The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-29
SPANS ANSWER
no MINISTER WOODFOIiD'S II.
CURRY NOT RI RECEIVED

vent Fiiibnstering ExpeditioDs-OurG Gov.
ernment Ready with n Complete Vsndi.
cation on This i~Point-Doing More Than
REQUIRED byOurStatute or In:ernationaI
Law-Expenses of Fiiibuster Patrol
Washington, October 25-It was stated
positively at the White house and at the
state department that up to moor to-
day the answer of Spain to the United
States had not reached the president or
Secretary Sherman nor had they re-
ceived the 1000 word communication
which it is said Minister Woodford sent
in cipher from Madrid last Saturday.
Under these circumstances it is i'm
possible that any formal consideration
could be given by the executive au-
thorities here as to the next move on
the part Of the government. There was
an abundance Of speculation in and
about the White house as to the issue
presented by Spain's answer, as briefly
summarized in cable reports, but from
no authoritative source could it be
learned that the administration had
outlined any policy to meet the situa-
ton now presented.
1t is not doubted among officials that
the basis of the Spanish reply to Mr..
WOodford's note will be the charge
that the United States has not OBJ
served the requirements of information
al law in the matter of preventing fill
clustering. In this case, the state de-
partment will have some pertinent
facts to present which, it's officials be-
lieve, will completely ALLEVIATE from
Spain any sympathy that she may
have attracted from the other Euro
pean nations on that score. 1t is asser-
ted positively that in no single case
where the Spanish authorities have
brought to the attention of our govern
ment, the fact that an illegal expedi-
ton was about to start from our shores
for Cuba has it neglected to use all the
means permitted by our laws to pre-
vent the start. 1t has been so indul-
gent in this respect as to accept the
statements from the Spanish officials,
not accompanied by proofs of the facts
alleged, but mere suggestions that they
had reason to believe hat an expedi-
ton was forming.
In some cases our government has
proceeded to lengths in restraint of
American on insufficient evil
dence furnished by the Spanish govern
ment that has resulted in the prefer
ence of large claims by American ship
owners for illegal detention of their
ships.
Then the expense of maintaining the
patrol along the Atlantic and the gulf
coasts have been very heavy. Every
time the state department has been OBJ
liged to call upon a collector at a port
the result has been a heavy bill of eX-
penses for tugs, special officers and
other charges while the attorney gen.
erals office and, in fact, most of the
executive departments, have been put
to more or less trouble and expense.
The navy department especially has
been embarrassed, owing to the neces-
sity for diverting vessels from other
places for the disagreeable Florida pa
One official roughly estimate the
e-eense the United States has been put
20 to to protect the Cuban coast for Spain
at about 2, 1000, 900. Altogether the Off
Gals here are confident of their ability
to show that the government has more
than complied with the requirements
of international law, which, as laid
down in the Alabama arbitration, SIM
ply demands that a nation use due dill
gence to prevent the departure of hos
tile expeditions. On this phase of the
case, the correspondence may be kept
alive between the state department and
the Spanish government until congress
meets. but it is expected that unless
some results in the direction OF the
SUGGESTIONS Oh MI. NOOulOIu L
coming by that time, the president will
refer the entire matter to congress and
await its order.
Up to the close of office hours today
Spain's reply on the Cuban question
had not reached the president or state
department. 1t was stated also in
other quarters by those in a position to
know what had occurred at Madrid
that the answer had not been delivered
to Min -ster Woodford up to noon to-
day.
A denial was made by an authOri-
tative source that Minister Dupuy de
Lone had intimated to the state de-
partment that Spain would resort to
the search and seizure of suspected
American vessels on the high seas If
flibustering expeditions continued to
leave this country. The reports, 1t is
believed, grew out of visits made by the
minister to the state department last
Monday and Thursday. At these VISITS
he called the attention Of the Oft1clals
to the circumstances OF the departure
of the alleged filibuster Silver Heels, at
ter the authorities were put IN posses
sion of explicit of the plans
of the vessel. Regret was expressed by
the minister at this occurrence. as 1t was
felt that it would create a bad impress
sion at Madrid at a time when the gov
eminent was maturing it's policy. Be
yOnd this, however, the minister made
no reference to retaliation upon Amerl-
can vessels, or astO searches on the hlgh
seas. 1t is said a prerequisite to such
action would be IN announcement by
Spain of the blockade Of all ports OF
Cuba. and certainly no step along such
radical lines has been proposed thus
far.
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