Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1898-05-18
FRANCES ACTION.
IL viii Be Made the Subject % n
Rigid Investigation.

nave W answer W Lll6 OulIeu Oldle5
if she has violated the neutrality laws
in permitting the Spanish squadron to
rendezvous and coal at Martinique.
That France has permitted Spain to
do this in defence of the international
law on neutrality is gravely suspected.
1t is more than suspected that the
layed Consul Dartet's notification to
the state department yesterday of the
appearance of the Spanish squadron
off the coast of Martinique.
1t is believed that If Capt Cotton of
the Harvard had not appeared at st.
Pierre, Martinique, for the purpose of
filing a message to the navy depart
ment the administration would at this
hour be still unofflcially aware of the
presence of the Spanish squadron at
that point.
The theory is that when the formld-
liable looking Harvard steamed into
the harbor of st. Pierre the French au-
thorities in charge of the cable station
concluded it would be wise to send
Capt. Cotton's message after a delay.
The first of the information received
on this subject was at o'clock yester-
day morning, fully fourteen or sixteen
hours after Consul Darte would have
sent his message of the appearance of
the Spanish squadron.
The belief in responsible quarters
here is that Consul Darte's message
was not sent at all, and that Capt. Cot
toms message was delayed fourteen
hours in transmission. Whatever may
have been the cause of the delay in
sending the cablegram the effect has
been to give the enemy about twenty
four hours advantage in it's journey
towards the west.
The French embassy is unquestion-
ably disturbed over the matter, and
broke the ice at the state department
to-day by having the first secretary Of
the legation declare to Assistant Sec
rotary Cridler that the Lafayette had
landed nothing but mail at Havana
Secretary Cridler was requested to
issue a statement on the subject,
which he did to this effect In view
of widely published reports that the
French mail steamship Lafayette,
which was recently permitted to enter
Havana harbor and discharge her Of
fetal mail had violated the neutrality
under which the privilege was ac-
corded her by the government of the
United States, it is authoratively stated
that the department of state has been
satisfactorily convinced that nothing
of the kind was done; that no mer-
ohandise whatever, no contraband OF
war and no Spanish gunners were re-
Gently landed at Havana by che La
fayette."
Chancellor Boeve Of the French le-
cation, said: THE state department
agreed to make disavowal of the
opinion so freely expressed that con-
traband had been landed. The French
government has been annoyed by
statements attributed to American Of
flcers that they were now sorry they
hadn't kept the Lafayette. These state
ments have been displayed by the
newspapers, and it was thought ad-
vlsable to get statement to the con-
trary from the state department. 1t is
highly improbable that if the Lafay-
cite intended to land contraband notice
of he sailing over intention to stop al
Havana would have been given to the
United States government. France Is
keeping faith, and this government IL
practically responsible for the state
ments that the Lafayette has acted in
bad faith"
The haste exhibited by the French
embassy in endeavoring to be cleared
of the charge of landing contraband
from the Lafayette at Havana is re-
garded as extremely significant in view
of Frances suspected action at Mar
tiniuue. Two independent investiga
lions were set on foot by this govern
met yesterday. The state department
is investigating on it's ow account to
ascertain why Consul Dartes notlfica-
ton had not bee cabled, and the navy
department requested the state de-
partment to investigate the reson for
delay of twelve hours delay of Capt.
Cotton's message. II the suspicious
are found to be justified, France will
be brought up with good round turn.
Sqio-Vg. sum 7S9 HR RDDO
President Mckinley and the secre-
tary of state consulted last night over
the delay at Martinique in sending
Capt. Cotton's cablegram telling or the
approach of the Spanish squadron.
Either the French government or the
cable company, whichever was respon-
sible, will be forced to settle.