The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-08
|SPAlN BACKED DOWN.
Request for General Lees Recall Has
Been Nithdraxn.
ITS OFFICIAL APPLICATION DENIED.
important Events 10 the Spanish
Controversy Transporting.
PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY.
Plenty Of Money TO Place the Coun-
try on a War Footing.
COULD QUICKLY SECURE AMMUNITION
Arm, viii Come In for Liberal
Share of the Fifty MiiIion
Dollars Appropriated.
PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY,
Plenty Of Money TO Place the Coun-
try on Mar Footing.
COULD QUICKLY SECURE AMMUNITION

i
| Washington, March There were no
less than five important events today hav-
in bearing more or less direct upon the
troubled relations between tho United
states and Spain, VIZ
The Introduction into congress by Mr.,
Cannon Of a resolution carrying 10000, :
600 for the public defense; the withdrawal
by the Spanish government of Its init
mated objection to the continuance In office
OF General Lee; the order to the cruiser
Montgomery to proceed to Havana In place
of the Fern: the passage through the house
of the bill increasing the artillery arm by
regiments and the institution of negotia-
lions looking to the purchase of warships
for our navy.
Mr.. Cannon's resolution probably led all
other topics in interest, particularly when
1t became known that it was the result
of conference between the author, tho
|
In General Lees case the news of the
satisfactory settlement of the incident
through the withdrawal of the request by
Spain was expected as soon as 1t was noted
that a loop holy had been left open through
the failure to make the complaint In any
thing like an official shape.
Late in the afternoon Senior Du Bose, the
Spanish charge, received cipher cable
from the minister of state at Madrid Senior
Gullon. saying:
You can disayow the rumor that any
official application has been made for the
recall of General Lee. y
This confirmed Mr.. Du Bosses view that
misapprehension had occurred and that
some intimation concerning General Lee
had been construed into n request or de-
mand for his recall, which Mr.. Du Bose
says with positiveness was never intended
AS there has been no explanation SO far
of the purpose which prompted the intro
duction OF Mr.. Cannon's resolution il may
be said money is wanted primarily MS an
emergency fund. 1t is said by officials Who
will have the disposition of this treasure
that it by no means follows because con-
gress places such sum of money in the
control of the president that he viii feel
bound to spend all OF 1t. Those who look
for wholesale purchase Of warships from
the bargain counters of European builders
are likely to be disappointed. The navy de-
partment al present Is inclined to make
but one purchase of this kind in the shape
of a substantial ironclad. II does desire
to get possession OF several OF the large
class OF torpedo boat destroyers, such as
the Sokul, OF the Russian navy, vessels of
800 tons able to keep the sea in bad wealth
err weak point with our own boats and
capable of enormous speed. such as thirty
two knots, But such craft are not for
sale at all times. they are built to order
generally and could not be procured In this
manner In less than six months from the
date OF contracts even In Europe. unless
special prices were paid. There is no dis
position on the part OF the navy depart
ment TO lumber the navy with lot OF un-
seryiceablc craft in spasm OF fear, but
rather to get few Of the best vessels to
be had. These offers of ships to the navy
department are now assuming definite and
formal shape.
During tho day Secretary Long received
a call from A. +. Lane. representing the
Maxim- Nordenfelt company, and the agent
M N rnu
pIetion in large foreign ship yards. These
include two cruisers Of the type OF the Gin
cinnati, which are designed TO be twenty
knot vessels, and two iroiclads OF fourteen
knots. which would be called third-class
hsttleshipx under our rating. Tnese are
now open to purchase and II Is understood
that Mr.. Lanes visit Was IN this con-
nection.
Mr.. Lane regards these ships as first
class In every particular, as they were de-
signed on modern principles and are being |
built by one OF the leading ship building
Arms VI Europe. They are well along |
toward completion, and all four, II is said, |
could be In commission within few |
months They were originally designed Tor |
one OF the South American republics,
There are things that are wanted much |
more than warships in case OF trouble and
the army shares these needs so that fair
proportion OF the $50, 0C0 900 will have to
20 10 the war department. There are not
abundant suppIiee OF shot and Ehell and
powder The army IL as short as the navy |
Of these essential stores. II has been
found, greatly to the qualification OF the
army officers that there VIII not be nearly
AZ much difficulty In securing modern arms
for the army even on war footing. as was
anticipated This Is because new type Of
rifle has been bought, using the
same cartridge and with about - great