The record-union., 1897-09-23
Assistant Secretary Of War ROose-
veil Thinks So,
Says the Situation at Present is One of
Utmost Gravity.
In Case of Trouble the Naval Mill
tia is Likely to BE Called Into
Service-In Such an Event Cali
fornia Would Furnish a Large
TnrnP.


NEW YORK, Sept. 22.-"This coun-
try is on the verge of war with Spain-" J"
These were the words Of Assistant
Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt. He
used them at a conference with some of
the commanders of the naval militia,
whom he had summoned to Washing
ton 10 learn of the state Of their COM
mands, and the number of men that
can be depended on to complete the
complement Of the warships and the
auxiliary navy.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt eau
toned the gentlemen who had been
called into the conference not to under
estimate the gravity Of the situation
The Navy Department is preparing
to use every available man Of the ma
val militia. The Commanders of this
reserve who have been called to Wash
ington during the last few days have
had the Importance of getting their
divisions in such shape that a sudden
call viii find them in readiness impress
sed upon them 1t is for just such a
crisis as that which now seems i'm
minent that the naval reserve was es-
young men who have been playing at
being marines may be called upon to
enact their parts in real earnest.
Among the naval militia command
ers called upon by the Navy Depart
ment We're Commanders William H.
Stay.on and w Butler Duncan These
gentleman command, respectively, the
Brooklyn and New York battalions.
1t is believed that at the conference
of the Navy Department, within the
last few days the question was put as
to how many men the commanders OF
the New York and Brooklyn battal-
ions would undertake to report as
available for three months war service.
Commander Stayton is reported to have
answered that he would guarantee 273
men out of his battalion. Duncan's
estimate is said to have been 323.
1--WE are prepared" the Assistant
Secretary is further quoted as saying,
ito convert a large fleet of merchant
men into warships. The question arises
as to whether the naval militia would
do better work on the irnprovised cruis-
ers or on board the regular ships of
war"
Commander Stayton declared it to be
his belief that the proper place for the
naval militia was on board the regular
warships.
In al there are about 5000 naval
militiamen in the United States.
The largest battalion in the country
IS at San Francisco. Organizations on
the Pacific Coast exist at San Diego,
Santa Barbara. Santa Cruz, San Fran
cisco and Eureka
The Navy Departments estimate is
that 1000 men viii be needed for the
twenty-five merchant cruisers. OF this
number 900 will come from the regu-
lar warships. The places of the regu-
lar men-of-war men will be taken by
the naval militia The proportion OF
naval militia to a regular warship VIII
be about % per cent. of the crew.
The significance of Roosevelt's re-
marks. joined with the assembling of
the militia commanders at Washington
and the punching Of the warships and
the rlaneuvers of the torpedo fleet is
very great.
MERELY PRELIMINARY.
MADRID, Sept 22-The correspond
ent here of the Associated Press learns
upon high authority that the much-dis-
cussed interview of Saturday last be-
tween the United States Minister to
Spain. General Stewart L. Woodford,
and the Spanish Minister for Foreign
Affairs, the Duke of Tetuan, was
merely preliminary.
General Woodford reported to the
Duke the gravity of the condition of
Cuba and requested in behalf Of the
United States that Spain would find
method of speedily ending the war and
giving justice to the Cubans. He Of
fered the good offices of the United
States in effecting a settlement of the
Cuban troubles, which practically gives
Spain an opportunity of gracefully end
ing the war. If she does not embrace
1t within a reasonable time notice will
be given that the United States must
interfere. though General Woodford has
not said so yet.
Spain cannot expect the aid of Euro
pean powers, as the United States En-
bassadors have ascertained that all the
European countries except Austria rec
ognize that the interests of the United
States justify the latter's interference
in Cuba Austria in this matter IS in
4iuenced by the relationship between
the two dynasties. the Queen Regent
of Spain being an Austrian Archduch-
ess. but it is not likely that Austria will
take any part in the question beyond
possibly making a diplomatic protest
against the intervention of the United
States
SENTENCE ANNULED.
MADRID Sept. 22-The Supreme
Court has annuled the sentence of forty
years Imprisonment imposed upon Bar
I'll, the supposed anarchist who on Sep
tember Sd, at Barcelona, attempted to
assassinate Chief Of Police Pertus and
Assistant Chief Teixidor as they were
leaving the circus. The action of the
Supreme Court is taken on the ground
that 1t has not been proven that Bar
I'll is an anarchist.
EASTERN GRAIN MARKET.