The National tribune., 1898-03-03

The rest of the Atlantic squadron has been
rapidly modified about Key West and the
Dry Tortugas. The Minneapolis, Nashville,
Detroit and Marblehead arrived at the former
point Oh Sunday morning.
Ma. -Gen. Merritt commanding the De-
partnent of the East, which includes all the
Atlantic sea coast from Maine to Louisiana,
has ordered the concentration of supplies to
be made at Atlanta, Ga, as the base for mill
tary operations should war ensue. The
mounting of heavy guns in the batteries at
Portsmouth, \. H., Portland, Me-, and at
Boston has been pushed to completion.
Militia organizations in all parts Of the
country, both North and South, have fastened
TO offer their services to the Government in
case Of need, and there is every indication
that the Government will receive the most
enthusiastic support In case it should become
Nee sSary 10 resort 10 force in the settlement
Of the difficulty with spain
Public men at Washington have realized
the demand for cool-headed consideration of
:he situation, and hence the apparent calm
ness on the surface indicates rather increased
gravity in the situation than the termination
Of the crisis.
Tie Board of Inquiry completed its work
at Havana last Saturday and adjourned to
Key West. Nine thousand fresh Spanish
troops arrived in Havana on Friday. and
were retained in the city by Capt. Gen
Bianco, with a view to suppressing any riot
ous outbreak which was apprehended for
Sunday, the date when the followers of Gen
Neyler had prepared for a demonstration in
favor of his administration which it was
feared might lead TO acts of violence on the
part Of the excitable populsce
There has been no apprehension at Wash
ingion concerning the outcome of collision
win Spain, should it occur. since her feet il
interior TO ours, aud her population only
one-iourth OF that of the United States With
an empty treasury and an exhausted credit, it
mas teen realized that the conflict should one
occur, would be a one-sided affair
The only danger apprehended was that of
iordy on the part of some hot headed Spaniard
who might make dash with a cruiser armed
with iong-Gange guns against some of our
elties located near the seaboard, such as
charleston, Mobile, Galveston or Boston.
There Is precedent for this style OF making
war on the part OF Spain. In 1864 Chill be-
came involved IN the hostilities then going on
between Spain and Peru. and in the following
year was thereby brought in hostile relations,
when she was blockaded by Spanish fleet
Chill declared war. and on Nov. 26 the Chill.
IAN steamer EsIneralda captured the Spanish
gunboat Coyadongo.
On Jan. IA, 1866. a treaty of alliance be-
tween Chill and Peru was proclaimed. and on
feb an engagement took place between
The allied fleet and that OF Spain. There was
good deal OF firing between the hostile
SHIPS but little or no damage was sustained
on either side. On March 81 Admiral Nunez.
the Spanish commander, proceeded TO bonn
bard Valparaiso, in spite of the earnest protest
OF the foreign Ministers and Consuls. The
neet opened fire at 8 a. m. and continued for
three and half hours. Nearly 1900 shot
ana shell were fired into the city without any
response from the land. The destruction was
Immense. Many public and private build
angs being demolished at a loss estimated at