The times., 1898-04-27

Postal communication between Spain
and America vas discontinued late yester-
day afternoon.
Postmaster General Smith immediate
ly after the Cabinet meeting compiled
and issued an order directing all letters
stopped which are destined for Spain or
any of her colonies or dependencies.
1t not only applies to all future mail
matter and money orders, but any which
has been sent off since last Thursday
from which time Congress has declared
war TO be in existence. The last man
matter originating in the United States
and destined for Spain was sent off Satur-
day. This will get intercepted in London
by Ambassador Hay, who has received
instructions to seize it and return il to
the United States. Only such mail matter
which is sent from other neutral nations
TO Spain will be handled by the POStoft1ce
Depar. .ment of this Government. Cuba
is included among Spains dependencies.
Mail now en- route for the island will be
intercepted at seaport towns of Florida
and returned TO the writers or senders.
Postal communications destined for Off
GERS and men on Capt. SIMPSONS fleet
will of course be forwarded, but every
thing else is excluded Such mail matter
will be delivered at Key West and thence
forwarded in Government dispatch boats
TO the cruisers of the fleet for which IL
is destined.
Spain will perhaps. suffer most by the
discontinuance of the mail service with
Porto Rico and the Canaries. Fortress
Ceuto. which is directly opposite Giblartar,
will not be able TO communicate with
Spanish officials who are in hiding in this
country. Spain's possessions on the north
coast of Africa and the west coast of
Morocco are excluded, together with the
Balearic and Azores Islands and the Re
public of Andora in Spain. Postal au-
thorities at New York and San Francisco
and other important seapOrts on the At
lantic and Pacific coasts have been in
structed to use extra DrecautiOn to in
tercept mail matter intended for Spain
or any of her colonies or dependencies.
Following is a copy of the order:
Postofice Department.
Washington, ID. c., April &C. 1898.
Order l61
hostlitieS between the United States and Spain,
no letters packages, other mail matter origi-
mating within the United States and destined
for SPAIN or addressed TO any pOstoifice or other
of her colonies or dependencies. or to any person
residing within the jurisdiction Of Spain or her
colonies or dependencies, shall be dispatched
from the United States to their said destina
tions; shall any money orders be issued
or certified by any postmaster at any postOt1ce
in the United States payable at any postofhce
in Spain. any of her colonies or dependencies:
Provided, however. That nothing herein contained
shall be construed TO authorize the seizure or
detention of any closed mails for Spain originate
ing in any other country. or originating in Spain
destined for any other country mot her colony
dependency while in transit the terri
tory of the United States.
That for the purpose OF executing the above
and foregoing order. pOsJmasters at exchange
offices of the United States hereby instructed
to return to the writers and sendeTs thereof.
where the letters packages contain the re-
turn card of the sender, all mail matter pro-
hibited from dispatch, as above stated; and when
such letters packages do not contain the re-
turn card of the writer or sender. such matter
must be forwarded 10 the Dead Letter Office, TO
he returned TO the writer in the ordinary war.
And po5tmasters at exchange Offices further
required TO return all money order advices for
money orders drawn by any postoffce in the
United States upon any postOfice in Spain. or
her colonies dependencies
This order is hereby made to include all mail
originating in the United States for delivery
in SPAIN or her colonies or dependencies from
and including Thursday, the twenty first day OF
April. 1895.
CHARLES EMORY SMITH.
Postmaster General.