Richmond planet., 1898-04-09
WAR NEWS or THE WEEK.


spaln's Formidable Torpedo Fleet
Disabled AT Cape Verde Islands.
Washington, April Con Wednesday |
OF last week an EFFORT was made |
! to force a Cuban recognition resolution |
through the house by Mr.. Bailey, the |
Democratic leader. The Republicans.
hswever, voted almost solidly against
the resolution, and 1t will be presented
by enc OF their own party at the proper
time 1t was officially announced that
President Mckinley had made a formal
demand for Cuban independence. and
the house decided to await Spain's
answer. An important act OF the navy
department was tho appointment of
Captain Sigsbee, Of the destroyed
steamer Maine, as aid t. Secretary
Long. He and Colonel Wagner. OF the
army, will form the joint board Of de-
Tense plans. Dispatches from abroad
showed that Queen Regent Maria
/. | Christina, Of Spain, had appealed to
. Austria for mediation. but her cousin,
| Emperor Francis joseph, win extend
! only sympathy.
Il Thursday was a day OF anxious wait
ing for SPANS reply to President Nc
| Kinley's demand for Cuban indepen-
! dence. When the reply arrived, late at
! night, It was not given out for pub
: iicatIon. but it was plainly intimated
: that 1T was entirely unsatisfactory. On
: that day William J. Bryan was inter
viewed at his home IN Lincoln, Neb.,
and he declared unqualifedly for inter-
! vention, even at the risk OF wars hor-
| rors. in order to save ths starving Gu
\ bans.
Last Friday was a day OF great ex-
element. It was given out, though mo-
: officially reported, that the reply Of th'
,fufa MT n
y letter was very unsatisfactory. anC
- that q message weuld be sent to con
Rresn explaining the whole position OF
10 Monday OF this week. The general opin
= len on that day was that congress
"a would doclar1 for armed Intervention
= that Spain would resist and that wa
A. would follow. A telegram from Mad
D. rid announced that SPANS formidabl
40 torpedo fiotilla had arrived at Port
ID Rico. but this proved to be untrue
n The feet encountered a severe storT
On sn route. and the vessels were CON
e. PEELED to seek shelter at Cape Verd
be Islands, in . badly crippled condition
Sc t. make repairs. They are $500 mile
or from Porto Rico
On Saturday the reports had 1t this
a the president was unalterably oppose
de to the war spirit in congress. 1t wf
cs given out that the suffering reconceI
u trades In Cuba were now, owing
is American charity, being properly fe
ne. and that should armed Intervention
declared 100000 OF them would die
to- starvation. It was asserted that Il
to sominR message weuio snGeavor to pr
OF vent aotiSn by congress at present.
lsh Last Sundays reports we're rath
rn conflicting, AL would make IL appe
I'D that the president was inclined
ut avert war on the Spanish assuran
eO that the reconcsntradss In Cuba wou
red BE provided Kor. But IL no" aooAS
Su- IL this statement was given out to {
~ cure delay, as It was Rlse asserted tn
ar the government had purchased lar
the quantities OF ammunition Aoros
mr. which had not yet been shipped. Po
lily der makers In this country 100:
nd clamorinR for more time. Statist
BON were published t. show that ne ms
OF formidable feet OF war vessels "
the ever gathered together under any III
but than Commodore Schley'g flying sQut
on ron 1T Hampton Roads. A Way
In Ne. dispatch announced the invent
lion OF terrible engine Of war by Huds
hat Maxim. brother OF the famous gun
Of ventor. This latest invention IL cal
ern the Maxim aerial torpedo, and '
throw q ton OF dynamite distance
on ave miles.
Is In an interview at Madrid Sunt
art Senior Sagasta, the Spanish prem
In said:
all I'VE ga not object in principle to
ONE armistics for the Cuban insurgents.
ne are, however, Of the opinion that
sion DOES not behoOvs Spain to take
zoe Initiative. and that . Wepensiop