Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-02-26
CUBA NAY BIZ SEIZED
Indemnity For Loss of Maine
Likely co Be Demanded.
SPAIN MAY REFUSE, THEN WAR.

A Member Of Tire Cabinet virtually ad-
mita That His Colleagues DO Not Hold
to the Accident Theory -Precedents For
vigorous 4ctIon.
WAsnlNaros, Feb. 26.-Although it
is given our that nothing definite oc-
curraa a tie cabinet meeting regard
ing Maine disaster, one member OF
the G. met wasasked If the adainistra-
tion SUI led to the view unanimously
eabinet after last weeks meeting that
the Maine disaster was due TO accident.
'.1es. he answered, but with some
hesitation, officially
This intimation that the cabinet and
the president himself are at last con-
WINGED that the Maine was destroyed by
an external explosion, while officially
adhering to the internal accident theory,
was corrobarated later from other
sources.
Lit is believed to mean that the presl-
dent has received secret information.
The cabinet is said to have discussed
demanding indemnity from Spain
1t is believed that this will be rejected
by Spain and that Cuba will be seized
to insure payment, which will preeipi-
tate war
There are large number Of prece-
dents which will aid the authorities in
shaping their action in this direction
when the facts are fully established
While none of the cases show the fear
full loss of life sustained by the Maine
explosion, yet they include many in
stances i'll which the United States has
adopted energetic measures to redress
the killing of American citizens in for
eign countries. Ia a general way these
methods of redress have included de-
mands for indemnity, proclamations ex-
Guiding the warships of the offending
nations from our harbors. display of
force, non-lntercourse, withdrawal of
our minister, reprisal and blockade.
Some of these steps border very closely
on war, although they are regarded as
the movements just preliminary to act
ual hostilities and as amounting to a
threat that force will follow if repara-
tion is not made.
In 1855, by order of President Lopez.
the United States ship Water Witch
was fired upon while surveying the en-
trance to a river in Paraguay. killing
one man and wounding others. Con-
gress authorized the president to use the
necessary force to secure reparation. A
feet of 10 vessels, % guns, $500 men.
civilian plenipotentiaries and others
made demonstration and Paraguay
disayowed the act and paid $1,000 in
demnity
When the British ship Leopard fired
on the United States ship Chesapeake
in time of peace for refusing TO turn
over British deserters and the COM
mander was wounded and three were
killed and others wounded, President
Madison speedily issued a proclamation
excluding from American ports all
British warships. He also caused ener-
.getic protests and demands to be pre-
sented at London. The British author
tiles promptly aisayowed the action, re-
called the admiral and, without request,
rendered indemnity in sufficient to sup
port the wives and families of all those
who had been killed and wounded
In later case the American ship Pro
Inetheus, in the harbor of Greytown, de-
clined to pay excessive port charges i'm
W tl4C ming Vi the 4IOStlulJO
country, then under a British protector
ate The king called Oh the British
warship Express to sustain his de
mands, and the Express promptly sent
broadside into the Frometheus. There
We're no persons killed, but the United
States made a prompt demand for rep
aration. The British governmnt gave
this III the fullest manner and without
question, disavowing the act and con
demning the officer of the Express.
Displays of force Were res0rtcd to by
the United States, in 1852, against
Japan, and III 1858, against Java. for
mistreatment of Americans and We're
successful
IN 1915 seven Americans We're killed
and about go were wounded in the Brit
ish prison at Dartmoor, being killed by
guards IN a clamor for rations. The
United States protested and the British
government complied by an indemnify
for the support Of the families of those
killed and wounded.
There are quite a number of recent
cases, the latest being that of the Ger
man occupation of Kiao-Chau for the
outrages committed by Chinese ON Ger.
man missionaries.
The principle of money indemnity