Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-02
KEEPING EVEN WITH SPAIN
Other Armed Vessels VIII Cruise IN the
West Indies and Nicinity-All are
Messengers of Peace.

New York, Feb. 1.-The Washington
correspondent of the Herald telegraphs:
Encouraged by the excellent effect of
the visit of the battleship Maine to Ha-
vana, the administration has deter
mined to send another name f-war
upon a friendly visit to the smaller Gu
ban ports. The vessel elected is the
cruiser Montgomery, which is now tax
ing on board supply of coal at Key
West.
In addition to this, the armored
cruiser Brooklyn, now at the Brooklyn
navy yard, will leave in few days for
a cruise in the West indies.
She will not touch cuba. Her timer
airy requires her to first visit st.
Thomas, thence 90 to Santa Cruz.
Curacao, LaGuayra and Aspinwall.
Upon arrival at Aspinwall she Will
probably be ordered to return to the
United States. Ports In Cuba will
form only u feature in the itinerary
of the Montgomery as 1t Is proposed
to have her call at several other points
in the West Indies.
The Montgomery's mission, like that
of the Maine to Havana, is purely
friendly in character.
Commander @. A. Converse. com
manding the Montgomery, has instruc-
-tiuns directing ifffff to cali on the Port
authorities and the American consuls
and to confer with the latter in re-
gard to any matters they may care to
discuss. The Montgomery's sailors will
not be given liberty during the stay of
their vessel In Cuban waters.
In view of the peaceful aspect of the
situation as reported by Gen. Lee and
Captain Sigsbee, administration OH
Gals say that this is the best time for
a United States war vessel to visit the
smaller Cuban ports. The authorities
say that the beneficial results of the
Names visit will be increased If a
cruiser should display the American flag
at other points of the island.
Santiago de Cuba is the only point
definitely selected for the Montgomery
to touch. The United States is repre-
scented there by Consul Pulaski f..
Hyatt.
Santiago de Cuba is on the southern
coast of the island. Before proceeding
to that port 1t is expected that the de-
partment will direct Commander Con-
verse to touch at Cardenas, Matanzas
and Baracoa. The other port on the
south coast of Cuba which the Mont
gomery may touch is Cienfuegos. Up
on her return trip to the United States
II is possible that she may visit Bahia
Honda. AS the Montgomery draws
bUlN ~ 1ftN lfltfltS VI water u VIII NE
possible for her to enter the harbors at
these cities.
No Significance is to be attached to
the cruise of the Brooklyn. In explain
alton of her cruise II Is stated that II
is The desire of the authorities to dis
play the American flag in Venezueltn
and Colombian waters, hence the
Brooklyn's orders
The only other vessel which this gov
eminent now has in waters of the West
indies is the gunboat Wilmington at
ST. Vincent.
There is considerable work yet to be
done on the BROOKLYN and II is not
expected that she will get away until
two or three days. Running Of the gun
shop at the Washington navy yard
| night and day last week. was due only
to the desire of Secretary ding to com
plete the filings for the guns of the
| Brooklyn. The night work was com
pleted on Saturday night last and there
has been no further extra work done
In its determination to have Ameri-
can en-of-war visit Cuban ports the
administration is simply putting into
| force the policy pursued during the tive
| administrations OF President Grant
| There was nothing unusual during the
| ten years of war in the visit of Ameri-
can warships to Cuban ports. II is de-
| sired by the authorities to have the
ships call freely at Cuban ports In
order to show that the United States
| does not consider the relations be-
tween this country and Spain strained