '"e
Par, OF That Nation Facts and Zig
ure.asto Expeditions.

mcnt OF state MS report "PV" az "'"O
of the Treasury Department in suppress
ing nnbnsicring expeditions to Cuba, in
violation Of the neutrality laws, a synop-
ais ~ which. as furnished by the de-
partment. is as follows;
secretary Gage points out the fact that
during two years and half only SIX
American vessels. OF an aggregate OF loSl
rssistercd tons. are alleged to have sue
..--.sn.iy landed expeditions from the
United states in CUBA. with the excep-
zion OF the Iaurada the six American
vessels alleged TO have successfully taken
part la expeditions in Cuban waters are
small tugs ana pilot boat each OF less
,han 100 net tons. and obviously incapable
of carving large numbers OF men or large
quantities OF arms and ammunition. Three
foreign vessels. OF an aggregate OF LIZ
registered tonnage. are alleged to have
been successful in the same EFFORT.
WHO Is RESPONSIBLE.
Referring TO these foreign vessels. the
Norwegian steamer Loon. the Danish
steamer Horsa, and the British steamer
Bermuda. the Secretary invites attention
20 the fact that the crews OF these vessels
are required to be- shipped before the
cord with the laws Of those nations which
also impose on the masters of vessels
various other duties TO be performed be-
fore the consuls lie suggests the inquiry
might be pertinent whether the spanish
authorities informed these consuls OF the
alleged expeditions, and whether il h''
some measure Of responsibility does not
rest on the Spanish authorities for the al
legged departure OF these vessels OF, IL
the consuls were not Informed wheihet
some measure Of responsibility does not
rest upon them. 40. 80
This suggestion Is made not 10 shift re-
sponsibilny. but 10 show that Il these az
legged expeditions started without 'he
k,owiedge Of the Treasury officials they
alec dcparted without the consent OF the
officials OF other nations whose acuoi
was necessary preliminary To clear
snce.
with the vessels referred to. 1t Is al
legged there have been associated apout
dozen harbor tugs. three or four lighters,
a few small steamers and about dozen
email sloops and schooners-in all less
than fifty ,oo,
on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts In 1896
there were Is SIS sailing vessels under ~
tons and 2ql7 steam vessels OF l,Wo IONS
or less. "A total Of 1885 American vessels
Of "A destination and locality available
FOR hlibusterng PURPOSES
SMALL PER CENT.
That only six out OF 1855 American yes
sels succeeded I'm reaching Cuba. and that
less than nifty had any share in these eN-
reditions Secretary Gage says Is dem
onsfration Of the law-abiding spirit OF the
nation ard Of the obedience Of the people
20 the Presidents proclamation. and. sec
ond. Of a wholesome and repressive fear
on the part of those who might be dis
posed 10 be lawless and violate our obh-
cations ass a neutral nation. and or a be-
LEY that their efforts would be frustrated
hv the authorities Of the United states,
and that the risk OF discovery and pun
i-hment greatly outweighed any chance
% profit from the exceptionally high
money rewards offered 10 vessel owners
by tho Cuh9ns.
Eight revenue cutters. with crews of 3lI
men. armed with foreign guns. have
crused 15.lSs miles. occupying l% months.
I'm the aggregate patrollng the coast TO
prevent hlihustcring expeditions. They
have captured seven vessels and rs men;
have broken mp two expeditions. and
have held under surveillance thirteen YES
sells under suspicion. From time 10 time
several other revenue cutters have been
employed on temporary duty.
Perhaps the strongest statement IN the
report Is this.
" lnf SIallNU Ihilbl OF .f-NN Illi'S VI
Cuban coast has frustrated one-half the
number OF expenditions which were
frustrated by the United States authori-
ties along "a coast line Of $40 miles. not
one man nor one cartridge would have
been ilncitly landed in Cuba from the
United States out OF sixty alleged eX-
petitions only four have been broken up
by Spain.
IN PORT TWO DAYS
Illustrating this statement. he refers
particularly 20 the expedition that lett
on the Laurada from Baltimore and
landed al Bans on March 2lst. Bans is
an important seaport on the northern
coast of Cuba with which the United
States carried on a vegetable ana fruit
trade. Yet IL appears that the Laurada
remained I'm this seaport two DAYS, land
ing men and arms, ana was not molestcd
by the Spanish authorities in Cuba, who
had been informed OF her landing and
even infinitely where torpedoes had been
placed. Unless Spain Is prepared TO
avow the inability or indisposition to de-
fend her interests I'm Cuba Secretary
Gage holds that the responsibility for the
success Of this expedition may properly
te fixed upon Spanish officials i'm Cuba
who had been fully informed by the
Spanish legation.
The SIP, nish authorities have repeatedly
asserted that an Of the seaports of Cuba
aN'NNN'F-A'iA
In all sixty alleged expeditions are ex-
amincd. OF these Secretary Gage shows
that twentv-eight have been frustrated
through the efforts OF the Treasury De
partment. FIVE have been frustrated by
the United States Navy. four have been
frustrated by Spain. two have been
wrecked. one driven back by storm. one
failed from combination OF causes. one,
ne Delaware. ne declines 60 recognize
as other than a violation Of the British
foreisn enlistment act. As Spain has suf-
fered no injury from these forty-three
failures n is assumed that they will he
accented hy Spain as evidence OF the sue
its obligations and that detailed state
ment concerning each IS unnecessary.
DETAILS.
Secretary CAGE then examines in detail
the seventeen alleged successful expedi-
tions lie points out that the partial sue
cess in one case was due 20 the weakness
OF the Spanish patrol Of the Cuban
coast. that in one case the Spanish au-
thorities at New YORK have eNonerated
the officers OF the treasury from all re-
spOnsibiliiy. hat In one case the Spanish
Minister disagrccs with the legal advisers
OF the Spanish Legation and also disa-
gTees with himself as 10 the date OF the
altered successful expedition ana the de-
partment has no Information regarding
II. that I'm three cases the vessels have
been wrecked and proceedings against
them arc obviously impracticabie. while
the principal n one case IS imprisoned as
below: that Ia five cases the principals
have been sentenced TO Imprisonment or
are in prison. that in one case the vessel
s. under British Jurisdiction and cannot,
therefore be recovered by the authorities
while the principal has been sentenced to
fmpriSonmcnt in this court. as above
sl4.4rt hl