The San Francisco call., 1897-12-09

men. armed with Is guns, have cruised
rs SSS miles, occupying 169 mouths in the
aggregate, patrolllng the coast to prevent
tibustering expeditions. They have cap
tured seven vessels and 115 men, and have
brought up two expeditions, and have
held under surveillance 13 vessels under
suspicion. From time to time several
other revenue cutters have been employed
on temporary duty.
Perhaps the strongest statement in the
report is this: If the Spanish patrol of
2200 miles of Cuban coast had frustrated
one-haif the mum Der of expeditions which
were frustrated by the United States au-
lhortleS along a coast line OF 547O miles
not one man, nor one cartridg- would
nave been lllicitly landed in Cuba rom
the United states. Out OF so alleged ex-
pedltlons only have been broken up by
Spain.
In all sixty alleged expeditions are ex-
amlned. OF these Secretary Gage shows
that twenty-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; ore driven Oack by storm; one
tailed from q com bination Of causes; one,
the Delaware, he declines to recognize as
other than a violation OF the British flag
enlistment act. As Spain has suffered no
assumed that they viii be accepted by
Spain as evidence of the success OF the
United States in maintaining Its obllga-
tlons ana that detailed statement con-
corning each is unnecessary.
Secretary Gage then examines IN detail
the seventeen alleged successful expedl-
tions. He points out that the partial sue
cess in one case was due to the weakness
Of the Spanish patrol of the Cuban coast;
that IN one case the Spanish authorizes
at New York have exonerated the offl-
cials of the Treasury Department from
all responsibility; that in one case the
| Spanisn Minister disagreed with the legal
adviser OF the Spanish legation and also
disagreed with him TO the date OF the
1 alleged successful expedition and the de-
! partment has no information werrantlng
! II IN a request that any proceed ngs be IN
! stituted that IN three cases the vessels
! have been wrecked and prOceedln 5
! against them are obviously practical bic,
| while the principal in one case Is lmpris-
oned, as below; that in five cases the prln-
| cipals have been sentenced 10 imprlson-
| ment or are in urson that in one case the
vessel is under Britsa jurisdiction and
cannot be reached by the Uniled States,
while the principal mas been SEN
fenced to imprisonment In this
country as above; that IN three cases
the vessels have been libeled for
! forfeiture on evidence furnished in
part by this department and are awaiting
! the action of the courts; that In one ca e
| ihe officers are under Indictment; that in
one case the libel on the vessel was dis
missed by the United STATES Judge; that
in one case The question OF instituting
! proceedings Is unuer consideration; tha,
! in one case the department ASKS time tor
a further investigation. The case of the
! Silver Heels is included, as the vessel may
| have been successful, though nothing has
| been heard from her since her departure
six weeks ago; she may have perlshed IN
the severe storm a few days after her de-
I par ,ure.
Concerning that case, however, it is tc
be observed that the Collector a. New \ ORR
reports that Mr.. Hand, representing the
| Spanish Consul, stated TO him tnat he die
| not desire the vessel detained al the dock
but seized after departure therefrom. Mr.
| Hand and Mr.. Thornhill stated to me tha
they proposed that the Pinkerton detec
tive agency have the watching of the pier
and they would advise the United State
Marshal promptly of the departure of the
slOOp and that they desired the matter K
be left in their own hands.
Secretary Gage makes no estimate of tht
cost involved, which has evidently beer
very large, dee ming the extent and re
sults of the work performed by the depart
ment a better measure of the fidelity OF it
officers 10 their oaGhs and a better stand
| ard by which to measure efficiency.