The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-08
FIFTY
MILLIONsI !
Will be Voted by Congress as an
Emergency Fund.
TO BE USED IN CASE OF WAR !!
Uncle Sam Looking About For Powerful
War Vessels-spaniards Deny the
Report That Consul General
Lees Recall Had Been
Urged.
TO BE USED IN CASE OF WAR |

w dSIllB lOlls Aldltll o. mere WFIF
no less than five important events yes
terday having a bearing more or less
direct upon the troubled relations be
tween the United States and Spain, viz,
the Introduction in congress by Mr..
Cannon of a resolution carrying $780,
OOO, 900 for the public defense; the with
drawal by the Spanish government of
its intimated objection to the contin-
uance in office of Consul General Lee;
the order of the cruiser Montgomery
to proceed to Havana in place of the
Fern; the passage through the house
Of the bill increasing the artillery arm
by two regiments, and the institution
of negotiations looking to the purchase
of warships for our navy.
Mr.. Cannon's resolution probably
leads all other topics in interest, partic-
ularly when it became known that it
was a result of a conference between
the author, the president, Senator
Hale and other leading spirits in con-
gress.
| AS for General Lees case, the news
of the satisfactory ending of the Incl
dent through the withdrawal of the
suggestion by Spain was expected as
! soon as it was noted that a loophole
had been open through the failure to
make the complaint in anything like
an official shape. Some fear is ex-
pressed that the consul general will not
find his post very congenial, now that
! he knows he is an unwelCome guest in
! Havana, but the administration is re-
lying upon his devotion to the welfare
| of the Americans in Cuba and Ameri-
can interests generally to submit his
own personal wishes to restraint and
remain at his post.
Late in the afternoon Senior Du Bose,
the Spanish charge, received a cipher
cable from the minister of state at
Madrid. Senior Gullon, saying: You
can disavow the rumor that any official
application has been made for the re-
call of General Lee"
This confirmed Mr.. Du Bosc's view
that a misapprehension had occurred
and that some intimation concerning
General Lee had been construed into
a request or demand for his recall,
which Mr.. Du Bose says with positive
ness was never intended.
AS there has been no explanation so
far of the purpose which prompted the
introduction of Mr.. Cannon's resolu-
ton, it may be said that the money
is wanted primarily as an emergency
fund. 1t is said by officials who will
have the disposition of this treasure
that it by no means follows because
congress places such a sum of money
in the control of the president that
he will feel bound to spend all Of 1t.
Those who look for a wholesale pur-
chase of warships from the bargain
counters of European builders are
likely to be disappointed. The navy
e department at present is inclined to
make but one purchase of this kind, at
first at least, in the shape of a sub
stantial ironclad 1t does desire to get
possession of several Of the larger
. class Of torpedo boat destroyers, sucf
as the Sokul, of the Russian navy, yes
5 sells of 300 tons able to keep the sea
in bad weather, a weak point with oul
$ own boats, and capable of enormous
S speed, such as so knots But such craft
$ are not for sale at all times; they are
built to order generally and could not
be procured in this manner in less thar
4 six months from the date of contract
e even in Europe, unless special prices
: were paid. There is no disposition or
9 the part of the navy department tC
r lumber the navy with a lot of unser'
I viceable craft in spasm of fear, bu
V rather get a few of the best vessels tC
y be had.
# The offers of ships to the navy de-
r partment are now assuming definite
e and formal shape. During the da!
e Secretary Long received a call from A
y T.. Lane, representing the MaXim-Nor
t denfeldt company, and the agent TO
d several war vessels now nearing com
e pletion in large foreign shipyarGs
70 These include two cruisers of the typ
of the Cincinnati, which are designed
IS to be 20 knot vessels, and two ironclad
k of IA knots which would be calle,
e third class battleshps under our rat
ing These are now open to purchase
n and 1t is understood that Mr.. Lane
% visit was in this connection. Mr.. Ian
d regards these ships as first class Il
. every particular as they were designe
L. on modern principles and are bein
built by one of the leading shipbuildin
70 firms of Europe. They are well alon
s. toward completion, and all four, 1t
said. could be in commission within
's few months. They We're originally de
u signed for one of the South America
republics, but there is said to be n
ID obligation which would prevent thei
acquisition by the United States. MI
III Lane recently sold the navy depart
o. ment 60 of the Maxim -Nordenfeld
II rapid fire guns, and his standing wit
u officials is such as to give his repre-
sentations as ~ ships much weight.
st There are things that are wante
el much more than warships in case c
to trouble, and the army shares thes
needs. so that fair proportion Of tn