The herald., 1898-03-08
NO RUPTURE is LIKELY
OVER REQUEST FOR RECALL OF
CONSUL LEE
SUPPLIES FOR THE STARVING
Will Be Carried by a Naval Vessel
According to the Program
Outlined
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, March There was
good deal of consultation today be-
tween the President and Secretary Long
and Assistant Secretary Day, without
doubt devoted to the consideration of our
relations with Spain. Assistant Secre-
tary Day also had a half hours confer
ence with Secretary Du Bose, Spanish
Charge d'Affaires, and managed to find
time to talk for few minutes with Col.
j. j. McCook, whose interest in Cuban
affairs Is well known. 1t was stated
that the administration has no state
ment to make further than that given
out by Judge Day yesterday. 1t is still
maintained that there has been no de-
mand on the part of the Spanish gov
ernment for the recall of Consul General
Lee, but this denial does not take the
form of complete assertion that some-
thing like an intimation has been given
that the Spanish government would be
pleased were General Lee relieved at
Havana. Still, there is an official state
ment and an unofficial intimation and
therein loOphole for escape is found.
Had the Spanish government made an
official demand for General Lees recall
1t would have had no recourse, in the
event of four governments refusal to
comply, but the Consul-GeneraPs exc
quator, thus leaving him without official
standing. The matter not having taken
that official form there Is no tangible ex-
cuse for Spain to look upon herself as
humiliated in this matter. 1t is quite
certain that the administration does not
take the view, as hasty glance at the
situation would seem to indicate, that
there may not be peaceful termination
of this last incident and such officers of
the Cabinet as have felt free to discuss
the situation at all, have not hesitated
to declare that no rupture in the rela
tions between the United States and
Spain is likely to result.
AS to the matter of sending supplies to
Matanzas and Sagua, which has formed
the basis of objection by the Spanish
government, although not in official
form, it is said at the State Department
and at the Navy Department as well,
that the program laid down in the state
ment given out by the President is to
be observed. The supplies are to go
from Key West to these Cuban ports in
a naval vessel" The Fern is naval
vessel" though not a war vessel, her
principal use being in dispatch carrying
and in the transportation of freight from
one navy yard to another. Because of
her ability to handle freight this way
she is undoubtedly better adapted than
either the cruiser Montgomery or the
gunboat Nashville for the transporta-
ton of supplies. These warships are so
,,,tt 4,
and so filled with machinery that their
freight carrying capacity is limited to
little space on the upper deck Secre-
tary Long calculates that the supplies
which left Saturday last by steamer for
Key West will reach the latter port
Wednesday.
1t was realized that if it is conceded
that vessels of the United States may
be, in times of peace, excluded from Ma
tanzas or Sagua by the same rule they
likewise may be kept out Of Havana har-
Dor, and the administration would there
by not only be prevented from redeem
ing its promise to send another warship
to replace the Maine. but would be
obliged to leave American citizens, res
ident in Havana, entirely without pro-
lection in case of need. This possibility
was not contemplated with equanimity
by the administration, hence the officials
stuck to their technical purpose, to use
a naval vessel for the transportation of
supplies.
The conference between Judge Day
and Senior Du Bose, the Spanish Charge
d'Affaires, attracted great interest, as
it was though that Senior Du Boso
brought late dispatches which would
serve to make the situation definite. The
talk was surrounded with great secrecy
and the parties interested would not
discuss the situation, but it was learned
that Mr.. Blu Bose brought no dispatches
of any kind, nor had he received any in
structions from his government. The
purpose of his call was not to make rep
reservations on either of the incidents,
but to ascertain what official basis there
was for the published report that a re-
quest had been made for General Lees
recall. AS to this Mr.. Du Bose had not
received word from his government.
This led him to the belief that a misap-
prehension had arisen on the subject,
and that any representation which had
been made concerning General Lee had
not gone to the extent of formal re-
quest for his withdrawal. It was sup
posed that Mr.. Du Bosc's call at the
State Department would clear up this
misrepresentation. 1t did not, however,
and, after the conference, he continued
to have strong impression that the rep
reservations concerning General Lee
had not been in the nature of request
of his recall. This view was not the re-
suit Of any official knowledge of what
had occurred. but from the fact that
neither the Madrid officials nor those In
Washington had made him aware of any
act having that solemnity and formality
of request for the withdrawal of a
Consul
WAS NOT A DEMAND