The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-22
POSTAL SERVICE FOR CUBA
IMPORTANT GENERAL ORDER IS
SUED BY THE PRESIDENT.
Rules Established by the Postmaster
GeneraI-SnmpsOn's Report Expect
ed Saturday or Sunday.

WASHINGTON, July 21.-Secretary Long
said tonight that the preparations for dis
patching the Watson squadron to European
waters were going on uninterruptedly, but
that the departure necessarily would await
the movement of the war ships at Porto
Rico, the Massachusetts, and other ships
being required for conveying the troops to
Porto Rico. This disposed OF report cir
culated during the day that the expedition
had been abandoned. 1t was felt that the
report was the more n1ischievous at this
time, as it indicated a purpose to yield to
the implied threats from European sources
that European coalition would result IL
the American war ships attacked the coast
of Spain. Neither the State nor Navy De-
partments look for any embarrassment
from European quarters outside Of Spain
as result of the naval movement against
the peninsula.
During the day orders were sent to Nor
folk to hurry forward work on the coIliers
which are to accompany the Watson expe-
dition. Had the army troop ships been able
to go to Porto Rico without a naval con.
voy, the Watson squadron could have got
away within the next few days, as the War
Board had wished to close all preliminaries
Dy next Saturday. But as the battle ship
Massachusetts the cruisers Columbia Gin
cinnau, Dixie and Yale. together with sew
eral lesser craft, were considered necesy
sary as a convoy for the Miles expedition
this changes the plans slightly. The Dixie
is almost certain to be in the Watson SQUAD
ron, and the Massachusetts is likely to be-
Secretary Long expressly says, however.
that the delay of the Watson squadron ID
incident to the conveying of the troops to
Porto Rico, and does not mean that the
cfa xxyiII hox
operations are concluded. He ridiculed as
absurd certain reports that some of the
powers might make trouble if Watson goes
to the peninsula.
The warning notes from Europe. con-
veyed through reputable newspapers that
the United States is not to be let free to
conduct a campaign in Europe are inter-
preted in some quarters as really the only
hopeful signs visible looking towards the
beginning of peace negotiations. Bearing
In mind the well-recognized reluctance of
the European nations to allow any inter-
ference with the balance of power in Eu-
rope, 1T Is assumed that the neutral nations
may now be spurred on by knowledge of the
approach of Watsons Eastern squadron to
make the strongest representations to Spain
in the direction of peace. But, regardless
of the success of the expedition from this
point of view it is still the steadfast pur-
pose of the administration to send a SQUAD
ron to European waters. 1t feels justified
in undertaking this, because the notion still
prevails that the war can only be teri
minated by striking a blow at Spain direct
and the United States is not disposed to
recognize the right of any country or COM
bination of countries to prevent it from
seeking the enemy wherever it is TO be
found-in this case in Spain proper.
The report from Barcelona that the peo-
pie were SO fearful of the approach of the
Watson squadron that they were urging
France to establish protectorate over all
the Catalonia district, including Barcelona.
was dismissed by officials and by members
of the diplomatic corps best informed on the
affairs of France as fantastic speculation.
quite unwarranted by any actual movement
now on foot. 1t is said to be thoroughly
well established that France is not lending
a helping hand to Spain in any of her af-
fiictions
Without any very tangible reason, there
has been a notable dimnutfon of the op-
timistc expressions among officials TO tho
effect that an early peace might be looked
for. Possibly this temporary depression is
explainable by the fact that private adj
vices, entirely unofficial in character, from
sources of information in Europe, Indicate
that the situation in Spain is such that
there is no present hope of overtures from
Spain. the government of which country is
apparently in the most exasperating igno-
rance of the conditions in America It Is
apparent to the officials that the peace
party in Spain still feels itself too weak to
insist on demanding peace. 1t is probably
working in a quiet way to educate the
Spanish people up to the point where they
can contemplate with resignation the ac-
ceptance of the minimum peace conditions
that might be expected to form the basis
of the United States demands. If the DOM
inant party in Spain is under the impress
sion that the United State proposes to de-
nude Spain of all. or nearly all, of her
colonial possessions. It might easily be con-
jectured that it would favor a protracted
resistance. being convinced that Il had little
more at stake and relying upon the Eu-
ropean powers to protect the peninsula it,
self.