The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-31
.DDNSAPTIOBAADONN
Ready to Give Up Cuba on
Even a Hint From Europe.
CABINET EAGER TO COMPLY
Fear of the Ministry to Surrender
the Only Danger.
SPAIN MOBlLIZING SHIPS.
SPAIN MOBILIZINC SHIPS.
Four Purchases Reported Made in
France.

Madrid, March 30-While the situation
here is outwardly of the calmest descrip-
ton, the actual position of affairs is re-
garded as critical by both the United
States legation and the Spanish govern
ment.
The United States minister, Gen. Stew
art L. Woodford, is working energetically
and will continue to do so for peace until
the first gun is fired.
1t is known the Spanish government ad-
mits the desirability or necessity of COM
plying with the demands of the United
States, and it is only in the disinclination
of the ministers to put this willingness
into concrete form that the danger lies.
If a conference were to be held with Brit
ish, German or French diplomats the mat
ter would be settled without question.
The point which Gen. Woodford is now
pressing, is that in fhe interests of hu-
manity hostlities in Cuba must cease inn
mediately. No date was fixed either in
the first or in the present note, but the
United States is now dwelling upon the
meaning of the word Immediately" and
insisting that Spain accept its general in
terpretation.
The public generally Is taking little APP
parent interest in the situation, but there
| is a general disinclination to believe that
war is likely.
El Pals says four warships have been
obtained by Spain in France, and that ne
gotiations are pending for the purchase
of several torpedo boats in Great Britain.
Ell Pals also says that orders have been
issued to mobilize all the Spanish war
ships. and the torpedo boat Halcon is to
sail Immediately from Carthagena for Ca
diz. where a second torpedo squadron is
being prepared.
Military engineers, according 10 lie Pals,
are starting for the Canary Islands, and
| the Balearic Islands are being fortified.
Italy, it is said by Ell Pals, has decided
! to sell the armored cruiser Giuseppe Carl
baldi of $50 tons, and well armored, a
sister ship of the Varese, to Spain.
TWO regiments, still according to Eel
Pals. are going to the Canary Islands to
strengthen the Spanish garrison there.
The Armstrong; Spanish agent, Span
lard, who is in touch with the government
and commercial people in Spain, has ex-
pressed the belief that unless the powers
intercede there will be war. He added:
''If the United States offered money for
our clearing out of Cuba We could not
accept it, but if the proposition emanated
from another power it is not unlikely that
it would be accepted" !"
This view of the case is echoed by a
portion of the Spanish press, which ad-
vises Spain to wash her hands of Cuba.
Senior Ortiz de zarato, prominent for
mer Carlist deputy, who has just been
defeated at Vittoria, expressed the opin-
ion that there would be no war, saying:
1--WE have neither ships, sailors, soldiers,
plans nor money, and the government
knows it, 1t will struggle TO the last and
then cave in"
Senor Zarato, who was recently at Ca
diz. says the Spanish warships Pelayo
and Carios V, which the government an
nounced to be ready for sea, cannot pos
slbly be made ready sooner than two
months.