New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-26
AWAITING SPANS REPLY.
NO POLICY TO MEET IT YET FORMu'
LATED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.

|
CABINET MEETING o-pAv-oFFIcIALs SAY
THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS DONE MoRE
THAN ITS DUTY IN PREVENTING
Fn,srsTERING EXPEDITIONS
Washington. Oct. 25-Up to the close Of ONCE
hours to-day spsins reply to the note OF Min
lister woodford on the Cuban question had not
reached the President or the State Department
II was said ny those in position TO know what
had occurred at Madrid that the answer had net
been delivered 10 Minister Woodford UP TO to-
day. 1t has been approved by the Cabinet. how
ever, and is to he communicated to Minister
Woodford late to-day or tomorrow.
Under these circumstances. it was impossible
that any formal consideration could he given
by the authorities mere to the next move on
the part NJ this Government. There was an
abundance NJ speculation in and about 'he
White House in regard to the issue presenter
by Spain's answer as briefly summarized in
cable reports. but from no authoritative source
could II be learned that the Administration had
outlined any line Of policy 10 meet the situation
now presented 1t Ia said. however. that de-
termination may be reached at any moment IN
the near future and that in all probability the
meeting Of the Cabinet tomorrow will bring
about a definite understanding. and probably a
| final conclusion on the Governments courr"
. NOT TO SEARCH AMERICAN SHIPS
denial was made from an authoritative
source Of the report thar Minister De LONE had
| intimated to the State Department that Spain
| would resort to the search and seizure Of sus'
nected American vessels on the high seas II
Administering expeditions continued 10 leave this
country The report II IL believed. grew out OF
| vista made by the Minister to the State De-
partment last Monday and Thursday. At these
visit. he called the attention Of the cfncials 10
the circumstances OF the departure OF the Al
legged hIjbuster Silver Heels after the autnon-
ties we're put IN possession 81 explicit ntorma-
ton as to the plans for the expedition hesre'
vas expressed by the Minister AT this occur
renee. a. II was felt that 1t would create nan
| impression at Madrid at time when the 'ov-
eminent was maturing It's policy beyond tniS'
however Senior De lone made no reverence 10
retaliation IN American vesseh or 10 se@'.
on the high seas. II IL said that prereaus'e
70 such action would Re an announcement oS
sr,in Of the blockade ~ all the ports OF Cuo''
and certainly no s ep on such radical nneS "''
been proposed thus Tar
PREVENTION OF 1LIRUsTEKlN''
I, j.. M, doubted among cfioials here that me
h,.,s ~ the Spanish reply ~ Minister "ooo-
| ,ord's note will he the charge that the uni'eo
c,.,s. ba. not ohs.rv ed the requirements ot IN
| ternat,onal law In preventing hlibuster'ne IN
this case the State Department VIII nave eo"'e
| nertinent facts ~ present which. the ofnc'a's ~
ueve. will completely ALLEVIATE from spain any
.v,nrathy she may have attracted from o''er
| European nations on thai point. IL u asser'e'
| positively that IN no case where me spanish Au
| thorities hs brought - the attention oil 'h''
| Government The fact that an illegal expedition
1
| ne. all VI. moan. permitted by the laws to pre-
| yent tl. start II has been 90 indulgent IN th'e
resnec, as 10 accept statements from Spanish
| officials not accompanied ny proofs ~ me ra''S
alleged but mers suggestions that tney nan
| reason ~ believe that an expedition u as form
| inc In some cases the Government has pro-
| ceeded to great lengths In restraint or American
! commerce on insufficient evidence furnished oy
| the preferring Of large claims by American snip
| owners for illegal detention OF their vesseiA
COSTLY PATROL SERVICE.
The .xp.nse Of maintaining the patrols along
N. Atlantic and Gulf coasts has been heavy.
| Every time the State Department has been
oh,iped To call on a collector at port the result
ha. been large bill FOR tugs. special cfcers and
| other charges while the Attorney-fIenerai
Office and most If the executive departments
| hav. been put 10 more or less trouble ana "1-
| pen.e The Navy Department especially has
been embarrassed owing 70 the necessity Tor di-
vsrtirg yesseis from other places for the as
agreeable patrol duty. One oficial roughly esn-
| mated the expense the United States has been
! nh, ~ 10 protect the Cuban coast for Spain At
about 81 tnn oSN Thi. Is probably large esti-
| mate hui naval officer who Is thoroughly
| cogn,zant Of the strain put on the Department
by the patrol said that II would really be
| chee nor FOR the United States to send Meet TO
! cuba and blockade m" coast against incoming
! hlhuster. than to try to stop them on the ex-
tensive coast line Of this country.
INTERNATIONAL LAW MORE THAN COM
Piled WITH.
TIL. ofhcisls here are confident NJ their ability
| m show that the Government has more than
! complied with the requirements OF International
law. which, as laid down in the Alabama arbi-
| tration simply demands that nation use due
| diligence" 10 prevent the departure of hostile
| expeditions On this phase Of the case the cor
| respondence may be kept alive between the State
| Department and the Spanish Government until
Congress meets but II IL expected that unless
| some results in the direction o. the suggestions
| made by Minister Woodford are forthcoming by
| that time the President will refer the entire
| matter 10 Congress and await It's instructions.
| The diplomatic procedure " connection With
| Spain's reply to Minister Woodfords note IL that
It would he communicated to him by the Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs at Madrid. II will not ne
| sent TO Minister De LONE. as II II distinctly a
part of communicate between Minister Wood
ford and the Madrid offciale and IL not an ex-
change OF notes between the state Department
and the Government Of Spain. A ntimations
have been made that the instructions to Minister
Woodford would be made public In Madrid Of
hcaI. here say that no publication Of the In
structione before the meeting Of Congress would
he approved by the United States and without
this approval 1t would he contrary to diplomatic
usages for the Madrid authorities to make the
correspondence public
THE LONDON TIMESS" VIEW.
GENERAL wooDFoRD's NOTE NOT TO BE CON