Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-08-18
Talks About the War While
Going Down the st.
Lawrence.
FINDS FAULT FREELY.
Denies That He Received an Invitation
From Premier Laurier to Leave Cam
ada--Claims American Success Was
Duo to Good Luck Does Praise
Lieutenant Hobson.

Montreal, Aug. 16.-Lieut Carranza, who
sailed in the steamship Scotsman for Liv-
crpool on Saturday, gave the Associated
Press correspondent an interview on the
way down the river. He said that he had
never dsrcgarded Sir Wilfrid Laurer's
invitation TO leave Canada for the simple
reason that he had never received it, and
in this connection again declared that GER
tain paragraphs in the letter taken from
his room were manufactured in Washing
ton to get him expelled from Canada.
During his absence from Montreal he
said that he had been travelling about
Canada enjoying himself and that he had
twice been in the United States. On his
second trip he said he felt disposed to go
to Washington and call on Chief Wilkie,
who had intimatod to his friends in Mon
treal that he was willing to pay a good
price to learn where he was. Concerning
the conditions Of peace he declared that
1t would be impossible to find in history,
except in barbarous times harder oondi-
tions 1T is spoilation only to be COM
pared with the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Poland.
The Americans who went into this war
with the protecting cry of humanity on
their lips, now throw away thei- mask of
hypocrisy and by reason of their strength
take all they want: and the rest of Eu-
rope, to their shame be it said, quietly
allow it
Gen. Shafter, he declared, would never
have captured Santiago but for the assist
ance of the Cuban insurgents, who had
rendered him invaluable service by stop
ping Santiago's supplies, The Americans
had set to find, he remarked. what a good
for nothing fellow tho Cuban insurgent
was
When asked his views about the naval
and military operations of the war, Lieut..
Carranza said he could only say they had
been conducted by mere chance. As for
the military operations. the Spaniards
were always outnumbered, he said
I've have not seen any great genera
ship or splendid exploits of bravery tho
Americans boast so much about, but only
the natural valor as displayed by all SOL
ders
AS regards the navy" he continued,
1.-The only notable thing has been the sink
ing of the Merrimac. This was a beauti-
full and glorious exploit and the United
States may well be proud of Lieut.. Hob
son and his brave men.
AS regards the battle Of Santiago | can
only say that two American battleships
We're more than "a match for the four
Spanish cruisers.
The battle of Manila has nothing very
particular about 1t in the way of daring
1t is very easy to go inside the bay OF
Manila, with very wide and deep en-.
trance Commodore Dewey knew perfect
,ly well there were no torpedoes or good
guns at Corregidor Island (at the entrance
to the bay), nor yet in Cavite. and there
are no shoals In the harbor that might
endanger any of his ships. He knew the
little value of the ships under Admiral
| Montijo and placed his squadron at a long
distance and began to fight.
AS regards the bravery of the Ameri-
can sailors, they are equal to the sailors
of any other navy Of the world; but In
this war II has not really been put to tho
test, as they have had weaker ships and
guns to contend with.
las to the challenges to Capt. Sgsbeo
and Consul Lee, | don't know whether
they VIII answer now or not-the war Is
over-but should they go to France, they
can call on me If they like; this will be
satisfactory to me-