The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-01
WAITING FOR NEWS FROM MANILA.
Inc Outcome Of the War Depends to Great Extent
Success or Failure Of Commodore Deweys Attack
the Philippine Islands.

Canton. As to whether the emperor
VIII decree neutrality. he is not able to
say. 1t is remembered. however. that
no decree OF neutrality was issued dur
ing the Franco Prussian war, and that
China has not been i'm the habit of
issuing neutrality DEGREES on the out
break OF wars in other parts of the
world. Now, however, that China is
keeping I'm touch with the methods of
International procedure thus far. her
inaction may give way to the adoption
OF an attitude OF neutrality. This
would have been done during the
Franco-Prussian war had not Presi-
dent Grant used his good Offices to
bring about an arrangement by which
French and German ships at Asiatic
ports refrained from hostilities. While
China entertains the most friendly feel
ing towards the United States, Mr.. wu
feels that this would not justify the
withholding OF neutrality IL IL in any
way operated to the advantage of the
United States as against Spain.
China has large number of treaty
ports with fine harbors scattered along
her coasts. They are well equipped with
coal and other supplies and any one of
them would be most advantageous as a
harbor for the American fleet in case
one was required in the far east.
II is said. however. that even with
out a neutrality decree by China, those
harbors could not be used as a naval
base OF operations. At most they could
be used only for temporary refugees for
such coal and supplies as would take
the American fleet to the next port.
The authorities feel that the United
States would have profited much by
securing coaling station from China
during the recent controversies which
led to Germany seizing Kiao Chau bay
as a coaling station. Russia securing
Port Arthur and England securing
Wei Hal Wei. There is good reason to
believe that the friendly spirit of China
towards the United States would have
made it possible for the United States
to have secured the harbor of Ministers
bay or some other advantageous port
on the Chinese coast. At the present
time, however. it is said that China
could not voluntarily grant, without
assuming a distinctly hostile attitude
towards Spain, any portion of her coast.
The Portuguese minister called at
the state department to-day and gave
official notice of Portugars neutrality.
Afterward the minister expressed re-
gret at the published reports attribut-
ing delay by Portugal to a disposition
to favor Spain as against the United
States. The minister says that such
reports are unwarranted, and the Of
fetal dispatch, which he received last
nlSnt, SHOWS tndt the autnOr1tleS at
Lisbon agreed with promptness. The
dispatch stated that the notice of "A
of war was received at Lis
bon on the 26th, whereupon a meeting
of the council of state was called i'm
mediately for the day. This is not the
regular cabinet. but a political organ
ization. which must be composed of
persons. The cabinet
met on the 9th and agreed upon the
decree. 1t was presented to the king
on the 2Sth and received his signature.
The minister says this action shows un-
usual dispatch. The dispatches he re-
ceived from Lisbon stated that the
of the belligerent powers
would not be allowed to make more
than brief stay In her ports. As to
the return of several of the Spanish |
boats to the Cape Verde ISL |
ands because of injury resulting from |
a collision, the minister says such in |
juries. IL bona fide, permit warships to |
remain long enough to repair damage. |
This cannot be made an excuse for ex- |
Tended stay, however.