The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-31
MADRID ADvIcEs.
Active Preparations For Contingency
Reported by a Newspaper.

Active Preparations For Contingency
Reported by Newspaper.
Madrid. March si.-while the situation
here Is outwardly OF the calmest de-
scription, the actual position OF affairs
Is regarded as critical by both the United
States legation and the Spanish govern
ment. Minister Woodford Is working
energetically. and will continue TO work
Tor peace until the first gun Is fired. IL
II known that the Spanish government
admits the desirablity, or necessity. OF
complying with the demands OF the
United States, and II is only In the dis
inclination OF the ministers to put this
willingness into concrete form that the
danger lies. III . conference was TO be
held with British, German or French
diplomats. the matter would be settled
without question. The point which Gen.
eral Woodford Is pressing In that in the
interests Of humanity hostilities in Cuba
must cease Immediately. No date was
fixed either in the first or In the present
note; but the United States is now
dwelling upon the meaning of the word.
Immediately" and insisting that Spain
accept its general Interpretation. The
public apparently is taking little interest
In the situation. but there is a general
disinclination to believe that war Is
likely
A local paper says that four war
ships have been obtained by Spain In
France; that negotiations are pending
for the purchase OF several torpedo, boats
in Great Britain; that orders have been
issued to mobilize all the Spanish war
ships; that the torpedo boat Ha,con is to
sail Immediately from Carthagena for
Cadlz, where a second torpedo squadron
Is being prepared; that military engi-
neers are starting for the Canary ISL
ands, and that the Balearic islands are
being fortified; that Italy has decided
TO sell the armored cruiser Giuseppe
Garibaldi. OF Gsa0 tons and well armored
sister ship OF the Varese. to Spain. and
two regiments are going to the Canary
Islands to strengthen the Spanish gar
rison there.
The Armstrong Spanish agent. a
Spaniard. who is i'm touch with the gov
ernment and commercial people in Spain.
has expressed the belief that unless the
powers intercede there will be war. He
added IF the United States offered
money for our clearing out of Cuba we
emanated from another power. II Is not
unlikely that 1t would be accepted"
This view OF the case Is echoed bv a
portion Of the Spanish press. which ad-
vises Spain to wash her hands OF Cuba.
A prominent Carist deputy, who has
just been defeated at Vittoria, expressed
the opinion that there would be no war
saying: We have neither ships. sail
ors. soldiers. plans nor money, and the
goYernment knows it 1t will strugale
to the last and then cave in"
a cabinet council was held Yesterday
afternoon to consider the American pro-
posals. This afternoon there will be
a final conference between Minister
Woodford, the premier. the foreign min
lister and the minister for the colonies.
The proposition which Spain will an
swer covers two points only: and its
publication viii revelation to some
OF those abrC who have been de-
nouncing America's aggressive attitude.
1t is as follows: Spain to proclaim inn
mediately an armistice in Cuba to last
until October, during which interval
the United States will use it's good off,
ces with the insurgents to make this
temporary peace permanent; and. Sec
ond. Spain to do her best toward reliev-
ing suffering and starvation on the ISL
and, with America to be allowed to
assist in this work
A severe censorship is exercised TO
prevent the leakage of news as to naval
movements, while the war preparations
continue with the greatest activity and.
as far as possible. the greatest secrecy.
The utmost efforts are making night and
day to get the first-class ironclads
Pelayo ard Carlos v. completed. when
II is regarded as certain they will be
dispatched with the Maria Teresa and
Cristobal Colon to join the Vizcaya and
the Almirante Oquendo in Cuban wa
ters, thus forming a squadron OF six
armored vessels against Americas
seven.
WEYLERISM RELAXED.