The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-21
ASTOUNDING
WAR RUM0R,
German Fleet Will, it is Said, At
tack the United States.
THE KAISER'S PROGRAMME is TO
FIRST TAKE HAwAII-BY DOING
so HE HOPES TO PROVOKE WAR
AND THEN WILL, WITH SpAIN,S
AID, RAvAGE THE ATLANTIC
COAST OF rnIS COUNTRY.

Boston, Mass, Dec. 20.-Private cipher
cable dispatches just received here by a
prominent local German American mer-
chant and agent for number of German
capitalists, whose name must be with
held for most obvious reasons, disclose n
most surprising and alarming turn in
European affairs.
Germany, 1t is said, has actually taken
the first step toward war with the United
States. Her mysterious neete-under
command of Prince Henry, is even now
on Its way to threaten American terri
tory, the private advices say, instead of
being bound to the new Chinese posses
slons, as the world has been given to un.
derstand.
WARNED TO SELL.
This boston merchant SIS warned and
instructed to close out at once all of the
heavy holdings Of the prominent German
capitalists who have invested their funds
IN American enterprises In their cable
they state specifically that those in the
inner i'm perial circles arc confident in
their secrets.
The supremacy of the Pacific is the
first object of this bold scheme of the rash
German emperor. With the largest fleet
Which Germany has ever sent into those
waters, William essays to seize Hawaii
anu Samoa az tho first steps in his bold
plan for his new dominion.
TO SUBDUE AMERICA.
But it is not the acquisition of these
two islands themselves that primarily
moves William In this project. With a
fleet far superior to that of the United
States in those waters, and flagship
which outclasses any American ship in
the Pacific, the young Kaiser imagin-s
that he holds the fate of America in the
nl.tlf Nf 20 l,n., l.
mercial interests of this country will he
at his mercy.
KAlSER'S SPEECHES.
Ever since the farewell speech of the
emperor at Kiel upon the departure of
Prince Henry, the newspapers of the en-
tire world have been commenting and
guessing in vain for the hidden meaning
OF all the vague and eXtravagaut state
ments soentireiv out of proportion TO the
simple character of the expedition upon
which his brother was ostensibly sent.
The cablegram says that this disclosure
eyplOins the Kaiser's mysterious allusion
to Dismarck's approval of his plans, as
it is we'll known that the chancellor has
always been strongly opposed to the
United States and in favor of ANY antag-
| onistic move toward America.
TO GET SPANS HELP.
In The inner Imperial circles, say the
advices. it is confidently believed that
Spain would eagerly join in an alliance
with Germany against the United states,
should the former deem it advisable Or
necessary to have aid from this quarter
1t Is Il most significant fact, the advices
say, that this disclosure should cone so
soon after the recent affair at Haiti.
Diplomats at Berlin say that the Hal
tian affair was undertaken by William
for the sole purpose of testing the policy
Of the United States in such case, and
that the emperor is congratulating him
self that this result is sufficient indica-
ton of the weakness of the United, States,
and complete evidence that the American
government would be very slow to take
any more daring positions in the case of
Hawaii and Samoa.
IL a coalition is made with Spain. it is
understood that the Kaiser contemplates
combined operations between Spain and
Germany on. the Atlantic withs.headuuar-
tiers at Cuba, TIN eatening the large cities
and seaports on the American coast from
New Orleans 10 Boston.
The advices say that it is understood
that the Kaiser counts upon the inter
vention of the European concert 10 pre-
vent an expensive prolongation of war,
thus saving him, after his first overt at
tacks, from any embarrassing position
when the United States should be able to
meet him with superior forces. as thew
could, of coul Sc. do safter gaining sufIi-
cient time