The times., 1898-02-24
THE WAR SPIRIT IN SPAIN.
Dispassionate Views OF Conserva-
tive Correspondent

true condition OF affairs that prevails il
the Spanish capital. and your correspond
ent therefore sending this by mail to Bi-
arritz. whence it will be cabIed.
| The sympathy and dismay which az
first prevailed when the catastrophe in
| the Havana harbor was announced has
| disappeared and given way to an intense
{ ~ beIlicose and angry feeling, which is
| freely expressed on all sides and by mem
| bers of every political party. We are
/ kept fully informed of the tone of the
! American press and of the apparently
! universal demands made upon the Pres
! ident to resort to war. and far. from
/ there being any alarm about the matter,
+ grim satisfaction is apparent everywhere.
! No one mere will admit for one moment
that the Maine was blown up by design.
! The disaster is ascribed to the alleged
gross carelessness and laxity of disci-
pline which people here say constitute
a feature on board American ships. This
is the view taken and openly expressed
by the cabinet ministers and in govern
ment circles. and there is no doubt that
il is based on dispatches received from the
Spanish officials al Havana and at Wash
ington. This being the case = and, of
course, ii is the view most agreeable to
themselves for the people here to take
it is industrieusIy circulated in the press.
1t is only natural that there should be
the strongest kind of resentment caused
by the insistence of the American news
papers thaC tj1e sinking Of the Maine was
due to Spanish treachery, and demands
are made upon the crown and cabinet
to at once avenge the insult thus placed
upon Spanish honor by the ''abominabIe
Yankees" War preparations are being
rushed forward with the utmost rapidity
in all the naval arsenals and military CEN
ters, and it cannot be denied that there
is an Infinitely greater degree of en-
thusiasm manifested by tine soldiers. sail
ors and civilians at the idea of fighting
the Yankees than has ever been shown
in connection with the Cuban or Moorish
campaigns In fact, wave of patriotism
seems to be sweeping over Spain at the
present moment. strengthening and Civ
ing backbone to the country. Contrary
to what appears 10 be popular supposi-
ton abroad faL ,fonai and party disputes
and anmosities here are hushed for the
nonce and even Carlists and Republicans
servatives in the idea of fighting the
United States. so intense and bitter is
the hatred of the latter.
Some of the newspapers here have been
publishing long list of the alleged gross
insults to which Spain has been subject
ed by the United States at various times
during the last quarter of a century, and
much prominence is given TO the remark
able article in the ST. Petersburg SovOsti.
the recognized organ Of the Russian for
eigu office. in which the attitude of the
United States toward Spain is condemned
in the strongest fashion. and deep SYM
pathy expressed for Spain. which is de
clared by the NOyosti TO have gone 10 the
extreme limit OF fOrbearance and pa
thence under intolerable American provo
cation and insult With the exception
of the Tagehlatt. all the Berlin papers
express similar views to the Novosti. the
tone of the Tageblatt's articles being
due TO the fact that il has been the only
German paper that has gone 10 the trou-
BILE of sending special correspondent TO
Cuba 10 see what is going on there. The
utterances of the Partisan. VIennese and
italian newspapers are likewise faYoraHe
TO this country. and extremely antagon-
istic to the United States, and inasmuch
as much prominence is given to these
foreign expressions of opinion, Il may
readily be imagined that the Spanish peu-
pie have become emboldened and imbued
with jingoism by the belief that they
have the sympathy and moral. if not ma
teriai, support of all continental Europe
in their coming struggle with the United /
States.
Minister woodford shows that he has
gauged the situation and the !
lack of good will of the continental DOW
ars towards the government which he rep |
resents by making arrangements to take |
care of American citizens and interests /
here with his British colleague. Sir Hen !
~ Drummond Wolfe. as the representa-
tive of the only nation favorably dis
posed towards the United States in the |
event of his being compelled TO leave
Spain through a sudden interruption of
diplomatic relations and outbreak of war.
Sir Henry. who would in that case as
sumo the same responsibilities with re-
gard TO American interests here as those
which American Minister WashbuTn as
'umed with regard 10 those Germans who
lad remained in Paris during the Franco +
German war. is one of the ablest of Brit
sh diplomats. has a brother established /
II Florida. and was the intimate friend. !
and chief political adviser of
he late Lord Randolph Churchill.
He is son OF the celebrated mission
Try. DR.. Simon Wolffe. a converted Jew. |
whose adventures i'm Bokhara in search
u NdDI. IOIiIOtlN ana diOjItI DIlilSi! pt-
icer attracted so much attention in the
arly part of the century. On the re-
urn of Simon Wolfe to London he
vas lionized to an incredible degree and
o great was the furor which his adven-
ures aroused that they moved Lady
ieOrgiana Wiipoie, u daughter of the
econd Earl OF Oxford. IL confer both
Ter hand and her fortune upon the mis-
ionary. Sir Henry has Inherited much
q md
nay be relied upon TO do his duty to the ,
ullest extent toward American citizens
nd interests here should the necessity
rise for him to take charge thereof.
The gravity of the situation is further
by the fact that the Queen
Regent has summoned to her side her
mother. the Archduchess Elizabeth. just
Y renowned as one of the cleverest
Oliticians in all Europe, and who was re-
emily at deaths door. She was to
ave stayed at Nice in order to recover {
er strength. but has been so alarmed :
Y the accounts which she has received
rom here that she has decided to come |
n at once without making any stay on
le Riviera She is woman of very
-rong character. and those here who |
ave had occasion to become acquainted
ith her during her numerous stays
18th her daughter express the opinion
lat she will encourage the Queen Reg /
1t to yield at once to the popular de- l.
and for a war with the United States b
nd will silence her daughters hesita- O
onS upon the subject. That is indeed | /
ON a dynastic point of view. the only /
ling to be done for there is no doubt r
hatSoever that any further appearance q
subserviency to America. any attempt
maintain peace at the cost OF Spanish
'ide, will result in the overthrow of the