The times., 1897-12-09
CAGES REPLY TO SPAIN.

Secretary Gage sent to the Department OF
State yesterday, II report silow wing the Jpefa-
tons Of this Government for the suppression
ofgillhustering as d direct reply 10 the com
plant of the Spanish government, OF more
specifically set forth in a recent BRIEF "
Mr. Calderon Carlisle, the attorney eor
the Spanish legation In this city
Among the points made by Secretary
Gage are: In the past two years and a
half six American vessels, aggresating
1,331 registered tons, were alleged to
have lanlied expeditions. None of these
we're capable Of landing material forces
or stores,
Three foreign vessels, with an aggre
gate tonnage OF 1,T72 Were alleged 20
have passed the blockade the Leon, Nor
wegian the Hofsa, Danish; and the Ber
muda, British. The Secretary suggests
that an in quiry he made as to whether the
Spanish authorities had taken preeau
tions to guard against infraction of the
neutrality laws by cOnsuls OF foreign
nations here, under whom the erews nf
the three vessels nafned Were shipped.
If these vessels escaped American au
thorities they also escaped foreign countries
attention There We're about fifty small
vessels, eags, lighters, etc, alleged to be
associated with the expeditions.
The Secretary shows that there Were
only out of a total of 13,535 American
vessels available for filibustering expedi-
tions.
AS tothe vigilance of this Government, he
SAYS that eight revenue cutters, with crews
of 3l7 men, armed with fifteen guns, have
cruiSed 7 5,76S miles, occupying % mon hs
in the aggregate, patrolliag the coast 70
prevent filihustering expeditions. They
have captured seven vessels ana l 10 men;
have broken uE two expeditions and have
| held under surveillance thirteen Tes3els
under suspicion.
Out OF sixty alleged expeditions only
four have been broken up by Spain.
lie says Significantly that il the Spa fish
patrol or 200 miles of Cuban coast had
frustrated one-half the number Of expe
ditlons which were frustrated by the
United States authorities along a coast
line OF 3 5,470 IniIes, not one man nor one
cartridge would have been llicitly landed
in Cuba fron the United States.
No successful expedition is reported us
having originated at Key West, which is
only ninety miles distant from Cuba.
Secretary Gage has looked into sixty al
legged expeditions, and reports that twenty
eight have been frustrated by he Treasury
Department, five by the Navy, four b.
Spain, two have been wrecked, one driven
back by storm and one failed from a
combination Of causes.
The case OF the Della ware he regards
as simply a violation OF the English en-
listment act. Forty-three were chIs
failures.
s,,oro,o-,- 49,, a., ,,,., -; ,f,.,., =,
the seventeen alleged successful expedi-
tions.
The case of the Silver Heels is included,
as the vessel may have been successful,
though not hing has been heard OF her since
her depart sse, six weeks ago; she may
have perished in the severe storm a few
days after her departure Concerning
that case, however, 1t is to he Observed
| that the collector of New York reports:
Mr.. Hand, representing the Spanish con-
| sui, stated 10 me that he did not desire the
| vessel detained at dock, but seized after tie
| parture therefrom. Mr.. Hand and Mr..
Thorfahill stated ga me that they proposed
| that the Pinkerton Detective A agency have
| the watching of the pier, AMI they would
advise the United States marshal promptly
| of the hedeparture of the sIoop. They seemed
/ most anxious that this part ofthe affair be
| left entirely 10 them, and it impressed me
| at the time tEat they felt, first, that
1 JHeTe WOuii be less cfltlce oil a IAIuTe II
| their ownmen were assigned to this particu-
| lar duty; and, second, that they feared their
/ planofallowing the vessel To leave the dock
| might be interfered with If this detail We're
| III charge Of customs officer. / made the
| Sl4gg estion that the vessel could no iou bt be
| detained at the dock, and that we might
| seek advice on this point from the United
/ States district attorney. Mr.. Hand OBJ
| iected 70 this, and stated unqBalifiediy tha I
| they desired the vessel TO be taken after
| hehad left her berth.
| And the surveyor of tie pert adds:
/ investigation shows tliat instead af
/ the information being teiepLuned direct
/ TO the Barge office, which would have
/ taken less than five minutes, it was first
sent to No. 81 Broadway, the office Of
| the Pinkerton agency, from Catherine and
| Market streets, and thence 10 tie Barge
| Office by messenger. This proceeding con-
| sumed an ut twenty minutes, during which
| time the tug and sioop, having the wind
/ and tide in their favor, secured sufficient
! lead to prevent their being overtak en" "