Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-02-03
MORE FRIENDLY CALLS.
q. s. Cruiser Montgomery viii Visit
Several Of the Smaller Cuban Ports.

DIS. Cruiser Montgomery VIII Visit
Several Of the Smaller Cuban Ports,
The Brooklyn Also to Sail-The Big
Battleship Will Leave Shortly for
q Cruise in the West Indies--The
Authorities Say the Object of
These Movements Is to Display
the American Flag at Ports Not
Often Visited by Our Warships.
New York, February 2.-The Wash
ington correspondent Of the Herald
tglegraphs: Encouraged by the exceil-
euJ effect of the visit of the battleship
Maine to Havana the administration
has determined to send another man
of-war upon friendly visit to the
smaller Cuban ports. The vessel Sc
lected is the cruiser Montgomery,
which is now taking on board supply
Of coal at Key West In addition to
This the armored cruiser BROOKLYN.
now at the Brooklyn navy yard, will
leave in few days for a cruise in the
West Indies. She will not touch Cuba.
Her itinerary requires her first to visit
St. Thomas, thence go to Santa Cruz,
Curacao, La Guayra and Aspinwall.
Upon her arrival at Aspinwall she will
probably be ordered to return to the
United States.
Ports in Cuba will form only feat
ure in the itinerary of the Montgom-
cry as it is proposed to have her call
at several points in the West Indies.
The Montgomery's mission, like that
of the Maine to Havana, is purely
friendly in character. Commander G.
A. Converse, commanding the Mont
eOmery, has instructions directing him
TO call on the port authorities and the
American consuls and to confer with
the latter in regard to any matters
they may care to discuss. The Mont
gomery's sailors will not be given lib
erty during the stay of their vessel in
Cuban waters.
In view of the peaceful aspect Of the
situation, as reported by General Lee
and Captain Sigsbee, administration
officials say that this is the best time
for United States warship to visit the
smaller Cuban ports. The authorities
believe that the beneficial results of
the Names visit will be increased if
cruiser should display the American
flag at other points of the island.
Santiago de Cuba is the only point
definitely selected for the Montgomery
10 touch. The United States is repre-
scented there by Consul P. f. Hyatt.
Santiago de Cuba is on the southern
coast of the island Before proceeding
to that port it is expected that the de-
partment will direct Commander Con-
verse to touch at Cardenas, Matanzas
and Baracoa. The other ports on the
south coast of Cuba which the Mont
gomery may touch is Cienfuegos. Upon
her return trip to the United States it
is possible she may visit Bahia Honda
AS the Montgomery draws only IA feet
7 inches of water it will be possible for
her to enter the harbors at these
cities.
No significance is to be attached to
the cruise of the Brooklyn In expla-
nation of her cruise it is stated that it
is the desire of the authorities to dis
play the American flag in Venezuela
and Colombian waters, hence the
Brooklyns orders. The only other
vessel which this government now has
In waters Of the West Indies is the
gunb0at Wilmington at ST. Vincent.
There is considerable work yet to be
done on the Brooklyn, and it is not ex-
pected that she will get away under
two or three days. Running of the
gnshop at the Washington navy yard
night and days last week was due only
to the desire of Secretary Long to COM
pete the fixings for the guns of the
Brooklyn The night work was COM
peted on Saturday night last, and
there has been no further extra work
done
In its determination to have Ameri-
can men-of-war visit Cuban ports the
administration is simply putting into
Iorce the policy PURSUED during the
TWO administrations of President
Grant. There was nothing unusual
during the ten years war in the visit
OF American warships to Cuban ports.
II Is desired by the authorities to have
the ships call freely at Cuban ports to
snow that the United States does not
consider the relations between this
country and Spain strained.