The record-union., 1898-04-28

to-day stating it had been officially adj
vised of the issuance of neutrality
orders by Italy, The Netherlands,
Switzerland, Norway and Sweden, Rus
STA and Colombia 1t is supposed also
that official notice of Great Britain's
and Frances neutrality will be received
by tomorrow. Including France ana
Great Britain. four of the six great
Powers have declared their neutrality,
namely, Great Britain, Italy, France
ana Russia. There remains of the great
Powers Germany and Austria, neither of
winch have yet acted. The delay of
Austria does not cause surprise, as Aus
trla's sympathy with Spain is more pro-
nounced than that of any other country
OF Europe. 1t is not doubted, however,
that Austria will assume neutral at
utude sooner or later. The delay of
Germany is felt to be due solely to Ger
many's consulting her own commercial
interests before shaping the exact terms
of her neutrality proclamation. From
have opposed the right of search as det-
rimental to British and German COM
merce. Thus far Spain has announced
a much more radical doctrine than the
United States on this matter The Span
ish order, published in the Official Ga
zette" last Monday, announced the pur-
pose Of exercising the right of search
of all merchant ships on the high seas.
The Presidents proclamation of yester-
day qualified the right of search by say
ing that 1T is to be exercised with
strict regard to the right of neutrals,
and the voyage of mail steamers are
not to be interfered with except on the
clearest grounds of suspicion, etc.
1t is understood that this matter Of
right of search is causing hesitation on
the part of Germany, and that if it is
satisfactorily established that German
merchant ships shall not be SUBJECTED
to harassment, Germany will adopt the
same course as other nations
The attitude of Portugal is felt to be
more imoortant just at present than
that of any of the great Powers of Eu-
rope, owing to the presence of the Span
ish fleet at the Cape Verde Islands, be-
longing to Portugal. Neither the State
Department nor the Portuguese Minister
at Washington has received word up TO
tonight as to the purpose of Portugal
on the question of neutrality This
caused considerable apprehension in
Official circles here, as it was felt that
PortugaPs vicinage to Spain might in
duce her to withhold neutrality for
time. She owns the Cape Verde group,
the Azores and the Madeiras, which
would give the Spanish fleet three very
important bases of operations. Late in
the day the press dispatches from Lis
bon, saying that the Cabinet council will
declare neutrality tomorrow, relieves
this apprehension considerably. The
effect of the decree will be to compel the
Spaniards at Caoe Verde to leave i'm
mediately. It is felt, however, that
Portugal has done her neighbor good
urn in deferring the proclamation UNI
It'll Tomorrow, as the Spanish fleet has
been laying in stores and coal for sew
eral days past, and doubtless will be
fully equipped and ready to sail before
the neutrality proclamation forces them
out of Portuguese waters.
Members oe the diplomatic CORPS dis
miss the reports coming from Europe
that another move towards European
intervention will be made as soon as
Spain suffers a decisive reverse. This
IS said to be purely conjuctural. as no
such move has taken form thus far by
the exchange of notes. It is accepted
as settled that no more ships intended
Tor the American navy can leave the
ports Of those countries which have de-
clared their neutrality. This result is
most serious in the case of the cruiser
Albany, now at the Armstrong yards.
IN England. The view among diplo-
matte officials is that neither the ALBANY
nor the torpedo boat Somers can leave.
even though the United States flag was
raised over them before the procIama-
ton of neutrality was issued. 1t is said
the raising of the flag cannot avoid the
manifest uses of the ships for war pur-
poses.