The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-16

national policy ana Compatible with our nrIr
set historical traditions was intervention as @
neutral to stop tho war and check the hopeless
sacrifice OF life even though that resort
involved "hostlle constraint upon both the
parties to the contest. as well to enforce
a truce as to guide the eventual settlement. The
grounds juStlfying that step were, the interests
of humanity; the duty to protect life and prop
erty OF our citizens in Cuba the right TO check
injury 20 our commerce and people through the
devastation of tho island and most important,
the need OF removing at once ana foreve
the constant menace and the burdens en-
tailed upon our government by the uncer-
tainties and perlls of tho situation caused
by the uncomfortable disturbance n Cuba,
The President then refers to his message to
Congress- on the Cuban question last spring,
and the passage of the resolutions demanding
the withdrawal Of Spanish sovereignty from
Cuba, and continues
The demand although, as abave shown, Of
flcially made known 20 the Spanish envoy here,
was not delivered Mt Ma rid After the in
struclion reached General Woodford on the
morning of April 81, BAT baflre no could pre-
sontit, the Spanish minister Of state notified
him that upon The Posi- lcIt's approval OF the
joint resolu ion the Madrid government, re-
gardiug the act a3 equivalent to an evident
declaration OF war had ordered its minister
in Washington to withdraw, thereby breaking
of diplomatic relations between the two coun
tries AMI ccasing all official communication
between their respective representatives.
General Woodford thereupon demanded his
passports an | quilted Madrid the same day.
Spain, hayias thus denied the demand OF the
United States ana initiated that complete form
OF rupture of relations which attends state
of war the executive powers authorized by the
resolution were at olce used by me to meet the
pOla n between
Spain and tho United States.
On April q l proclaimed a blockade of the
northern coast of Cuba, including ports on said
coast between Cardclas and Bahia Honda
and the port of Clentuegos on the
south coast of Cuba; and on the 23d
called for volunteers to execute the purpose Of
these resolutions. BY my message OF April %
the Congress was Informed Of the situation,
and recommended formal declaration of the
existence Of state of war between the United
States and Spain The Congress accordingly
voted on the same day the act approved April
%, 1893, Declaring the existence of such war,
from and including the 2lSt day Of April, and
re enacted the provision Of the resolution OF
April : ), directing tho President to use all the
armed forces of the nation to carry that act into
effect.
THE WAR PREPARATION.
Our country tn IS, after an interval of half
century OF peace with al nations, found itself
engaged In deadly conflict with foreign enemy.
Every nerve was strained to meet the emer-
gency The response to the initial call for
125, 900 volunteers was instant and complete as
was also the suit of the second call of May
% for 7j, 900 additional volunteer The ranks
of the regular army were incre Used to the lin
its provided by the act OF April % The en-
listed force OF the navy on the 18th Of August,
an rn, 10 m !. numbered
men and apprentice. One hundred and three
vessels were added to the navy by purchase,
one was presented to the government one
leased and the four vessels Of tho International
Navigation c)mpany-tho st. Paul, St. Louis,
New York and p ris-were chartered In ad-
dition to these the revenue cutters and light
house tenders were turned over the navy de-
partmeat and became temporarily part of the
auxiliary navy.
The maximum effective fighting force Of the
navy during tn war, separated into classes,
was rs follows;
-Four batteships 4 the first class, one battle
ship of the second clas' two armored cruisers,
six coast defense monitors, one armored ram
twelve protected cruisers three unprotected
cruisers eighteen gunboats one dynamite
eleven torpedo boats, fourteen old
vessels CT the old navy, including monitors.
AUXILIARY navy: Auxiliary cruisers, twenty
eight converted yachts, twenty seven converted
tugs, nineteen converted Golfers, four revenue
cutters, four lighthouse tenders and nineteen
miscellaneous vessels.
MI alarm was felt along our entire Allan
tic seaboard lest some attack might be made
by the enemy. Every precaution was taken to
prevent possible injury to our great cities ly-
ing along the coast Temporary garrisons were
provided drawn from the state militia, and
and light batteries were drawn from
the volunteer force About l2,OJ) troops were
thus employed. The coast signal service was
est ,Dlished for observing the approach OF ar
enemy's ship TO the coast OF the United States
and the lighthouse service eo-operated which
enabled the navy department to have all por-
lions of the At antic coast from Maine to Tex
as, under observation
The auxiliary navy was created under the
OF Congress and was OFF,
cerel and manned by the naval
militia OF the several states. This organization
patrolled the coast and performed the duty OF
the second arm of defense.
Under the direction Of the chief Of engineers,
mines were placed at the most eX-
posed points. Before tho outbreak of the war
mining encasements and cable GAL
leries had peen constructed at all important
harbors. Most of the torpedo material was not
to be found in tina market and had to be specially
Under date of April IL district
officers were directed to take all preliminary
measures, short of the actual attaching OF the
loaded mines to the cables, and on April % tele-
graphic orders were issued to place the loaded
mines in position.
The aggregate number Of mines placed was
,s3j at the principal har5ors from Maine to
California. Preparations were also made for
the planting of mines at certain other harbors,
but owing to the early destruction Of the Span
ish feet those mines were not placed. The
signal corrs was promptly organized and per-
formed service Of the most di1lcult and import
ant character. It's operations during the war
covered the electrical connection OF all coast
Notifications the establishment of telephone
and telcgrapnic facilities for the camps at Ma =
Mia. Santiago and Porto Rico There were
constructed sOj miles OF line at ten great
camps thus facilitating military movements
from those points in a manner heretofore
unknown in military administration. Field
telegraph lines were established and maintained
under the enemy S fire at Manila, and later the
Manila Honr Kong cable was re opened.
In Porto Rico cable communications were
onencd over discontinued route, and on land
the headQucTtcrs Of the commanding officer was
kept in telcsraphic and telephone communion
ton with the division commanders on four dlI-
ferent lines Of operations.
There was placed in Cuban watcTsa complete
IL QUILTED cable ship with war cables and ca0i'
gear suitable both FOR the destruction Of commit
nications belonging to the enemy and the estab
lishment Of our own. Two ocean cables vert
DESTROYED under the cnemy's batteries at Santi
ago The DAY previous to the landing oil Gen
eral Shafter's corps at Caimanera, within twent.
miles of the landing place, cable communica