The evening times., 1898-05-14
OUTSIDE COMPLICATIONS.
serioss ouestie.s Csacerni.g the
sympatAy Of Frsnce With spain.

SeriOus Questions C0acerning the
sympatAy Of Frsnce With Spain.
international complications. outside Of
the war between Spain and this country
seem to appear In the. very incipiency Of
the pending hostilities. Whether or not
the shadow OF trouble with France Is to
become darkened or not Is a question
and will probably be decided before the
echoes of the next encounter with the
forts and ships Of Spain haye been lulled
into quietness.
II 1t is true, that what Americans have
been fond to recognize as the .'sister re-
public across the sea Is temporizng with
a despicabie neishborhood monarchy and
the Western Hemisphere. serious results
In addition to those already on the tapis
Of national progress are certain to fol-
low.
II the authorities of France. as 1t Is
reported. and with good reason to believe
correctely stated. have permitted Spain's
squadron to rendezvous at Martinique and
prevented prompt information from the
consular authorities Of this country to. the
American Department of State. a violation
OF the International law of neutrality has
been committed.
This is very serious matter and Its i'm
portance is signalixed in the fact that the
French legation has made representations
to the State Department that no violations
OF international obligations have in the
slightest measure been engaged in by the
officials of its government
That the Lafayette. which was recently
permitted to enter Havana and discharge
her official mail, had violated the neutrali-
ty under which the privilege was accord
ed her by the Government of the United
States 1t is authorifatively stated that the
Department of State has been satisfacto-
rily convinced that nothing of the kind
was done. that no merchandise whatever.
no contraband of war and no Spanish gum
ners were recently landed a. Havana by
the Lafayette.
Chancellor Boeufve. of the French Ie-
CATION. says:
''The State Department agreed to make
a disavowal OF the opinion so freely ex-
The French government has been annoy
ed by statements attributed to
American officers that they were
now sorry they had not held
the Lafayette. These statements have
been displayed by the newspapers and it
was thought advisable to get a statement
TO the contrary from the State Depart
meHt IL is niSnly Improbable that II the
Lafayette intended to land contraband.
notice of her sailing. or her intention to
stop at Havana. would have been given
to the United States Government. France
Is keeping faith and this Government Il
practically responsible for the statements
that the Lafayette has acted in bad faith -
The haste exhibited by the French en-
bassy In endeayoring TO be cleared of the
charge Of landing contraband from the
Lafayette at Havana is regarded as ex-
tremely significant in view Of Frances
suspected action at Martinique Two in
dependent Investigations have been set on
foot by this Government. The State De-
partment is investigating on its own ac-
count to ascertain why Consul Darte's no.
tification had not been cabled and the
Navy Department has requested the State
Department to investigate the reason for
a twelve hours delay in the sending of
the message OF Capt. Cotton, of the Har-
ward. who entered st. Pierre for the pur-
pose of advising this Government of the
near proximity Of the Spanish feet to
these waters.