The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-25
MAINE ORDERED TO CUBA
A United States War Ship Has
Been Sent to Havana.
1T HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE
1t Is Said by the Department to Be the
Resumption of Free Intercourse.
The Administration Insists it
Is Not War Measure.

Washington, Jan. 24.-Within forty
eight hours. for the first time since the
inSurrectiOn broke out in Cuba three
years ago, the United States govern
ment will be represented in the harbor
of Havana by a warship The decision
to send the United States ship Maine
was finally reached at a special meet
ing at the white house this morning be-
tween the president, Secretary Long,
Assistant Secretary Day, Attorney
General McKenna and General Miles,
and it is a striking fact that with the
exception of the secretary of the navy
and the attorney general, not men,
Der of the cabinet knew of the presi-
dents intention to take this radical ac-
ton.
1t is not denied. however, that some
such move has long been in contem-
plation, as evidenced in the following
statement of Assistant Secretary Day,
made this afternoon:
The sending of the Maine to Havana
means simply the resumption of friend
iy naval relations with Spain. 1t is
customary for naval vessels of friendly
nations to pass in and out of the har-
bors of other countries with which they
are at peace, and British and German
WarShlpS have recently visited Havana.
This is no new move. The president
has intended to do it for some time,
but heretofore something has hap
pened to postpone it. The orders to
the Maine mean nothing more than |
have said, and there is nothing alarm
ing or unfriendly in them. The Span
ish minister here is fully informed of
what is going OH, and so far as | know
has not made the slightest objection
to it,
Further Assistant Secretary Day
said that Consul General Lee had not
sent for warship. This statement
shows that the move was made de-
liberately and that it could not have
been taken if there were serious ap-
prehensions of its results to Havana
The general belief here, however. is
that in Madrid, rather than in any
Cuban town, is the riot to be looked
for, If there should be any misappre-
hension of the purpose of the govern
ment in sending the Maine to Havana.
Ihe temper of the opposition news
papers in the Spanish capital has been
threatening for some time, and it may
require the strong hand of the news
censor to repress utterances that would
lead to riOting.
Admiral Sicard's orders were not
made public in their text at the navy
department. but it was stated that the
substance of them was contained in the
statement made by Secretary Long.
The orders We're not sent directly to
the Maine, for the reason that she is
now attached to the squadron and the
naval regulations require all such or
ders to go through the superior officer
There is some question whether the
telegram reached the admiral before he
sailed with his SQUADRON from Kew
West for TOrtugas harbor. The belief
is that it did not but this will make
little difference in the programme, in
asmuch as the telegram will be sent to
the admiral by one of the torpedo boats
or by some other means of conveyance.
The details of the Names movements
are believed to be left for the arrange
ment of Admiral Sicard. but it is
thought that the ship, which put to
sea with the squadron, will return to
Key West before going to Havana
The German ships to which Assistant
secretary Day referred in his state
ment are the Charlotte and the Geyer,
both training ships. and not of formid-
aple type though one Sufficed to set
tie hastily the recent Haytian diff
Guilty Their touching at Havana is
not believed to be significant, as their
cruise was arranged in all details last
September and the same ships are due
at Charleston. s. G., early in February
next. The commander of the Maine
captain Sigsbee, is a favorite in the
navy department. For four years he
was chief Of the photographic office
and by his energy brought the office 10
"a hiSb Tie was lucky to get
SO important ship as the Maine con-
sidering his actual rank, which is that
of commander. but Immediately he
1uStined the departments judgment in
the selection by running his ship
straight into dock in New York har-
Dor in order to avoid running down a
packed excursion boat This was a dis
play of quick judgment. nerve and
pluck that pleased the department. so
hlghly that the captain was sent COM
letter.
1t was evident that the decision to |
send the Maine to Havana for visit |
was not arrived at hastily from the |
events that preceded the announcement. |
For some time past the administration |
officials have been convinced that a |
mistake was made by the pre- |
ceding administration concerning the |
Cuban situation in deciding out of ex- |
ceSSiye caution and an oyerweening re-
gard for the sensibilities of the Spanish |
public to abandon the policy which had |
been pursued by our navy in the past |
four years of sending our warships at |
intervals on cruises through the West |
Indies with frequent stops at Havana. |
Ii is not regarded as consistent with |
oar national pride that this action |
to all maritime nations, should |
nave been abandoned or suspended |
and it was believed that If it had been |
consistently adhere to there would not |
nave peen complaint OF the visit of our |
ships from Spanish sources. Britain |
and all nations have exercised the |
right to maintain at least a small naval |
force at ports inhabited by any consid- |
erable number of their citizens when |
there are any signs of trouble that |
threatened themselves or their prop |
arty. Therefore. the administration /
some time ago came to the conclusion |
that ii would take steps to restore the |
Did order of things and allow our war
ships to cruise freely and touch Cuban |
ports as soon as the change could be t
made without leading TO misconstruc-
ton and without being interpreted as a |
war measure. when. as matter of /
fact. nothing was further from the in |
-entions of the president.
The first movement in the direction |
IF the old order was last fall before the |
assembling of congress. when Secretary 1
Long announced through the associated /
press his intention 10 send the entire l