The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-27

soon will cut spaipoff from the two bases
that she now has n the neighborhood of
Cuba.
1t may not be particular significance
yet it goes in a mesure to support the con-
tention of this government that war actual |
ly existed before he declaration by Con-
giess yesterday. thst the British colonies IN |
cases have acted AID made their proclana-
tim of neutrality in advance of action by |
C,ngreSs Thus. l. happens that the BRIT
Isl government of the Straits Settlement al
Singapore issued Its proclamation yester-
day forenoon The news was contained in
tn following cabegram TO the state De-
patment from United States Consul Pratt
at Singapore: Neutrality proclaimed mere
to-,ay." This dispatch was received al
2:4O yesterday afternoon, indicating that
the Straits Government had acted before
Conress had passed its declaration.
GERMANY WILL BE NEUTRAL.
Tn, State Department officials have taken
note If the semi-oficial statement from
Germany to the effect that that nation Will
| not atpresent issue neutrality proclama-
| ton. hey are not very much concerned
| howeve, believing that any advantage 10
| this gained by Germany in refralning from
| adoptinsthe usual course in this respect VIII
| be ratEel technical than practical. certain
| ly all tht advantages to be reaped py the
| United Safes by an enforcement OF the
| German nutrality law will be claimed py
| our government, and it is not doubted tnat
| the laws VIII be put into operation IN Ger
| many Wheeler or not proclamatlon ls
| issued at tbs time.
The result of the Presidents proclama-
| ton laying dwn rules as to the seizure OIL
| prizes, it is believed, will be the release OF
! some of the slips already captured, though
| it will be for he prize courts to determine
| in each case whether the conditions under
| which the ship was captured are such as to
| warrant release. The impression prevails
| that the Buena Ventura, the first on the
| list of prizes, will be declared 10 prize. The
case of the Panama, whose re was re-
ported to-day is mere compile owing to
| the fact that while otherwis> kempt, the
| ship was reported TO have contained sup
plies for the Spanish army in Cuba which
are contraband. However, it may be said
that while the settlement of these questions
! will be left to the courts, the administration
believes the greatest liberality should be
shown in the application Of the laws where
| a vessel is not contraband or attempting tC
run the blockade. That is shown in the lib
eral terms of the proclamation itself, b!
which the prize courts must be guided. 1t il
noted also that the administration has no
been deferred by any criticism in Congress
from again formally pledging itself to tn
nations of the world to refrain from priva
teering and abide by the declaration o
Paris of 1856.
So far as is known all the United State
consuls have made their way safely out o
| GVai pctrII at ncr,io hos a
to the department from Lisbon; Consu
Bowen, at Barcelona, from Paris; Consu
Carroll, at Cadz, and Consul Bartelam. a
Malaga, from Gibraltar. The department
has assured itself that the others are safe
Secretary Sherman retired finally to-da
from the position of secretary of state an
his successor was confirmed in the perso
of Judge Day. John Bassett Moore undoubt
ly will be confirmed tomorrow in Judg
Days place. The latter is expected to retur
to Washington in about two days time.
The Cabinet meeting to-day, which Taste
from IL till 1soc clock, was uneventful, S
far as it's deliberations were made publ
The matter of the prizes already taken b
our fleet in Cuban waters was incidental
| referred to, particularly the case or tt
Buena Ventura This and all other priz
cases go to the prize court, which is tn
| United States District Court having juri:
diction of the port where landed. All ns
tons, it is said, recognize properly const
tuted law courts as the only authority haN
ing Jurisdiction and their decisions al
taken as conclusive and final. The gov
ernment has no thought of realizing on an
of the prizes taken, except in trade cases
where an evident error has been committed
| I'm to the time the Cabinet meeting close
nothing of an important character had bee
received from Key West, Havana or MAJ
rid. No attacks on or by our vessels ha
been reported nor had any late news bee
received as to the movements Of the CAP
Verde islands fleet With the exception c
Secretary Gage, who is in New York. a
the members of the Cabinet were presen
including Secretary Sherman General WI
son, chief of engineers, was with the Cal
met part of the session, discussing Goa:
defenseS
THREE IMPORTANT RULES.