Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-01


his own selection from among the vessels of
his feet
No advices have been received at either
State or Navy Department that warrant
the statement that the Spanish officials in
Havana have attempted to interpose any
obstacles to the prosecution of the work of
the wreckers on the Maine's hull 1t is said
that tie very last phase of this matter was
sent out in the published dispatch of As
s:s:ant Secretary Day authorizing the Span
ish government to prosecute an independent
investigation hy its own divers into the
cause of the loss Of the Maine. The de-
partment has not withdrawn that permis-
sion.
The Case of the Dauntless.
At the Spanish legation no recent advices
have been received from Havana or Madrid
concerning the Maine disaster, except the
specific information conveyed to Senior Du
Bcsc that no mines or submarine defenses
exist in Havana narbor. He has been in
formed of the arrival et Jacksonville of the
alleged filbustering steamer Dauntless,
which is said TO have landed large expedi-
ton in Cuba few days ago. Senior Du
Bose called at the State Department today
and doubtless called attention to the ar
rival Of the Dauntless at Jacksonville and
the evidences of her eXpedtionary trip. The
Spanish authorities are not likely to press
the matter, however, as they say they are
content to place such information as they
have at the disposition of the United States
authorities and allow the latter to take
such course as they see fit. Moreover, Senor
Du Bose feels that the present condition OF
affairs in Cuba is such that no serious
changes can be effected by minor flibuster-
ing movements. In regard to the Dauntless
trip, the Spanish officials consider the evil
dence against her conclusive, and they cite
admissions made by Cuban leaders in the
United States as to the success and extent
OF the expedition. At the same time it is
recognized that there Is wide difference
between the moral certainty of culpabilty,
and the legal certainty requisite for con-
viction before a court and jury in Florida,
where a prosecution against the Daunt!ess
would have to be begun.
Report of Time Limit Denied.
Concerning the published report that the
limitation of time suggested by the United
States to Spain for the pacification of Cuba
expired today. March l, and that the Span
ish government was now earnestly neSoti-
ating at Washington to secure two
months extension of the time, an official
whose position would make him perfectly
familiar with such matters made the fol-
lowing emphatic statement:
The report is absolutely false in every
particular. No time limit expires today or
at any other specified date, and for that
reason there are no negotiations in progress
or contemplated for a two months ex-
extension or for any other extension. The
report is an invention throughout
Recent negotiations between the United
States and Spain have been confined to
the proposed commercial arrangements be-
tween this country and Spain and also be-
tween this country and Cuba These ne
gotiations were carried we'll along by Min
lister Woodford and Senor Polo v Bernabe,
the new minister of Spain The latter left
Gibraltar yesterday, and it is understood
that he has with him drafts of the new
arrangements with Spain. There will be
two distinct arrangements-one between the
United States and Spain concerning their
commercial exchanges, and the other re-
lating exclusively to the trade between
Cuba and the United States Under the au-
tonomo is plan granted to Cuba the Span
ish government has given the Cubans the
right to frame their own tariff arrange
ments with the United States, subject to
the approval Of the imperial government
uucer this authority the autonomous cab
INST mas named commissioner to come to
Washington and conclude the agreement
de Is expected about the time that the new
Spanish minister arrives, so that the ne
gotiations of both agreements will proceed
together. As the United States cannot deal
directly with Cuba, owing to her colonial
status, the commercial agreement will nom
inally be between the United States and
Spain, although the terms will be made by
the Cuban autonomists and their commits
sloner. 1t will be under the reciprocity
clause of the Dngley tariff act, which per-
mlts twenty per cent reduction Of duty
In exchange for concessions to the United
States. The reductions affecting Cuba
would be mainly those on raw sugar, while
the equivalents for the United States would
be mainly flour, breadstuffs, manufactured
goods and machinery.
False Report of Stolen Plans.
Engineer officers at the War Department
were much amused today over a report
from St Augustine, Fla, of an alleged at
tempt Of Spanish spies to steal plans and
Specifications of Notifications at Kew West
and other places in Florida, supposed to be
In the possession of Colonel II. H. Ben
guard of the Engineer Corps According
10 the newspaper story Colonel Benguard
had just concluded visit to the War De-
partment and had arrived at ST. Angus
tine, Fla, with a large trunk containing
papers of the greatest Importance includ-
Ing plans of the new Notifications at Key
West. This trunk. it is said was taken to
his office Saturday night and securely lock-
ed up. The army officer had taken the pre-
caution, however, to remove it's contents
and take them with him to his hotel The
next day, il is alleged, the trunk was found
broken open and it's contents scattered
around the room in an apparent effort to
ind the plans of the fortifications Sus-
picion pointed to two men supposed to be
Spanish spies, who had been seen in that
vicinity for several days.
AT the War Department 1t is said Colonel
Benguard had been relieved of the charge
of fortification works at Key West and
had undoubtedly turned over all the papers
relating to that place. Not having heard
from Colonel Benguard one way or the
other the officials here have no means of
knowing whether his trunk was broken
into or not, but they are satisfied that If
2 hah