The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-03


noticeable at the navy department to-
day that the officials were expecting
news of the first importance, but that
they did not look for it Immediately.
The firmness with which they have IN
sisted that Schley could have had no
general engagement with the Spanish
forces. ships and forts at Santiago, as
was reported, appeared to be based on
a full knowledge of the plans on which
the commodore Is acting and the great
est concession that they would make
towards admitting that a fight had
taken place there Tuesday was to say
that possibly Schley had detected some
earthworks going up and had RACED
them with his shells. They were con-
fident he made no attempt to enter the
harbor. II is believed now, however,
that with Sampson in the field and in
command off SANTIAGO with an aug
mented force, that interesting events
may be looked for.
These are expected, too, notwith-
standing the fact that no troops have
yet started from Tampa, as was estab-
lished by inquiry at the war depart
ment this afternoon. The insurgents
are known to be in force in the neigh
borhood of Santiago, and through Cap
tain -Dorst. the war department not
only has been in communication with
them, but has supplied them fully with
good weapons and an abundance of
ammunition. The headquarters of the
best Cuban general, Garcia, are dis
tant from Santiago only 10 miles. so
that IL is possible Sampson feels strong
enough with their support to begin the
assault by sea upon the doomed Span
ish fleet and forts without waiting for
the arrival of the United states troops
from Tampa. The trend of the news
that came to Washington from unoffi-
cial sources during the afternoon all
went to support this belief. so there is
some ground for the expectation of the
officials that important Information
may be expected shortly.
The Spanish government has made a
protest to the British authorities against
the shipping of Canadian coal from
British North America to San Francisco
for the relief of the ships of Admiral
Dewey's fleet at Manila and also
against the shipping of coal from Nova
Scotia TO Atlantic ports for use by the
United States warships operating in the
West Indies. In view of the ruling by
the British government that coal was
contraband of war. this protest by
Spain might have caused considerable
embarrassment as the Canadian coal is
considered by the naval authorities to
be of superior article for the use Of our
ships.
1t is only a short distance from the
British North American coal fields TO
San Francisco and Nova Scotian coal
fields are easily accessible to the ATTAIN
tic ports. II is said, however, that
Spain's protest has not proved of any
avail. The subject was referred TO the
Canadian authorities, who, on invefti-
CATION. learned that the coal shipments,
both from British North America and
from Nova Scotia, were in the ordinary
course Of commercial transactions. They
were made by private parties in Canada
to private parties in the United States.
Whether the coal subsequently passed
| into the hands Of the United States gov
ernment for use by the American navy
| was held to be outside the province of
the British and Canadian authorities.
1t is probable that any direct sales 10
| the navy department would have been
stopped, as they would have been mani
| festly breach of the neutral attitude
| maintained by the British government
and it's colonial possessions, including
| Canada.
If the queen regent of Spain has in
| structed Senior Castillo to ask the powers
| to intervene for peace, that movement
| has not yet taken any form in Wash
ington. either at the state department
or any of the foreign embassies. Among
diplomatic officials il is thought to be
quite possible that Spain is feeling her
way toward securing peace, but ii is no.
| believed this will meet any active as
sistance from the great powers. AS one
leading diplomatic official said to-day,
| Spain finds herself in the same condi-
| ton OF isolation that France was in
1871. At that time NJ. Theirs, afterward
president went from capital to capital
seeking TO secure the cooperation OF
Europe with France. but his mission
was a failure. The mission Of Castillo
| is said to be like that of Thiers. and the
/ diplomatic officials believe il will meet
/ with the same fate. Ii is known thai
Spain has counted most on arousing tbs
/ active interest of France. but 1t has beer
unsuccessful. The French authorities
here have not heard of any negotiations