The Portland daily press., 1898-04-30

war department. for changes IN the plans
already announced as to mobilization of
the volunteer troops aud very much
against it's judgment, the department is
making concessions in this matter. A
large number of callers are bringing for
ward candidates for, the many plums
within the gift of the President and
Secretary Alger in the shape of arpoinb.
ments to grades above regimental, in the
army.
Gen. lee and Gen. Dodge spent good
part of the day in conference with offic-
ials, giving color to the reports that they
are among those selected for appointment
as major generals.
The announcement that ,sthe State of
Texas, laden with supplies for the recon-
centrados, is destined for Sagua, has led
to the surnise that it is probably this
port instead of Matanzas which has been
selected for the landing place of the first
attack of the U. S. troops.
Regarding the growls that appear in
the European papers and threats to in
terfere to prevent the United States forces
from blockading the Philippines, it may
be stated that this was fully expected.
During the civil war there were 3 great
many attempts on the part of European
nations to disregard our blockades and
many threats of interference, all of which
came to naught from the firm attitude
assumed by the secretary of state In
the present case the conditions of the
Cuban blockade are much more liberal
towards tbs European powers than ever
before imposed. In anticipation of the
action of the German commercial interests
in combining to secure exemption from
search for their mail steamers, It is point
ed out that the Presidentin his proclama-
tion, declaring the existence of war, ex-
plicitly announced that the VOYAGES of
mail steamers are not to be lnterfered
with except on the clearest grounds of
suspicion of violation of the law in re.
spect to oontraband or blockade.
Viscount de Santo- -Thryso, the Portu-
guese minister, looked over the Associated
Press cable despatch from Lisbon giving
the substance Of the neutrality decree
gazetted there today and said it was eyi-
IDENTIFY accurate and covered the entire
subject. He had not. however, up to a
late hour, today, recaived an official noti-
fcation Of the neutrality decree.
The Viscount stated that article g.
which permits helligerents to make
short stop at Portuguese ports, probably
would be better understood by saying
that belligerents would not be permitted
to make long stays at ports of Portugal.
Under the usual rules of international
law, the stay was likely to bs confined
to day or two. The minister drew at
tention to the. privileges permitted when
VI Douh ASIAA6CICittS ItstlOIS
were in the same port. In case if the
warship of one power leaves port, the
warship of the other power cannot leave
In pursuit. within "a hours.
Portugal has been very insistent upon
this rule, and notable instance of it
occurred when the famous Confederate
privateer Alabama was at Lisbon dur
ing the Civil war A United States shin
entered Lisbon harbor while the Alabama
was there, and the Alabama immediately
withdrew. The United States ship an
parently started in pursuit, whereupon
the Portuguese batteries fred warning
guns and were prepared to make armed
resistance to the departure of the war
ship before the first one had her full "A
hours start. 1t turnsd out that the
Northern ship had not intended to chase
the Alabama, but was moving her buoys
SO that trouble was averted. The Brit
lsh and French aIn bassadors here have
received instructions relative to the ton
mage tax provision in the war tariff bill.
which passed the House of Representa-.
tives today. 1t is understood that the
German ambassador will also receive in
struetions on the same subject. The
nature of the instructions is not disclosed.
but they doubtlsss relate to Joint repre-
sentations against the severity OF the new
tonnage tax. Leading diplomats are
hopeful that their representations will
lead to modification of the clause before