The San Francisco call., 1898-02-26

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-One mem
 ger of the Cabinet expects the receipt
 ,f a report from the Court of Inquiry
 at Havana about the middle of next
 week. There is reason to believe that
 in the meantime, and to prepare for
 the reception of a report that would
 show the disaster to be other than the
 result of an acident, some of the off,
 cials of the administration have been
 looking up the subject of indemnities
 so as to lay the foundation of a case, in the event it should be decided to re- sort to that method of settlement.
 There are a large number of prece- dents which will aid the authorities in shaping their action in this direction when the facts are fully established. While none of the cases show the fear full loss of life sustained by the Maine explosion, yet they include many in stances in which the United States has adopted energetic measures to redress the killing of American citizens in for eign countries.
 In a general way these methods of redress have included demands for in demnity, proclamations excluding the warshipS of the offending nation from
 
 tercourse, withdrawal of our Minister, reprisal and blockade. Some of these steps border very closely on war, all though they are regarded as the move mentS just preliminary to actual hos tilities, and as amounting to a threat that force will follow if reparation is not made.
 The case of the Waterwitch is consid- cred to be the most nearly analogous to n ha ha To +ol, a United States ship ngaged in 1855 in surveying the entrance to one of the rivers of Paraguay. Without warning and by orders of President Lopez of Paraguay force of troops opened fire on the Waterwitch, killing the man at the helm. The President reported the facts to Congress, and in his message asked authority to make a demonstra- tlon of force which would insure suit able redress. In response to this Con- gress authorized him ito use such force as is necessary to secure ample rep aration. Accordingly an armed fleet was hastily assembled on a scale which was regarded as remarkable for those days.
 Tn expedition included nineteen armed ships, twenty-five heavy guns and 2500 sailors and marines. Accom- panying this formidable outfit were ci- william plenipOtentiaries prepared to make the demands of the Government and then enforce them by calling on the armed ships The expedition made formidable showing in the South American waters and President Lopez's Government was awed into complete subJection by it's presence. The Amer ican Commissioners and naval officers were received at Ascension with much honor, and every reparation within the power of the republic was given. This included abject apology, a sweeping disavowal and $10,O0G for the sufferers rom the outrage. As the republic was willing to grant full reparation the na- val expedition did not exert the force 1t was prepared to use in case a refusal had been offered.
 When the facts of the expedition were reported to the American Con- gress, the President stated that the dis patch of this formal naval fleet had mad salutary influence throughout the world and had convinced foreign na- t1ons that the United States would pro- tect the lives of it's citizens with all the force at it's command
 The case of the firing on the Tinted States ship Chesapeake by the British snip Leopard is another case affording precedent as to the Governments mode of action. The Chesapeake was proceeding to sea, when she was hailed py the commander of the Leopard. with a demand that British deserters said to be in the hold of the Cyhasa peake be surrendered. The American commander refused to comply. where upon the Leopard first fired a shot across the bow of the ChesaDealxe and followed this with two broadsides. The American commander was severely wounded, three sailors were killed out rlsht and many wounded. Being un- pI Iepdrea Tor action, it being a time of ge@ce' 9o tue American commander hauled ooWn his colors and surrendered.
 Tremendous excitement nravai1ed ;,, the the united States over the outrage Fresldent Madison speedily issued . l excluding from Amarico,, | ports all British warships. He a1Sn caused energetic protests and demands | .o pc presented at London. The Rrit- IS Isn authorities promptly disavowed | oie aclIoil' recalled the admiral under whom the outrage had been nerne- | trated, and without request tendared | lndemnlty sufficient to sunnort tba wives and families of all those who baI been killed and wounded. -io iidu
 Tn later case the Amerioap sh, r Pronetheus was fired upon in inc b,p bnr Dor of Greytown. The shin had -iSid da ;v.l,lee so pay excessive port charges M0SnIIitA then controlling the country ,i,Is 4utto, i British protectorate. The King caI1ed | upon the British warship Express to | sustain his demands, and the Eynraso pIrompty sent a broadside into the | [ Frometheus. There were no personS 1 Killed, but the United States made prompt demand for reparation. The | British Government gave this in +be fullest manner and without question u,lsaVoWlng the act and condemning | the officer of the Express. Displays of force were resorted to bv 1 the United States in 1852 against Japsn | and in 1858 against Java. In the rasa pr Japan. American sailors had been severely handled in Japanese ports. | adequate redress. A naval expedition was sent to Japanese waters. and tbis | had the effect of securing the fullest apology and also an agreement bv which every protection was guaranteed 70 American pifiZapS and