Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-08
A Day Of DEVELOPMENTS.
Several Important Matters in Connee-
ton With Spanish Relations.

l0A Wltu OpduISu ntldtlUHo.
The Lee Incident and the Supplies
Transportation Incident Closed.
Spain Withdrew Her IntimatIOn
Regarding Consul General Lee,
and the Administration Decides
to Use a Transport Instead OF a
War Vessel for Carrying Sup
plies A Move to Make Fifty Mil
hon Dollars immediately Avail
able for the National Defense.
How This Money May Be Elk
pended.
Washington. D. c., March There
were no less than fiXe important events
to-day having bearing more or less
| direct upon the troubled relations be-
tween the United States and Spain,
viz: The introduction in Congress by
Mr.. Cannon of a resolution carrying
$50, 0G0000 for the public defense; the
withdrawal by the Spanish govern
ment Of its intimated objection to the
continuance in Office of Consul General
Lee: the order TO the cruiser Mont
g0mery to proceed to Havana in place
Of the Fern; the passage through the
House of the bill increasing the artil-
lery arm by two reiments, and the in
stitution Of negotiations looking to the
| purchase of warships for our navy.
Mr.. CannonS resolution probably
led all other topics in interest, partic-
ularly when it became known that it
! was the result of a conference be-
tween the author, the President, Sen
ator Hale and other leading spirits in
Congress.
AS for Gen. Lees case. the slews 5or
| the satisfactory ending of the incident,
through the withdrawal of the sugges-
/ ton by Spain was expected as soon IS
! it was noted that loophole had been
/ left open through the failure to make
/ the complaint in anything like an of
! fetal shape. Some fear is expressed
I that the Consul General will not fiji "a
bis post very congenial now that he
Knows he is an unwelcome guest in
Havana, but the administration is re-
( lying upon his devotion to the welfare
, OF the Americans in Cuba and Amer
/ lean interests generally to submit his
remain st his post
Late in the afternoon Senior Du Bose
the Spanish Charge. received cipher
! cable from the Minister of State at
/ Madrid. Senior Gullon. saying: "You
I can disavow the rumor ut any official
T application has been maize for the re-
+ Call of General Lee"
THIS CONFIRMED
! Mr.. du Bosses views that misappre-
4 hension had occurred. and some init
nation concerning General Lee had
lfs -ot trued into q request or de-
mand for his recall, which Mr. du Bose
says with positiveness was never in
tended
As there has been no explanation so
ann of Tho purposes which prompted the
Introduction ct Mr. Cannon's resolu-
ton, it may be said that the money is
wanted primarily as an emergency
fund. II is said by ofiicIais who will
have the disposition of this treasure
That it by no means follows because
+ Congress places such a sum of money
! III the control Of the President that he
J viii feel bound to spend all OF it. Those
K who look for a wholesale purchase of
7 Warships from the bargain counters
I OF European builders are likely to
be disappointed. The navy depart
ment at present is inclined TO make
+ but one purchase Of this kind, at first
at least in the shape OF a substantial
ironclad II does desire to get posses
sion of several Of the larger class Of
torpedo boat destroyers, such as the
I SOkul Of the Russian navy, vessels of
/ 300 tons, able to keep the sea in bad
weather, d weak point with our own
boats, and capable of enormous speed
such as 50 knots. But such craft are
not for sale at all times; they are
I built to order generally and could not
be procured in this manner in less
than six months from the date of con-
! tract even in Europe unless special
| prices were paid There is no DISPOSE
| ton on the part OF the navy depart
ment to lumber the navy with a lot
! Of unserviceable craft in spasm Of
| fear, but rather to get a few of the
| BEST VESSELS TO BE HAD.
| The offers OF ships to the navy de-
parrment are now assuming definite
| and formal shape. During the day
| Secretary Long received a call from
| A. f. Lane representing the Maxim
| Nordenfeldt Company. and the agent
| for several war vessels now nearing
! completion in large foreign ship yards
| These include two cruisers of the type
Of the Cincinnati, which are designed
| to be twenty knot vessels, and two
| iron clads Of II knots, which would
! lie called third class battleships under
/ Gun rating These are now
| open TO purchase. and it is
understood that Mr.. Lanes visit was
iii this connection. The two cruisers
are $50 feet long, 43 feet beam and 16
feet draft. They carry six 6-inch and
| four 5-inch guns and an auxiliary
battery. The iroDclads have 1884 Inch
belt Of Harvcyized steel Their arma-
ment is Two 1l-inch guns. four 5-incn
two 6-inch. six 6-pounders and four
one-pounders. Mr.. Lane regards these
ships as first class in every particu-
| lar. a. they are designed on modern
principles and are being built by one
of the leading shipbuilding firms Of
Europe They are we'll along toward
completion and all four, it is said,
could be in commission
WITHIN A FEW MONTHS.
They were originally designed for one
I of the South American republics, but
there is said TO be no obligation which
1 would prevent their acquisition by the
United States. Mr. Lane recently sold
the Navy Department sixty of the
| Maxim Nordenfeldt rapid fire guns,
ana his standing with officials is such
| as ~ give his representations as TO