Evening star., 1898-05-23
London Times Correspondent Has
Started for Cuban Coast.
GUSTAVIJS BOOK ALSO WANTS TO GO
Both Are Very Friendly to the
Spanish Government.
DANGER IN SUCH PERMITS

cltcEii flOiu IL sun correspondent.
KEY WEST, Fla, May 23.-If Admiral
Cervera has allowed himself to be bottled
up in Santiago the balance of the problem
Is simple one; but naval commanders in
Cuban waters have no idea that this has
happened. They fear long and perhaps
fruitiess chase after the elusive Spaniards.
who persist in refusing to appear in the
places where the strategy board figures
that they should appear. Enough Ameri-
can warships afoat to intercept the
whole Spanish navy.
Complaint cannot be made that the YES
sels of SIMPSONS fleet waste time in harbor
when they should be at sea-
Blanco keeps Moro Castle signal light
burning, but it is evidently for the pur-
pose of misleading the ships that are lying
CH Havana. Before Cervera put into San
tiaso Blanco may have had reason to think
the fleet was coming to the relief of IIa-
vana, but as he was able to secure word by
telegraph of the whereabouts of the Span
:sh ships, he could not have kept Morro
signal lighted since Friday as beacon for
upon as a ruse.
If the Spanish fleet made for any Cuban
Fort after leaving Santiago it would more
likely be Cienfuegos
Too Much LibcraIity With Permits.
Complications are pretty sure to arise from
the liberality which has been shown in
Washington in granting permits for sub
jects of foreign powers to pass the block
ade and enter Havana. Navy officers are
unable to understand why these permits
We're not revoked. The German steamer
folaria, on which passage was to be taken
relieved the authorities from embarrass-
ment by sailing for New York. The indi-
rlduais who had been granted official dts
pensaion were not obliglng Mr. knight.
the correspondent of the London Times
and British subject, did not find his own
government SO favorably disposed as the
american government. He was unable to
secure an English cruiser mercnantman
Last night he left on a tug with the ex-
pectation of being Landed on the coast near
Havana and reaching that city tonight.
once ashore the documents he bears from
Madrid showing that he is persona grata
to Spain will insure him safe canduct. But
TO get ashore, Notwithstanding his official
permit from the United States government
II Will be necessary for his tug to violate
the regulations made by Admiral Samp-
son and TO run the blockade
Gustavus Book, who also got a permit
has been honaf,l Of
man cruiser to take him over, and he is vet
confident OF success. / do not know wheth
er 1t is true, as alleged, that he is a colonel
of Spanish volunteers. The fact that the
German ambassador in Washington made
arrangements for his permit indicates tha,
during his long residence in Cuba he has
not lost his German citizenship.
His Interests Are With Spain.
But whether he is colonel Of volunteers
or not, 1t is matter of common knowledge
that MI. Books interests are all Spanish.
that his sympathies are pro-Spanish and
that MS obilsations to representatives Of
Spanish sovereignty in Cuba are great.
No one knows these things better than
Gen. F1tznugh Lee, and 1t is not at all
creditable to Gen. Lees judgment that n,
lrdorsed Books request. No question of
diplomatic courtesy lie at the basis of
the subject. Books motive is purely a
Hercenary one. If he can get into Havana
he may make a lot of money for himself
and his European partners, possibly in
legitimate trades possibly by a gigantic
tobacco speculation.
Naval officers were at first skeptical
about permit having been granted to
Book. When satisfied that 1t was genuine.
they Investigated his standing. No trouble
was had in establishing his friendly rela-
tons with Blanco and the Spanish authori-
ties Besides his own declarations, he ex-
hibited numerous letters from them. What
is going to be done in the case 1 do not
know. AS naval commanders are charged
with responsibility of maintaining blockade
ard preventing valuable information from
reaching the enemy, it is proper that they
should be relieved from the responsibility
which attached to letting Mr.. Book pass
the blockade and enter Havana
PEPPER.