The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-27
THU SITUATION,
IS NOW CRITICAL.
An Early Declaration OF War
Would BE No Surprise
to the Public.
POLICY TO BE
PURSUED SECRET.
Spain Notified Of the Finding Of
the Court Of Inquiry.
WAR PREPARATIONS
ARE VERY ACTIVE
Oneials At Washington DO Not Pro
pose That Th. Country shall Ne
Caught Mapping Orders - to
the Movements Of the
wauhIps
Spain Notified Of the Finding Of
the Court Of Inquiry.

Washington. March "a. The court Of
inquiry, appointed TO investigate the
~snsa 80 che Mainc disaster, ms report
ed that the los Of the hattleship was
due to an outside explosion.
The state department, by direction Of
the president, has cabled United States
Minister woodfori At Madrid 10 notify
the Spanish government Of this oonclu.
sion. The president and his cabinet
advisers held two extended sessions yes
torday, at which the report was consid-
cred in detail. Members Of the cabinet
stated after the meeting that the discus.
sion was Of \ grave character, and that
never since the wncking Of the Maine
has the situation seemed 70 critical.
The Spanish government has cabled
officially 10 Washington thAt the Span.
ish naval commission holds the disaster
TO the Maine 10 be Of internal origin.
The government Of Spain, IL can be
stated positively, Is not disposed to turn
back the torpedo fotilla now proceeding
from the Canaries and would be disin.
clined 10 considera suggestion from this
government tending TO interfere with
the disposition by Spain Of her own
naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent-
scale is being hurried 10 completion by
the war and navy departments, and the
country practically h on \ war footing
The foregoing gives the record Of one
Of the most eventful days the national
capital has seen since the close Of the
civil war. IL was a day Of profoundly
important action, OF the deepest anxi.
ETY., coupled with naval and military &C.
tiviiy, one step following another in
rapid succession Representative men
Of the administration, public men In all
branches Of Official and congressional
life, no less than the public in general,
shared In the tension TO which the sit
uation has been wrought
All other and lesser subjects gave way
to this foremost question. There was
no change In the plan Of making the
rrport public and transmitting II 10 con.
grcss early next week, accompanied by n
brief message from the president.
While interest was thus centered at
the White HoIse, the navy and war de.
pariments Were hurrying forward their
work Of preparations. The advance OF
the Spanish aotilla continued TO receive
the CLOSETS attention Of naval officials
and 80 far ~ could b. asccrtained no de-.
fdite line Of war determined upon, the
need OF inter,epting this feet was urged
by the highest naval authorities
From the standpoint Of the Spanish
government this movement was not a
menace, having been decided upon
many weeks ago, On the contrary. the
Spanish government, holds that the ex.
tcnsiye armament Of the Dry Tortugas
Is more direct hostile act against Spain
than any movement Of the fotilla. In.
stead Of stopping the hotilla. the pres.
ent attitude Of Spain tonds toward re-
Enforcing IL with other Spanish war yes.
sas, not as a menace but, as from what
the Spanish government feels, is = 70.
quircaent called for by the existing con.
dition "a affairs.