Connecticut western news., 1898-04-07
LEE IS RECALLED.
The American Consul Ordered
 Home From Havana.
MEASURES FOR HIS SAFETY
To Remain at His Post Until All
 Our Citizens Quit Cuba.
WOODFORD TO LEAVE MADRID.

Our Minister In Spain Likely te Be Or
 dered Home Within a Few Hours-His
 Family Has Left Already-Our Diplo.
 matic Relations With Spanish Govern
 ment Practically at an End-The First
 War Order Has Been Issued-The Fly
 ing Squadron to Move Against the span-
 isb F1otiIIa and Fleet.
 Washington, April Glow close Spain and the United States have now come to war may be judged from ths fact that Consul General Lee has been recalled from Havana as a precaution. ary measure for his personal safety. The other consular representatives in Cuba will also be directed to return td this country, and it Is expected that Minister Woodford and the American diplomatic and consular representatives in Spain will be ordered home within the next "A hours.
 The government has sent General Les instructions to see to the safety ot American consuls and all Americans in Cuba, and has given him full authority to go to whatever expense is necessa- ry, including the hire of vessels, to se- cure this end.
 It is stated that General Lee has ca- bled the state department that he can get all the Americans out of Havana by tonight.
 A dispatch from Key West says: 1.-TWO steamers reported in the offing coming from the south are supposed to be the Bache and Mangrove, from Ha- vana. Later dispatches to the Plant line agent say positively that General Lee is to come this afternoon on tho Mascotte."
 A dispatch from Madrid says:
 '"The families of Minister Woodford and MT. J. R. McArthur. second secre- tary of the American legation, started for Paris last night. Mrs. Woodford gave her usual reception yesterday aft ernoon. It is understood that General Woodford has asked the British embas- sador, in the event of his own depart ure becoming necessary, to take charge of American interests and properties in Spain"
 The First War Order.
 The flying squadron, under command of Commodore Schley, will move on the Canaries within "A or AS hours. This is the programme of the navy department. d pedo flotilla and fleet of cruisers toward our shores and preliminary to decisive blow at the sea power of Spain.
 This is the first positive war order is- sued.
 Yesterday Commodore Schley, on the flagship Brooklyn, dropped down the roads to a point opposite Fort Monroe, in obedience to dispatches from the de- partment, and there awaited the receipt of emergency orders. They were sent last night, and the commander of the flying squadron now knows that he is to make the first move and will be ex- pected to strike the first blow of the war with Spain. He has announced that he is ready to move at moments mo- tice.
 The plan of operation, so far as now determined, is as follows: The flying squadron will not await the actual dec- laration of war, nor the recognition by congress that a state of war has exist ed since the blowing up of the Maine, nor even the adoption by the two houses of a resolution authorizing the forcible intervention of this country in the af- fairs of Cuba.
 The department and the cabinet rec ognize that war is now a question of hours. It may come by this afternoon; it may be deferred until the next morn- ing; it may even be deferred until Fri day, but no one in the navy department expects that it will be or can be post poned beyond that.
 The department and the administra- ton are now so confident that 1t must come within that time that they are preparing to strike the first blow and to make it decisive.