Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-13
GENERAL WAR SITUATION.
Continued from page ~

|
| States.
Just where the Spanish flying SQUAD
ron is STILL remains in doubt and no
word of official confirmation has como
TO the navy department of the Cadiz
reports that, day before yesterday, the
| squadron was there. Still there are
enough American scouting vessels
covering the approaches to the West
India channel to spot any approaching
Spanish ship in short order.
The people on the New England
coast have had their approximations
aroused again lest the Spanish appear
IN force off their coast ana proceed to
destroy the summer resorts and small
craft there. Mr. Allen the newly in
Quoted assistant secretary of the navy, |
being Il Massachusetts man. had to
bear the brunt OF a score Of applica-
tionS for protection that came to the
department from allpoints on the coast
from Maine to Connecticut.
The department has done what il
regards as necessary in assigning the
monitors and some vessels of the Mos
quito fleet to the patrol of this coast
and in holding Commodore SchIey's
squadron at Hampton Roads ready to
fly at 20-knots speed to any point on
the coast that may be threatened
dispatch came, today, to the navy
department from Admiral Dewey at
Manila. 1t was dated Hong Kong. to-
day was evidently 4 few days old and
does not show that Dewey has possess
ed himself of Manila. Probably he re-
CARDS his original orders as not broad
enough to Justify that action without
further directions and as his dispatch
was sent, last Monday, he could not
| department. The nature Of these or
ders is Indicated by the assignment Of
| two such officers as Major Generals
/ Merritt and Otis to command the
| troops that are t. be hurried To the
Philippines when the quartermaster
has provsioned the ships at san Fran
cisco
Merritt is the senior major general mi
4 the United States service after Gen
Miles, ana in ordinary cases is entitled
to the most important commands, sol
his designation for this work may bp|
taken as an evidence Of the Presidents
estimate Of the Importance Of this cx-
\ petition.
1 In all the official quarters, state de
| partment and diplomatic, the reports
coming from London to the effect that
some Of the continental powers, par
| ticularly Germany and France. have
made protests against American occu-
patton of the Philippines. are met with
| hat donials. There has been no recent
concerted action among the continental
/ powers toward intervention nor have
( the representatives of these powers mi
| Washington exchanged any views late
| ~ touching On intervention.
| This statement is made in the most
specific manner by French and Ger
man officials. They arc inclined to at
/ tach some significance TO the fact that
| all of these reports cmenate from Lon
don. In ut least one embassy Of con-
tinentaI powers this tendency at Lon
/ don has received official attention ana
! the notice Of the state department has
| been drawn to it during an official in
/ tcrvicw Both the German ana French
| authorities feel that their declaration
| of neutrality should he received in good
/ ton that they are about to intervene to
defeat the ends Of the United States
An ambassador stated, tonight, that
| intervention along the lines suggested
| by the cable dispatches from London
would be so clearly against American
interests as TO amount to a casus beli.
Being one of four ambassadors 1T
Washington. he was in position 10
state that there was no truth in the
publication at London that the am
bassadors have made joint representa-
lions to Secretary Day concerning the
occupation of the Philippines. Judge |
Day also remarked that nothing what |
ever Of the kind had occurred
There is no doubt that Germany |
France and Great Britain are sending
their Warships to the Philippines. but
This is said to he a natural movement |
for the protection Of the citizens and |
property of these countries, and not
with any purpose Of aggression or Of
interrupting the plans Of the United
States.
The French government has the
cruiser Bruix at Manila. the British
government has two Warshps, and
Germany will soon have several ships
there. There are drawn from the
powerful squadrons which European
powers maintain in ASiatic waters !