The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-03-10


fiAa;sn approximate date Of the CON
clusian of it's investigation into the
disaster to the Maine.
Sharing the general anxiety for
some information on this point, Sec
felary 8i-eng, at the instance of the
caDlnet sent q telegram to Admiral
slcard asking him when it was prob
ape tlllit the report Of the court would
pc maae, and late last night the fol-
loWl1'g reply was received:
have talked with the president Of
me court Of inquiry and agree with
MN that it is not yet possible to fix a
GATE Tor the finding as so much de,
penNs upon the progress of the divers
ana Wreckers and the results they OBJ
tain. Every effort is being made to
advance the inquiry. The court re.
turns to Havana this evening, having
ABOUT finished the investigation at
Key West. I.<s@ .-Sicard.
Admiral Sicards message is regard
ed officially as disposing Of the re-
ports that the court has as yet OBJ
talned positive or conclusive Informal
tlon bearing upon the object Of their
l!'VestlgatlOn: It is taken to mean
lnat upon the testimony or discoveries
OF the divers will depend the finding,
the examjnation Of the officers and
crew Of the ship having been insult
hcient to enable the court to even form
an idea as to what lines NAV be opened
up from the investigation of the wreck
itself. Wv "1~A
tits probable that the Olympia, flag
ship OF the Asiatic squadron, and the
peerless queen Of the cruisers, will
come home to San Francisco. The
navigation bureau has this movement
the TACT that the ship has been three
I years away from a nevy yard. en-
gagged in hard cruising service, even if
there were no other reason, it is prob
able that the order would be given.
The Olympia is protected cruiser Of
extraordinary speed and endurance,
with battery strong enough to over
power almost anything short of a bait
tleship, and speed enough to run away
from that or anything else she does
not care to fight.
Naval officials are deeply interested
in the reports of the
Purchase of warships
by Spain, and make the reports OF
these transactions the text for COM
plants of the inability Of our navy de-
partment to do likewise. However, as
to the report from London of the pur-
chase of the Amazonas by Spain, it is
said at the department. that this vessel
sailed for Brazil several months ago
and has been delivered to the Brazilian
government: Her sister ship is near
completion in the Armstrong wards.
The other two ships building for Bra
Zil in France, which are also reported
to be about to pass into Spanish
hands, are presumed to be the Deadoro
and the Floriana, which are building
marine inspection. That the permits
at La Seinne, Toulon. These are
small but powerful little battleships.
The London reports also caused COM
ment at the state department. In
some quarters the feeling was ex-
pressed that, pending the finding of a
court of inquiry on a case having the
international phases of the Maine ex-
plosion, the obligations of neutrality
were as strongly imposed on Great
Britain and Brazil as in time of war.
The precedents apply only to a condi-
ton of war and not to conditions
which may eventually lead to war. In
the Geneva award, however, unfriend-
~ acts by Great Britain prior to the
breaking out Of tlfe rebellion consti-
tuted part Of the cause on which
heavy damages were awarded against
her. But as a general rule foreign
governments are free to sell Warships
either directly or through their citi-
zens up to the actual date Of hostili-
ties.
Things were very quiet, at least ex-
ternally, in the war department..
Washington, March 8.-The Spanish
situation developed two new phases
yesterday, when it became known
that the Spanish government had for
mally requested the recall of Consul
General Lee from his post at Havana,
to which request the United States
had courteously but firmly refused to
comply; also that the Spanish govern
sending relief supplies to the Cuban
reconcentrados on the cruiser Mont
gomery and gunboat Nashville, to
which suggestion the United States
has given a like answer in the mega
tive.
The first intimation of these steps
came in a brief and explicit cable dis
patch from Madrid. Prior to it's re-
ceipt, however,, the authorities here
had been fully conversant of the facts,
although no intimation had been al.
lowed to get to the public on either
subject The disclosures from Madrid
left no further ground for reticence in
Washington, and after conference at
the White House between the presi-
dent, Assistant Secretary Day and
Secretary Long the following author
lied statement was handed to the AS
ISOLATED Press by Judge Day, as COM
prising everything that was to be said
by the administration on the subject:
=. 5.-. Satisfied With Lee.
'"The president will not consider the
recall of Gen. Lee. He has borne
himself throughout this crisis with
Judgment, fidelity and courage, to the
presidents entire satisfaction. AS to
the supplies for the relief Of the Gu
ban people, all arrangements have
been made to carry Il consignment this .
week from Key West by one Of the
naval vessels, whichever may be best
adapted and most available for the
purpose, to Matanzas and Sagua.''
Although the officials here are non
com1nittal on the subject, it is believed
that the request for Gen. Lees recall
was made at least a day or two ago.
and that the Spanish government, at
ter receiving the reply of the state de- j.
!, -,