Evening star., 1898-03-19
WHAT Will BE DONE
Continued from FIrst Page.)

quainted with the facts say that the stop
at the Canaries is only temporary. and that
there 10 no purposd on the part OF the
Spanish governnent to turn back the tor
pedo boats because Of the removal OF the
Texas and Massachusetts, from Key West.
On the contrary, the purpose. as made
known In Washington, is that the torpedo
fiotilla will continue Its trip toward Cuba
and Porto Rfeo IT. was stated today by
one high In naval authority that no steps
had been taken toward intercepting this
fiotilla or warning It away. There has been
considerable conjecture In this line by naval
officers, based on the idea that IL an emer-
gency was in fact near at hand 1t would be
inexpedient to allow large torpedo flotilla
rendezvous on this side
The State Department posted the follow
ing memorandum:
1.-The elections for the Cuban house of
representatives will take place on April "a,
and that for the council Of administration
on April %. The Cuban parliament win
meet May 2"
Rendezvous Of Monitors.
Commodore Farquhsr. formerly chief Of
the bureau of yards and docks Of the Navy
Department, and now in command Of the
Norfolk navy yard, wss In conference with
the naval officials today. The commodore
reports that the finishing touches have
now been put on the monitor Puritan. and
that she Is In fine condition. ready for sea.
1t is expected that the Puritan will soon
leave for Port Royal s. c., at which place,
1t has been reported, the Navy Depart
n1ent will locate a feet of torpedo boats.
whicl, will be called on either by the fleet
at Hampton Roads or that at Key West,
should necessity arise. Port Royal is at
convenient distance from either of the two
places, and although the torpedo boats are
slower In movement than the cruisers,
they could reach either place within rea-
scnable tine. The monitors which it has
been said will compose the fleet include
the Amphitrite, Terror, Miantonomoh and
Puritan.
Dredging mt the Tortugas.
An important contract was let by the
bureau of yards and docks Of the Navy
Department today. 1t was for dredging
about 100000 feet of the harbor about Fort
Jefferson on Dry Tortugas Island. which
will enable large naval snd merchant ves-
sells to anchor very near the shore to take
on coal. This is the first step taken by the
Navy Department toward the arrange
ments for m aking naval supply coaling
station at the Tortugas, which will now be
pushe6 as rapidly as possible. The Ala
bama Dredging and Jetty Company OF Mo-
bile was awarded the contract at 80 cents
per cubic yard. Tae department has also
under conside ration bids that were sub
mitted for building wharves and coal sheds
at Tortugas end at Key West, but they
were rejected, and fresh proposals will be
invited promptly.
Extension, of, Relief Measures.
A view of the situation presented as con-
troverting all reports of the aspect of af-
cairs being changed, by negotiations with
the Spanish ministeFs is that no such nego-
tiatioEs would be entered upon in advance
of tn. receipt of the report OF the court Of
inquiry. even If they. would be made posi-
BILE by the character Of the report. One
thing persisted in gby authorities whose
opinions and statements must be regarded
as having weight, Is that the conclusion of
the controversy must include the freedom
Of Cuba, and that no proposition not involv-
ing this is serfeuslyain contemplation.
A phase OF the situation suggested today
leads to the Inference that whatever dis
cussion there Is at present In progress be-
tween the Spanish minister and the State
Department relates not to the Maine disas-
ter nor directly 10, the final settlement of
the general Cuban question, but to the ili-
mediate relief of sufferings from starvation
on the island. Thus far, the relief sent by
this country. which from the very circum
stances of the case is still inadequate, has
been confined to that part of the island in
control Of the Spanish authorities The in
timation is that this government intends 20
extend the relief to the entire island, either
I. nv
consent of the Spanish government is de-
sired and earnestly sought, but 1t is sug-
gested that If the conditions in Cuba IRE
such as. in common humanity, to compel
this government to extend wholesale relief
the demands of humanity are as strong for
the relief to be, extended within the lines
of the insurgents, as well as to the starv-
ing who have been concentrated within
the Spanish fortified towns 1t is suggested
that the President will insis: that there
cannot be any discrimination against one
class of starving Cuban people, and that 1t
is the duty of this government, ii it must
extend relief at all "a thing not disputed) to
extend it to the suffering people of all
parts of the island. If Spain will agree to
this Intervention of charity no trouble will
result from it, but it is intiiuated that the
relief will be sent anyhow, whether by the
action OF the President or by Congress, and
that If Spain wants to fight about 1t that 1t
will be a matter for her to decide
LFhe Army Reorganization.
The military affairs committee of the
House held special meeting today to
consider the bill for the reorganization
Of the army. The bill, SO far as 1t reor-
ganized the army into what is known as
the three-battalfon formation, met with
the unaniomus approval Of the members
Of the committee.
Some criticism was made Of the phrase
ology of that portion OF the bill authorizing
the President '.in time Of war to expand
the skeleton battalipns and recruit the
regiments and companies up to the full