The Red Cloud chief., 1898-12-09


IN Cuba. ana ia disapp ,iuting reception by
spai,, t,e er,r; OF chs ox,,uttTe was brou INT
TO an end. aysin reviewed the alternative
courses OF action which I had prepared. con-
Guiding that tho only ono cousopant with inter-
national policy and 90 mpatibie with our firm
set historical tradltio,s was intervention ~ q
neutral TO stop tho war and chcck tho hopeless
sacri Ice OF life, even though that resort
invo we'd hostile constraint upon both the
pertte, 10 the contest. az we'll 70 enforce
. truce ns 10 guide the eventual settlement. Tho
grounds iustifytns that step were. tho interests
OF humanity; the duty 10 protect life ana prop.
erty OF our ~citIzons In Cuba; the right to check
injury 10 our md people through tho
devastation OF the island. and. most important,
tho need OF removing ut once and forevc r
the constant menace and the burdens on Z.
tailed upon our government b. the uncer-
taintios md perils OF tho situation caused
by the uncomfortable disturbance In Cuba.
The President thon refers TO his message to
Congress on tho Cuban question last spring,
and the passage Of the resolutions demanding
the Withdrawn OF Spanish sovereignty from
Cuba, md continues:
The demand. although. ~ abavo shown. Of
feially made known TO tho Spanish envoy hero.
was not delivered ut Nh irid. hft,r tho In
struotion reached General woodford on the
morning OF April u, but befJrc no could pre-
sent IL tho Spanish mini,ter Of state notified
him that upon this Presi Tents app rovai Of the
| Joint resolution tho Madrid government, re-
g~nrtfing the act rs equivalent TO M evident
declaration OF war" had ordered Its minister
In Washington TO withdraw. thereby breaking
on diplomatic relations between the two coun .
tries. AMI ceasing all oficiai communication
between their respective representatives.
General Woodford thereupou demanded his
passports AMI Quilted Madrid tho Same day.
Spain, having thus denied the demand OF tho
United States and Initiated that complete form
"a -. - .Lt. &c., 4. .t-tA
OF war. tho executive powers authorized by the
resolution were at once used by nus to meet tho
enlarged contingency OF actual war bet
Spain and the United States.
On April 20 I proclaimed q blockade OF tho
northern coast OF Cuba. Including ports on said
coast between Carionas aud Bahia Lon la
and the port OF Cienfuegos on the
south coast OF Cuba; and on the Fad /
called for volunteers TO execute the purpose OF
these resolutions. By my message OF April "a
tho Congress wns informed OF the situation,
aud I recommended formal declaration OF the
existence OF a state OF war between the United
States and Spain. Tho Congress accordingly
-, 1903, declaring the existence Of such wnr.
from and including the 2ist day OF April, and
re- enacted the provision OF the resolution Of
April ) directing the President to use all the
armed forcos OF tho nation TO carry that not Into
ofeot. .
~ Al NH IVAN
Our country tn Is. after an interval OF half q
century OF peace with all nations. found itself
engaged In deadly conflict with q foreign enemy.
Every nerve was strained 70 meet the emer-
goncy. Tho response to tho initial cnll for
sA'W volunteers was instant and complete rs
was also tho Z suit OF the second cnll OF May
~ for Is. 900 additional volunteer. The ranks
OF tho regular army were increased TO the lin
Its provided By the act Of April "a The on
listed force OF the navy on tho 18TH OF August.
when 10 reached Its maximum, numbered st.igl
men md apprentices One hundred and three
vessels were added TO tho navy by purchase,
one was presented to the govcrnr At, one
leased and the four yes ,eis Of tho IL.arnationnl
Navigation o ,m~pany-the st. Paul. st. Louis,
Now York and + rls-wer chartered. In nd
dition TO these tho revenue cutters anu light
house tenders were turned over : the navy de-
partment and became temporarily q part Of tho
auxiliary navy.
The maximum effective fighting force OF the
navy during TIL war, separated Into classes,
was as follows:
Four battleships II tbs arst class. ono battle
ship OF the seoond class. two armored cruisers.
six coast defense monitors, one nrmored ram.
twelve protected cruisers. three unprotected
cruisers, eighteen gunooats. ono dynamite
cruiser. eleven torpedo boats. fourteen Cd
vessels Of tho old navy. including monitors.
Auxiilnr' navy: Auxiliary cruisers. twenty
eight converted yachts, twenty sovcn converted
tugs. nineteen converted ~collicrs, four revenue
cuttera, four lighthouse tenders una nineteen
miscellaneous vessels.
Mu D alarm was felt along our entire Allan
Ito soaboard lost some attack might DO made
by the enemy. Every preoaution was taken To
prevent possible Injury to our groat cities iy-
ing along the coast. temporary garrlsons were
provided. drawn from the state militia, and
infantry ana light batteries were drawn from
tho volunteer force About l.,oo) troops werf
thus employed. Tho coast signal service was
est 'blished for observing the approach OF al
enomy's ship to tho coast OF the United state:
ana the lighthouse service eo-operated. whi,t
enabled the navy department. to have oil por'
lions OF tho At antic coast, from Maine to Tex
az, under observation
The auxiliary navy was created under tn
authority OF Congress and was on
oerei md manned by the raya
militia OF tho several states. This organization
pntrollod the coast and performed the duty O
tho second arm OF dofense>
Under the direction OF the chief OF engineers
submarine mines were placed AT tho most ex
posed points. Before the outbreak OF the wa
permanent mining encasements and cable gal
lerios had pecn constructed at oil importnn
harbors. Most OF tho torpedo material was no
to DO found In the market and had TO be special,