The herald., 1898-03-06
WILL QUARANTINE ALL CRAFT
FROM CUBA
ONE STEP NOT TO BE DELAYED
Is the Sending of Food TO Starving
People at Matanzas and
Sagua la Grande
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, March 5.-There is q
promise of a new and unwelcome develop
ment of the Maine affair that in the end
| may lead up to an issue by the government
of the United States and the state of Flor
ida, if the officials of the state indorse the
stand taken by the local officials at Key
West. The latter have notified Admiral
Sicard that on the 1st of next month they
propose to enforce the state quarantine
law against all craft arriving from OUT
side, as a measure of precaution against
the introduction of yellow fever. The
notice indicates that the law will be ap.
piled to the naval vessels, and, in view Of
the serious interruptions such interference
with the free movements of his ships
would cause, Admiral Sicard has reported
the facts to the navy department and
awaits instructions. The department off,
| Gals cannot tolerate with equanimity the
stoppage of such craft as the Mangrove
and the Fern on their errands of mercy,
nor delays that may result in the prosecu.
tion Of The work Of the wreckers engaged
on the Names hull and the work of the
court of inquiry. The president himself
probably Will communicate with the gov
ernment Of Florida, with view to Sc
curing an abatement of the law, so far as
1t is proposed to apply 1t to naval vessels,
this being the speediest manner of dealing
with the case, although it may be stated
that the national government never has
recognized the right of any local author
tiles to stop its vessels In case their move
ment was deemed necessary. The war
ships have voluntarily submitted to Quap-
antine when returning from any port sus-
pected Of infection, but this is asserted to
be merely concession. and not the reoOg-
milton of any lawful right on the part of
IN tow 90 - fn
that the officers on our warships, with the
aid of capable surgeons on each ship, make
it their pride to keep their craft in the most
healthful condition. naval officers feel that
they may be safely able to run their ships
between Havana ana Key West without
| restriction. As an evidence of the care
| exercised to avoid carrying contagion, the
officials point to the fact that, without
suggestion from any Of the health author
tiles of Florida, Admiral Sicard caused the
wounded survivors of the Maine disaster
to be retained for several days at Tor
tugas before allowing them to go to Key
West.
1t is asserted positively at the state de-
partment that there has been no change
in the plans for sending the Montgomery
and the Nashville to Eastern Cuba ports
with relief supplies for the reconcentra-
dos. 1t had been suggested that the offer
of a merchant steamer from New York to
take some or the goods to Cuba would
relieve the naval vessels from the per-
formance of this onerous task, but the
declaration from the state department in
sures the execution of the original pro-
gram, and the ships named will sail for
Matanzas and Sagua la Grande as soon
as the goods arrive at Key West from New
York Reports that have come to the state
department from these places show that
terrible destitution exists, probably no.
where exceeded on the island, and the of
ficers of the Montgomery saw the misery
for themselves on their recent stop at
Matanzas 1t is said of these officers that
they all returned penniless from their
Cuban cruise, having been so moved by
what they saw that they gave away all.
of their ready cash.
1t was decided this afternoon to aban-
don the projected order to the flagship
Olympia to return to San Francisco from
Hongkong. Without this fine ship, the
Asiatic squadron would be made up of
gunboats and unprotected cruises, with
out any great degree of defensive and no
offensive force against armored ships The
cruiser Baltimore. now at Honolulu, has