Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-14
CEBALOS' AUTHORITY
Not Empowered to Represent the Spanish
Government.
Named by the Cuban Autonomous
Cabinet-COming of Torpedo Boats
Findings on Maine Disaster.

Inc spanish minister, Senor Polo Ber-
nabe, received a number of dispatches to-
day from the minister Of state at Madrid
and from Captain General Blanco Those
| from Gen. Blanco were reassuring in tone,
| and stated that the situation at Havana
and throughout thu island was quiet and
| satisfactory. The minister of state cabled
| in substance: 1.-The uprising in the Philip
| pines is so insignificant that. 1t will be end
| ed by the time you receive this" This is
| a source of satisfaction to the legation ofi-
cials, as the trouble in the Philippines has
| been intermittent during the last two years,
and has distracted attention from Cuba
| Senor Polo did not have occasion to visit
| the State Department today. AT II O'clock
| he made his first formal call, by appoint
ment, On the French ambassador, and at II
| o'clock on the British ambassador Infor-
nal social exchanges had previously been
made, but the calls today were in the ma
| ture Of the formal meetings of the repre-
sentatives of the various governments.
The minister asked that an emphatic de-
NAL be made in his name to the reports
that Senior Juan Cebalos had been in
Washington as commissioner from the
Spanish government to make overtures for
terms of settlement~with the Cuban insur-
gents.
"Senor Cebalos is not a commissioner of
Spain," said the minister, nor has he any
| authority, directly or indirectly, to speak
for the Spanish government. The only
| person qualified to speak for Spain in the
| United States is her accredited minister. l
| wish to make the deniaLas broad and en-
phatiC as possible
1t was explained by the minister that
Senor CebaloS had recently been named by
! the autonomous cabinet of Cuba as an aid
| to him in framing the proposed commercial.
| treaty between the United States and Gu
ha. This was in accordance with the au-
tonomOuS plan by which the CubanS them
| selves given control of their tariff af-
| fairs. But in naming Senor Cebaios, the
minister pointed out, he and his associates
were to assist him as the plenipotentiary
of Spain.
In any event, however Mr.. Cebalos' mis-
sion was confined wholly to commercial
affairs. Even in this capacity the minister
expresses doubt whether Senor Cebalos
Will be able to act, as he lives in New York
ard is a citizen of the United States, which
| apparently incapacitates him from being
| direct representative of the Cubans
Whether Mr.. Cebalos on his personal re-
sponsibility, made overtures here is not
known at the legation. He did not call
there, and it is said that anything he may
| have done was without that consultation
or sanction which would give it the Slight
| est status as the act of the Spanish gov
eminent.
Coming OF Spanish Torpedo Boats.
Senor Polo's attention was called to the
reports from Spain as to the prospective
sailing of the Spanish torpedo fleet for
Havana, and to the significance which had
been attached in this country to this move
ment. The minister said that the move
| ment of torpedo craft had long been con-
templated, and even before he left Madrid
the queen regent bade goodbye to the Cap
| tain OF the fleet. Their coming had no re-
lation whatever, he said, to recent Condi
| tiens, as they were wanted for work along
| the Cuban coast. Some of them were de-
| signed for use in the Ceuto river while
Others being swift, would be used rs the
| dispatch boats between shore points in
case land communication was interrupted.
Probable Spanish Findings.
The minister has received no intimation
| as to the findings Of the Spanish naval
| commission which Is investigating the
| Maine disaster. He says this commission
| Is proceeding with the same formally and
| secrecy as the United States court of in
qCfry. and that no intfmatiun of its find
| ings will be justified until the formal report
| is presented to the Spanish government.
Mr.. Polo expresses hts personal belief,
| however. that there is no doubt the Spanish
| commission will report that tthe Maine ex-
! plosion was due to accident, and he feels
| convinced that this also viii be the con-
| ciusion reached by the people in this coun-
| try when all the facts in the matter are
made known.
| The reports published this morning Of an
dent and his offer of . neW plan to settle
| the Cuba question are not borne out by any
information. Nobody there knows anything
Of Senor Cebalos paying the President q
visit. Even II he had, no si0mncance could
have been attached to It. He was not in
| troduced at the White House through any
| request of the Spanish legaA3on. The al
legged proposition of SanOr O1ba1os Is that
the Cubans in everything but in name.
|