Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-07
SPAIN WILL NOT TRY.
No Danger Of an Effort 10 Retake the Phil
ippines.
THAT WOULD EXPOSE SPAIN ITSELF.
Would Give Americans Superior
Advantages Elsewhere.

New York, May IA special to the
| Herald from Washington says:
| IL Spain desires to send fleet to the
| Philippines to attack Commodore Dew
| ey's forces. she is at perfect liberty to
send 1t through the Suez canal, was
| the statement made by high official
of the state department.
"Of COURSE" he continued, the seri-
Gus question of coal supply would great
~ harass her but II the American
dealers can hupppaa akt psyewdserl-T
vessels can find dealers willing to take
the risk OF violating the neutrality
laws of the nation In which their coal
piles are located, they Will probably be
willing to do the same thing for the
Bpaniards, provided the latter pay the
necessary cash.
81 doubt very much II this government
would direct Commodore Dewey's force
to leave Manila and proceed to the
Mediterranean for the purpos of har-
RAISING Spanish commerce in that sea
and OF attacking Spanish ports which
lie upon IT, But II would be possible
for American mcn-of-war to reach the
Mediterranean through the Suez canal
II they were ordered to do so.
There ia a great deal Of popular ig-
norance ON this point. As a matter Of
fact, the Suez canal Nv open to bell
ligercnts.
"The principle of the naturalization
of the Suez canal was applied by the
convention OF October 30, 1888, which
was signed by the six great powers, by
Turkey, Spain and the Netherlands.
Strictly speaking. their action does not
bind the powers that were not parties
to the convention. but, as none Is OF
any Importance except the United
States, and all have distinctly ac-
quiesced in what was done, the prac-
teal result is much the game as II the
whole body of civilized nations had
formally expressed their adhesion to 1t.
The convention declares that the
canal Is to be open In time OF war as
well as peace, to all ships whether mer-
chnntmen or vessels of war whether bel
ligerent or neutral. but no acts of hos
tility are to be committed either In the
canal itself or In the sea to a distance
of three miles from either end of It.
THE entrances are not to be
blockaded The stay OF beligerent YES
sells of war or their prizes within the
ports at either end is not to exceed
twenty-four hours. and belllgerents are
not to embark troops or munitions of
war whiting the canal or Its ports.
by using the Suez canal, SPANS YES
sells Will be compelled to go only 1900
miles to reach Manila. The steaming
caya and Infanta Maria Teresa is 600
miles, going at the rate of ten knots.
and they, therefore. could go the entire
distance without recoaling. If nenes-
sary they could take golfers along.
None of Commodore Dewey's vessels
has such a steaming radius. and II
they should be sent to the Mediterran-
can they would have to take Golfers
along and might be caught without coal
in that sea-"
None of the members of the war
board believes for an instant that
Spain will attempt to retake the Phil
ippines, Notwithstanding the Suez
canal is open to her fleets. 1t was
pointed out by an expert with whom
] talked that the withdrawal of a suf-
ficent force from the Atlantic to at
tempt the recapture of the Philippines
would place not only Cuba and Porto
Rico. but the Canaries and Spain Itself,
at the mercy OF the American warshlps
on this coast.
II was more probable. he said. that
the United States would send ships
from the Pacific through the Suez
canal to the Mediterranean to attack
Spain's cost than II would be for the
Madrid government to order Its ships to
retake the Philippines. but either con-
tingency he thought rather remote.