The herald., 1898-04-10
WATCHING The CRISIS
AND DISCUSSING THE EFFECT
UPON TRADE
THE STATESMEN OF GERMANY
Will Embrace the Opportunity tt
Seize Samoa and a Coaling
Station Near Cuba
Associated Press Special Wire

BERLIN, April 9.-(Copyright. 1881 All
news of the Hispano-American crisis Is
! anxiously watched in Germany, as the
opening of actual hostilities is expected
and German interests, especially her COM
mercial interests, are involved.
The newspapers, although still hoping
that peace will not be broken, are begin
| ming to discuss the probable effect of war
| upon trade. Public opinion is much divid-
ed, many Of the papers expressing the be-
lief that the United States ought to be sat
isfied with the concessions that Spain Is
Offering; others declaring, however, that
the United States is right in declaring the
independence of Cuba as the only means
of preventing the recurrence of disturb
ances and quieting just Indignation in
America at Spanish misrule. Hardly any
body in serious political circles doubts that
war is coming, the points at issue being
deemed irreconcilable, although every pa
per does full justice to President McKin-
ley's moderation and evident desire for
peace. The National Conservative papers
have taken occasion to point out that in
the event of war Germany ought to seize
the opportunity to secure objects which
her politicians have been aiming at for
years. The Deutsche Zeitung, the leading
organ of this party, expresses the hope that
the German foreign office is arranging to
appropriate" Samoa. drive the Ameri-
cans from there. and take possession of
one or more of the Antilles-if possible,
the Danish islands-as Germany, after Gu
ba has become American or independent,
will require a coaling station in these wa
ters for her navy and merchant marine.
SPAIN SETTLED
1t is learned at the foreign office here that
the Cannamaba incident has been satisfac-
torily settled, Spain agreeing to pay 100000
pesetas damages for the destruction of
German property and the lives taken by
the insurgents in that part of Cuba In
consequence OF this settlement, the German
warship Geir has been sent to Brazil, in
stead of going to Havana for the purpose
OF collecting an indemnity and Furnishing
the perpetrators of the outrage. The
newspapers, however, call on the govern
ment to send at least one warship to pro-
tect German interests in case of hostilities.
and it is understood that the navy depart
ment has instructed the officials at Kiel
to send vessel across the Atlantic.
WILL REMAIN NEUTRAL
In the event of an outbreak the official
attitude of Germany will not be changed.
Under no circumstances will she depart
from the strictest neutrality. The Spanish
ambassador here, Senor Menez de Nigo,
made another attempt during the past
week to secure Germany's intervention or
mediation. Emperor Francis Joseph of
Austria renewed his personal and confiden-
tial solicitations on the same subject with
Emperor William.
Germany, however, has taken up the
position that the question exclusively
concerns the United States and Spain, and
that unless both of these countries ask Ger
man mediation or good offices, any steps
in the matter would be useless.
SPANS EFFORTS
1t is said on uneXceptionable authority
that the queen regent was the initiator of
the movement to enlist the pope in Spains
behalf, and that Emperor Francis Joseph
aided her, but Emperor William warned
them both that the step was likely to meet
with the decided disapproval of the ma
jority of Americans.
A diplomat at the Spanish embassy, in
an interview, said: Spain is ready for
war if it comes. While it is true that a
large number of the Spanish people are
ing to avoid it. In the event of war the
Spaniards can be depended upon to stand
by the queen regent and the young king,
in spite of all the democratic conspiring
which is going on. 1t would be cowardly
for them to act otherwise. The Yankee
republic will find the present generation of