The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-03-24
RELATIONS With SPAIN.
No Cessation Of the Efforts to Get
Ready. For an Emergency
FORMING A NEW SQUADRON.
Atlantic Seaboard Thought Be Not
Sufficiently Protected-The lxas and
Massachusetts Ordered emptsn-
Roads-To Be Joined Mime
apolis, the Columbia aI Brookiyns

apolis, the Columbia AZ y Brooklyn.
WASHINGTON, D. G. Special. D.-The Pres
dent and the Cabinet spent two hours dis
,ussing the latest turns in.the complicated
tangle OF Spanish relations, but few or no
conclusions were reached, and the an
aouncement was made at the close Of the
meeting that nothing had developed to
change the policy or attitude OF the Admin
istration In any way.
Secretary Long denies that the battleship
Massachusetts and Texas were ordered
from Key West because Of Spanish protests.
Their removal, 1t Is insisted, Is part Of an
improved system OF coast defense.
The division Of the available feet In the
Atlantic into two squadrons, ordered BY
the Secretary Of the Navy, will be com
pleted In the near future by the assem-
olage OF third squadron, composed chieny
Of monitors, at Port Royal, 8. @. 1t is held
that the establishment of squadron base
protection for the harbors OF the
Northern coast, and will liberate for active
sea service the monitors which had been
assigned to the defense Of the ports OF
Philadelphia, New York and Norfolk. Il Is
thought that the monitors Puritan, Terror
and Miantonomoh and the ram Katahdin
will form the additional squadron on Port
Royal.
The Spanish Minister Of Marine has d.
rected that the feet OF torpedo boats now
ut the Canary Islands remain there instead
States had objected to SPANS action In
iespatching feet OF torpedo boats 70
Cuban waters.
Senator Redfeld Proctor dispassionately
but forcibly arraigned Spain for her mfsrule
Of Cuba in a speech before the Senate set
ting forth tho result OF his Investigations.
President Mckinley approved OF the mstter
OF the Senator'5speech, and to this extent
the utterance represented his views. Tho
speech was terrible portrayal OF the star
vation and misery on the island. ~
Sfnator Gallinger, who has returned to
Washington from Cuba, confirms the state
tul suffering Of the reconcentrados and tho
brutal misrule OF the Spanish Government.
He says the Spanish merchants even or
Havana are ready for revolution. ALL
.lasses are eager for any change which will
.ree them from the domination which means
itarvation.
Relief supplies are being delivered In
Such great abundance for the Cuban suf-
lerers that the Department OF State has
about decided to charter vessel for
months for the express purpose OF carry
ing them to Cuba, as the naval vessels are.
aot suitable for the transportation OF
:reight, and the little tender Fern, which
g now engaged on that mission, Is needed
elsewhere.
T. Estrada Palma, the Cuban Republics
delegate to the United States, hns issued .
proclamation to the American people, say
Ing that nothing but superior force will com
pei his people to accept anything short Of
complete independence from the hands OF
Spain!
from the various States OF the Union siow
that there are ia, $50 milltiamen prac-
general Government In case OF hostilitfes.
Representative Hull, Chairman Of the
douse Committee on Military Affairs, In
troduced q bill, at the request Of the Ad-
ministratfon, reorganizing the line Of tho
army and authorizing the President, In
lime of war, to increase 1t to 104, 600 men.
Congress will pledge more than 81. .000,-
300 for eighteen new vessels Of war II the
accommodations Of the House Naval Com
mittee are carried out. 1t Is proposed to
build six sea going battle ships, six torpedo
Nearly s5, ,000, 900 In addition to previous
allotments was pledged for increasing the
efficiency Of the coast defenses. Senator
Allison, Chairman Of the Senate Committee
on Appropriations, gave pledge to Gem
eral Miles that not less than e., ,000, 600
should be appropriated in the Sundry Civil
bill for military purposes.
Asemi-offlcial statement from Madrid
says that, In view Of Spanish explanations
Of the Maine disaster, no indemnity will be
paid. Close watch Is being kept on SPANS
torpedo florilla. Should an attempt be
made to move it to Porto Rico, prompt
representations demanding its Immediate
return to the Canaries are to be made. II
Spain should refuse to comply with these
representations the plan OF the authorities
contemplates the despatch OF cruisers to
intercept the feet and destroy 1t.
The military and naval authorities nsrs>
exhausted their resourceful energies for
the time being In making preparations for
IN emergency, and no new policies OF Inn
portance have been put into effect. Never.
theless there has been nv cessation OF the
efforts to buy ships, guns, ammunition.
coal and every other needed war COM
modify. Enlistments OF men are
being made In the. army, the
navy and marine corps. Ships are being
distributed at places where they are likely
to be the most effective, and engineering
officers are pushing the work on the new
coast defense Notifications. These and
many others OF a preparatory character
are occupying both services to the almost
entire exclusion Of everything else.