The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-21
VIGOROUS POLICY OUTLINED
sAGASTA AND HIS NEW MINISTER'S
TALK TO LEGISLATORS,
And Tell Them the War VIII Now BE
Pushed to the UtmOst-HOw 1t
Appears to BritOns.

| MADRID, May 2O.-At 10 o'clock last night
| the minister of marine, Captain Aunon, re-
ceved a dispatch from Admiral Cervera, in
| command of the Cape Verde squadron of
the Spanish fleet 1t was dated Santiago
de Cuba, May 49," and read: This morn
| ing l have without incident entered this
| port accompanied by the squadron" The
minister of marine Immediately went to the
residence of the premier, Senor Sagasta, and
| communicated this information. He then
proceeded to the palace for the purpose of
| informing the Queen Regent, but her
Majesty had already retired, and the news
| was conveyed to her by the Infanta Isa-
| bel. Captain Aunon then went to the Adj
| .niralty and cabled his congratulations to
| Admiral Cervera on his arrival at Santiago
| de Cuba.
| Admiral Cervera, says a cable dispa tch
| from Santiago de Cuba, did not sight any
| American ships during the voyage. He an
/ nounces that the crews of his ships are il.
| perfect health and enthusiastic. Continu-
| ing, the dispatch says THE blockading
vessels quickly left on the approach of the
| squadron, whose arrival has created the
| greatest excitement and enthusiasm at
! Santiago. Immediately crowds of people
| thronged the quays and cheered our sailors
1
| fleet is very great as it was feared the
| American ships which left the blockade had
| gone to intercept the Spanish fleet 1t is
| now believed the Americans fled in order to
| avoid a reverse"
In an interview to-day the minister of
| marine is quoted as saying: II am greatly
| rejoiced at the safe arrival of the Spanish
| fleet at Santiago de Cuba 1t is an i'm
| mense triumph for the Spanish navy. The
| sailors who executed the movement and
| those who planned it are worthy of all
| praise" Continuing, the minister said he
congratulated himself upon the first event
! happening in his administration auguring
so well for the navy and the country.
The new minister of marine has injected
! the greatest activity to his department 1t
| is said he has been offered war munitions
| from many quarters. 1t is evident the new
| Spanish Cabinet intends to push the cam
paign vigorously and it is said the Minis
| try will also negotiate actively with foreign
| diplomatists to protect Spain against a COM
bination of her enemies. In taking possess
| sion of the Admiralty the new minister Of
| marine made a patriotic speech to the as
sembed officers, recalling ''the splendid. ex-
| ample set by our sailors at Cavite in dying
| for Spain''
| The ministers, in full uniform, appeared in
the Senate to-day. Owing to the circum-
| stances, the new Cabinet is already nick
| named the "Circumstantial Cabinet The
| premier Senor Sagasta, explained the min
| isterial crisis and asserted that the new
| Ministry will continue the policy of the for
| me- Ministry. He related how "Spain did
everything to avoid war until America, vio-
| lating all recognized diplomacy, attacked
| Spain with an injustice unprecedented in
the annals of civilized history, and COM
| PEELED Spain to respond with war to war;
which Spain would continue a toute out
| rance Ito the utmosD until an honorable
peace is obtainable. This" the premier con-
tinued, lis a strong policy, and the new gov
| ernment will also energetically conduct ne
gotiations with European and other states"
| Count Penaramiro proposed the Senate's
| congratulations to Admiral Cervera on his
arriving safely at Santiago de Cuba and
| ''cleverly lodging the American squad
| rons''
| Captain Aunon, the minister of marine,
| responded in the name of the navy. highly
| extolling Admiral Cervera. In so doing he
said the arrival of the Spanish squadron in
! Cuban waters would cement the friend
ship of the Cubans with Spain and will
prove to the world that Spain will never
abandon Cuba while the mother country re-
tains her vitality" The congratulations
were voted unanimously.
| In the chamber Senor Sagasta repeated
his Senate speech. Senor Silvela, leader of
| the dissident Conservatives, replied that his
section of the Conservative party approved
! the policy announced by Senior Sagasta and
would support the new Cabinet.
| Senior Romero y Robedo, leader of the
| Weylerite faction, presented an interpella-
| ton maintaining that the old government
was in a crisis from the very declaration of
war and that if the present were continual
| ton of the policy of the old Cabinet then the
| present Cabinet also was in crisis All
| sides of the house greeted his remarks with
| merriment. Senior Romero Robledo then
| pressed Senor Gamazo. minister of public
| instruction, public works agriculture and
| commerce. to disclose his individual opinion
| and to say how far he indorsed the minis
| terial policy of the reconstructed Cabinet
| insisting that if the present were a con-
! tinuation of the former policy then Senior
| Gamazo, unless he had thrown over his
| former theories, ought to be in the opposi-
| ton and not in office.
Senior Gamazo replied that without aban-
| doning his political ideals he had accepted
| Office patriotically and would carry out the
government programme irrespective of his
own personal theories.
Senior Sagasta explained that the Cabinet
changes were due to the fact that several
ministers were 'il and extremely fatigued
after the recent anxieties." He said that
the Cabinet found itself confronted with war
or dishonor and accepted the former, add
ing solemnly: THE Spanish government will