The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-03


meeting the position of the Spanish com
mission that mine did not explode under
the Maine, as no dead fish were found in
the harbor.
Admiral Irwin is am expert on torpedoes
ana sub marine explosions, and he told
the committee that he never knew fish to
be Killed by such explosions
The White House was, as usual. the
central point In the great activity of the
day, and the President say many public
men. Some of them urged upon the Pres
ldent that the Maine incident be put for
ward as a casus belli, the general Cuban
subject being subordinated 10 it. Among
these was Representative Marsh of Ill-
nois, who said after talking with the
President: Il went to see the President to
tell him that the basis of our declaration
of war should be the destruction of the
Maine and the slaughter of American sail
ors. That was foul and intentional blow
to the American flag and American honor.
1t was done by Spanish authors. 1t was
this foul bow which aroused the Ameri-
can people. The general condition of af-
fairs is blow al humanity; the other was
a blow at us.
Many senators, including members of
the foreign relations committee and men,
beTs of the House, to-day received tele-
erdms from conservative business men in
their states counselling pacifcation in
Cuba. Some of the members commented
quite vigorously regarding them, and the
fact that they seemed TO come simultane-
ously from different sections.
Late this afternoon the navy depart
ment was informed of the sailing OF the
Spanish ships Pelayo and Carlo from
Havre and Toulon, France for Cartha-
gena, Spain. The officials suppose that
these vessels have been at the French
ports for some necessary repairs and are
returning to Carthagena, where there is
a Spanish naval station, for such addi-
| tional work on them as may be necessary
preliminary to any active service they may
be called upon TO perform. The Pelayo
has twin screws. is $50 feet long and Sc feet
beam. She is of $500 tons displacement.
has a speed of 16.7 knots, and besides,
| formidable armament carries seven tor
| pedo tubes
Secretary Alger to-day authorized an all
| lotment of $1,O0OOOO from the emergency
| fund for the Office of the chief of engi-
| neers. The entire amount will be spent
| in purchasing material for the torpedo de-
| fenses connected with the sea coast forti-
icatiops. Gen. Wilson, chief of engineers,
acted promptly as soon as he received the
allotment, and authorized the commanding
officer at WiIletts Point to proceed imme-
| diately to contract for the material re-
| quired. 1t will be shipped at once to the
places needing torpedo defenses and work
on them viii be pressed with all possible
speed
At 1880 tonight Gen. Grosvenor an
| nounced positively, after an extended con-
| ference with the President. that the mes
| sage would not be sent to Congress before
next Tuesday.
| The participants in the conference were
| Senator 4annai Gen.. Grosvenor and
| Judge A. c. Thompson, president of the
criminal law codihcation committee. At
torney General Griggs was present a short
time.
Gen. Grosvenor said there was nothing
new in the Spanish situation tonight.
| Not the slightest change is perceptible" :"
| said he. THE President IS carefully con-
sidering his message and 1t will be a
memorable state document.
NO, he. replied to an inquiry; sit will
| not be sent to Congress on Monday. It
will not go before Tuesday. 1t is 70
| child s play to prepare such a paper as the
! President win give TO Congress and to the
l. country. 1t will thoroughly review all Of
this governments diplomatic negotiations
with Spain relative to Cuba, and will con-
tain such recommendations as will appeal
| to the sense of right and justice of the
American people-just such recommenda-
| tions as every friend of President McKin-
| ley has reason to expect from one so patli-
otc and devoted to his country as he is .
DO you expect any action by Congress
| on Monday, in advance of the President $
| message?" Gen. Grosvenor was asked.
"Oh no. he replied Congress will be
! entirely willing to await the action of the
| President. Everybody thoroughly realizes
that the chief executive of this country
cannot he taken by the throat in mat
| Ter of this kind He must have time to
| formulate his message in his own way
| President Mckinley for many weeks has
| been under a terrific strain, and is be-
| ginning to show the effects of it. He will
| communicate to Congress and TO the coun-
try as soon as possible and there is no
doubt that Congress will respect his de-
| sires in the matter"
During the conference the Associated
| Press news that the Spanish torpedo boat
fotilla had not yet arrived at Porto Rico
| and that the probabilities were that it
was NOW at the Cape de Verde Islands,
was communicated = to the President. 1t
was received with much satisfaction, the
| President reading aloud to the others pres
ent the note conveying the information
| Commenting upon the information, Gen
| Grosvenor said: THAT materially relieves
the strain upon the situation and modifes
| il considerably"
BUSY ON HIS MESSAGE.