Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-05-18
SPAIN FILES A PROTEST.
Thinks United States is Being
Unduly Favored.
COMPLAINT TO FRANCE
Wanted the Harvard Forced Out tc
Sea to be at Mercy of Span
ish Fleet.

Washington, D. c., May 14.-OficiaI
information reached here today that the
Spanish government had filed a protest
at the foreign office in Paris against the
permission given by the French authori-
ties at Martinique to the United States
auxiliary cruiser Harvard to remain in
the harbOr of st. Pierre, Martinique, for
seven days to make necessary repairs.
The French government has taken
speedy action on the protest and insists
that the United States cruiser being, dis
abled, has full right to remain seven
days or such time as may be necessary
to complete her repairs, and that in the
meantime no steps will be taken to have
her leave the French port.
The Spanish protest is an important de-
yelOpment in the present critical naval
situation in the West Indies, as it serves
to permit France to give conspicuous
evidence of her friendly attitude toward
SITUATIONS which have been made as to
French, favOritism to Spain. 1t also
makes clear for the first time the plans
of the Spanish admiral to have the Har-
yard forced out of the harbor at Mar
Unique and then to capture her by his
swift cruisers and destroyers. 1t is i'm
possible for the Spanish warships to at
tack her while she is inside the harbor.
The most the Spanish admiral can do is
to wait outside the harbor in hopes of
taking the Harvard as she leaves
1t is evident from the filing of the Span
ish protest that she had fully expected
the Harvard to leave st. Pierre, and that
the Spanish ships were lying in wait for
her, but a wait for seven days would be
futile, as other American ships can 90 to
the relief of the Harvard before that
time. Moreover, while the capture of the
Harvard would be n valuable incident to
the movement of the Spanish squadron.
hat
tire movements for the next seven days
IN order to effect this one capture. Had
the French authorities decided in view
of the protest, that the Harvard must
leave at once, her position would have
been extremely critical, as her batteries
are insignificant compared with those of
the big Spanish warships and her fleet
ness would not avail when the Spanish
ships commanded the harbOr entrance
and had 3O-knOt vessels among their
number. AS it is, the navy department
IS relieved of all serious apprehension on
the Harvard. as the action of the French
government insures her safety.
BY a strange coincidence the French
ownership of Martinique is bringing pro-
rests from both quarters, the United
tates as well as Spain, although those
IrCm this country are entirely unofficial
and are expressly discountenanced by the
state department. They relate to the use
OF the French cable system between the
United States and the West Indies. in
tlmatlOns being made that these served
to assist the Spanish authorities and to
embarrass the officials at Washington.
There appears to be no ground for this
suspicion, as it is pointed out that the
French cable company would be working
against its own interests by such a course
of action and, moreover, would subject
itself to the danger of having its cable
cut at Coney island, where it makes the
landing.
1t developed today that Gen. Greedy,
chief of the signal service, has laid down
strict course of action for the cable
company, to which the company fully ac-
ceded. On Thursday Gen. Greedy noti-
fed the company that the government
was reliably advised that Spain was Sc
cretly using the French line to send mes
sages from two Spanish officials in Lon
don to the Spanish authorities at Cuba
and Porto Rico. He said this was doubt
less without the knowledge of the com
pany. lie then laid down certain classes
OF forbidden messages. These included
messages between Spanish officials code
or cipher messages, and messages inira-
zeal to the United States in its pres
We're made to messages signed by the
President and members of the binet and
also to messages from neutral govern
ments and their representatives in Wash
lngtOn. Gen. Greedy stated that he had
no desire to exercise military control or
supervision over the French cable lines.
and as long as the necessities of war per-
NIT preferred that the company should
look after its own affairs. While granting
this permission, however, Gen. Greedy
said 1T was with the distinct prOviso that
the company would order all it's agents
and employees to refuse to receive or trans
nit any of the messages he had forbidden
to be sent.
Mr.. Lurienne, the agent of the company.
gave Gen. Greedy written assurance that
all the foregoing conditions would be fully
observed, so that the United States au-
thOrities are now fully safeguarded
against the use of the cable for purposes
inimical to the government