The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-04-06
SPANS NAVY IN MOTION
AMERICA SENDS OUT TWO OF
HER BATTLESHIPS.
Report of the Board of Inquiry Not
Yet Made Public-War Feeling
Grows In Intensity.

IL. ID. McIlaln, VINO arrived ON the
barkentine w. II. Dimond this morn
ing, says that just before the Diamond
sailed on the 2jth ult., the San Fran
cisco papers announced on their bulle-
tin boards that President Mckinley
had sent out two battleships to inter-
cept the Spanish torpedo notilla on It's
way from the Canaries to Puerto Ri
co. The names of the battleships were
not given in the bulletin board an
nouncement, but they are probably
the Massachusetts, and the Texas. or
one of these and the New York, all of
which were at Hampton Roads, held
for just such an emergency. Undou-
btedly this action of sending war ves-
sells against the fotilla will bring a
crisis. 1t seems impossible but that
it should bring war at once, or per-
manent peace through diplomatic in
tervention.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-The war
feeling has been considerably intensi-
fled by the report that the Spanish
torpedo tiotilla has left the Canary Is
lands, conveyed by two cruisers. The
destination of the fotilla is said to be
Puerto Rico, one of the West India Is
lands to the eastward of Cuba, separ-
ated from it by the Island of Santo
Domingo, and about 700 or 500 miles
from Havana.
This is regarded in many quarters
as an act of war on the part of the
Spanish. For it is now known that
the administration has notified the
Spanish government that it must not
increase its naval strength in Cuban
waters pending negotiations for
Spains entire withdrawal from the Is
land. And particularly it was the po-
sition of the American government
that the torpedo fiotilla at the Cana
ries should not be allowed to reach
| Cuba
| The tranesfer of the battleships
Massachusetts, Texas and New York
from Key West to Hampton Roads
was made as evidence of the sincere
desire of the United States for peace
in these demands and to give Spain
good excuse. for refraining from send
ing her torpedo boats thither. Spain,
however, does not seem to have talk
en- this view of it. The result may be
war, and that almost at once.
The distance from the Canary Is
lands to Puerto Rico is about 5000
miles. This destination is probably
largely for the purpose of coaling.
But from there and from other Span
ish West India ports this fotilla is in
tended, it is supposed, to sally out in
case of war, to harrass the coast cities
of the southern states and destroy the
American coastwise merchant vessels.
This manoeuvre on the part of the
| Spanish is taken as showing that in
| the event of war she expects the Unit
ed States to strike at Cuba, and her
other West India possessions. The
| United States has been massing her
war vessels on the Atlantic coast with
! headquarters at Hampton Roads.
From this position hostile demonstra-
tions along the whole Atlantic coast
can be repelled as well as carrying on
offensive operations against Cuba and
other Spanish West India possessions.
| WASHINGTON, March 25.--It is
is generally believed that the report
of the Board of Inquiry is now in the
hands of the President. The greatest
secrecy has been maintained regard
ing it, and its contents will not be
made public officially for several
days, probably not until it has been
transmitted to Congress. The pres
sure both in and out of Congress,
however, to know what the findings of
the Board are, is so great that it is
believed the report cannot be long
withheld. even if it were the desire of
the President to withhold it. Be
sides so much is known of the actual
facts upon which the findings of the
reports must be based, that any action
taken by the administration as the
result of the report, would Immediate
! ly give the key to that document, and
inform the public, in large measure
at least. of what it contained.
| But while the report has not yer
been made public more and moce of
| the facts in connection with the dis
aster to the Maine are coming to the
| light.
IT is now believed almost beyond all
! disproof that the explosion was not
only from the outside. but that Il
was caused by a mine set for the prr-
pose. 1t is not yet conclusively shown
| however. at least not by proof of
which the public has positive knowl-
edge, that it was done either by the
design or the knowledge of Spain.
The reports of Senator Proctor and
of the Senators and Congressman com
posing the EXaminer-Journal com
mission, of the starvation and suffer-
! ing among the reconcentradoes, has
stimulated activity in the United
| States for their relief. The admins
| traton even If it wanted to. could not
resist the force of public opinion
which demands the uncompromising
assistance in this relief work. The
government is therefore steadily pur-
/ suin" the policy il announced TO ;he
/ Spanish government some davs ago Il
would pursue, that of deciding or
whatever measures it deemed necessa-
ry to carry out the relief work with
! out too tenderly consulting spain's