The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-25

Washington, Jan. 24-Within IS
hours, for the first time since the in
surrection broke out in Cuba, three
years ago, the United States govern
ment viii be represented in the harbor
of Havana by warship. The decision
TO send the United States ship Maine
was finally reached at a special meet
ing at the White House this morning,
between the president, Secretary Long,
Assistant Secretary Day, Attorney
General McKenna and General Miles,
and ii is a striking fact that, with the
exception of the secretary Of the navy
and the attorney general, not mem
Der of the cabinet knew of the presi-
dents intention to take this radical ac-
ton.
1t is denied, however. that some such
move has long been in contemplation
as evidenced in the following state
ment OF Assistant Secretary Day,
made this afternoon:
MEANING OF IT.
1.-THE sending of the Maine to Ha-
vana means simply the resumption of
friendly naval relations with Spain. It
is customary for naval vessels of
friendly nations to pass in and out of
the harboTs of other countries with
which they are at peace, and British
and German Warships have recently
visited Havana This is no new move.
The president has intended to do it
for some time, but heretofore some
thing has happened to postpone it. The
orders to the Maine mean nothing
more than l have said, and there is
nothing alarming or unfriendly in
them. The Spanish minister here is
fully inform ID of what is going on,
and so far as I know, has rot made
the slightest objection to it."
Further, Assistant Secretary Day
said that Consul General Lee had not
sent for q warshiD. This statement
shows that the move was made delib-
erately and that it could not have
been taken if there were serious ap-
prehension of its results in Havana.
WHERE TROUBLE MAY BE.
The general belief here, however, is
that in Madrid, rather than in any
Cuban town, is trouble to be looked
for, il there should be any misappre-
hension of the purpose of our govern
ment in sending the Maine to Havana.
The temper of the opposition newspa-
pers 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'S ORDERS.
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 were 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 Key
West for Tortugas harbor. The belief
is that it did not, but this viii make
little difference in the programme, in
asmuch as the telegram win he sent
to the admiral by one of the torpedo
boats. or by some other means of con
veyance.
THE details of the Names move
1nents are believed TO be left for the
of Admiral Sicard. but it
is thought that the ship which put
to sea with the squadron. viii return
to Key West before going to Havana
The German ships 10 which Assistant
Day referred in his state
ment, are the Charlotte and the Geyer.
both training ships, and rot of for
midabie type, though one sunced to
settle hastily the recent Hayden diff