The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-09
Secretary Cages Report on the
Fillibustering Expeditions.
VERY FEW HAVE GOT AWAY
He Shows How Little Ground the Dons
Have for Criticism-They Themselves
Have Failed to Take the
Proper Precautions.


Cuba in violation of the neutrality
laws. a synopsis of which, as furnished
by the department. is as follows:
Secretary Gage points out the fact
that during the two years and half
only six vessels of an aggregate of
1881 registered tons are alleged to have
safely landed expeditions from the
\ United States in Cuba. with the ex-
! ception of the Laurada. the six Amer
! lean vessels alleged TO successfully have
| taken part in expeditions in Cuban
waters, are small tugs and pilot boat,
/ each less than 100 tons and obviously
incapable of carrying large numbers of
men or large quantities of arms and
ammunition. Three foreign vessels of
an aggregate of liza tons are alleged
! to have been successful in the same
effort.
Referring to these foreign vessels. the
4 Norwegian steamer Leon" the Dan
| ish steamer Horst and the British
steamer Bermuda the secretary in
vites attention to the fact that the
crews of these vessels are required to
be shipped before the consuls of their
respective nations in accord with the
| laws of those nations, which also i'm
pose on the masters of those vessels
various other duties to be performed
by the consuls. He suggests the in
quiry might be pertinent whether the
suls of the alleged expeditions and
whether some measure of responsibility
does not rest on the Spanish author
tiles for the alleged departure of these
vessels. or If the consuls were notified
whether the same measure of reSpon-
sihility does not rest upon them. This
suggestion is made, not TO shift respon-
sibility, but to show that If these al
legged expeditions started without the
knowledge of the secretary of the treas
ury, they also departed without the
knowledge of the officials of other ma
tions whose action was a necessary
preliminary to clearances.
With the vessels referred to, it is
alleged there have been associated
about a dozen harbor tugs, three or
four lighters, few small steamers and
about dozen small Sloops and schoon-
ers in all less than So On the Atlantic
and gulf coasts in 1895 there were TO-
66S vessels under 200 tons and 2,9l7 yes
sells of LOO tons or less, a total of 49,
5S5 American vessels of a description
available for filibustering purposes.
That only six out of 1885 American
vessels succeeded in reaching Cuba and
that less than. so had any share in these
expeditions, Secretary Gage says. is a
demonstration, first, of the law abiding
spirit of the nation and of the ODE
dience of the people to the presidents
command and second, of wholesome
and REFRESHING fear on the part of those
who might be disposed to lawlessness
and violations of our obligations of the
law of neutrality.
Eight revenue cutters with crews of
81 men, armed with Is guns, have
cruised 1888 miles, occupying 1873
months in the aggregate, patrollng the
coast to prevent fllibustering expedi-
tions. They have captured seven YES
sells and lis men. and have brought up
two expeditions and have held under
surveillance Il vessels under Suspic-
ion 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 pa
troll of 1900 miles of Cuban coast has
frustrated one-half the number of ex-
petitions which were frustrated by the
United States authorities along q coast
line of sac miles not one man nor one
cartridge would have been illicitly
landed in Cuba from the United States.
Out of the 60 alleged expeditions only
four have been broken up by Spain.
Illustrating this statement, he refers
particularly to the expedition that left
on the Laurada from Baltimore and
landed at Banes on March 81. Banes
is an important seaport on the northern
coast of Cuba with which the United
States carried on valuable fruit trade
until the Spanish order prohibiting the
expectation of bananas was issued.
1T appears that the Laurada re-
manned in this seaport two days, land
ing men and arms and was not mo-
Tested by the Spanish authorities in
Cuba. who had been informed of her
landing and even minutely.'
Unless Spain is prepared to avow the
inability or indisposition to defend her
interests in Cuba Secretary Gage holds
that the responsibility for any filibus-
tering expedition may be properly fixed
t,l. :, IN, fs,,ha rIn
have been properly informed by the
Spanish legation. The Spanish have re-
peatcdly asserted that all the seaports
in Cuba We're in their possession.
In all 80 alleged expeditions are ex-
amined. OF these Secretary Gage shows
that ~ have been frustrated through
the efforts of the treasury department;
five have been frustrated by Spain. two
have been wrecked; one driven away
by storms; one failed from combina-
/ tion of causes; one, the Delaware, he
i declined to recognize as other than a
violation of the British flag enlistment
act AS Spain has suffered no injury
+ from these 43 failures it is assumed
+ that they Will be accepted by Spain as
evidence of the success of the United
i States in maintaining its obligations
and that a detailed statement concern
/ ing each is unnecessary.
/ Secretary Gage then examines in de-
/ tail the Il alleged successful expedi-
lions. He points out that the partial
! success in one case was due IL the
weakness of the Spanish patrol of the
! Cuban coast: that in one CO. the
Spanish authorities at New YcA have
exonerated the officials of the treasury
department from all responsibility;
that in one case the Spanish minister
disagreed with the legal advisor of the
Spanish legation and also disagreed
with him as To the date of the alleged
successful expedition and the depart
ment has no information warranting
/ il in request that any proceedings be
Instituted; that in three cases the YES
sells have been wrecked and proceedings
against them are obviously impractic-
able. while the principal in one case
is imprisoned as below. that in five
cases the principals have been sen
fenced To Imprisonment or are in pris-
on. that in one case the vessel Is I'M
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