Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-28
FOUR GREAT POWERS NEUTRAL
GERMANY AND AUSTRIA HAVE MADE
NO DECLARATION.
1t Is Thought That Neither Will Burn
Its Fingers by Interferinx, How
eyer-Attitude of Portugal
Is Very Gratifying
to the United
States.


tomorrow in order to decree the neutrality
of Portugal during the war between Spain
and the United States. after which the
Spanish fleet must leave the Cape VERDE
islands, In view of this. it Is announced
that several Portuguese warshlps nave
started or are about to start for the cape
Verde islands, There are no warships of
the beligerents in any Portuguese ports
excepting the Spanish fleet at st. Vincent.
Cape Verde islands, which, 1t Is expected
will put to sea at once.
In the house of peers to-day the govern
ment denied the rumors published IN SPAN
that President Mckinley had called upon
Portugal to obtain the departure OF the
Spanish squadron from St. Vincent, Cape
Verde islands. Senior DeBarros Comes, the
minister of foreign affairs, said, supple
menting the official denial: portugal
knows how to maintain a strict neutrality.
Washington, April 27.-The state depart
ment posted q notice to-day stating 1t mad
been officially advised of the issuance OF
| neutrality orders by Italy. the Netherlands.
Switzerland, Norway and Sweden, Russia
COLOMBIA.
Great Britain, that country having issued
a neutrality proclamation, although the
| state department has not yet been officially
| advised of the fact. 1t is supposed also
| that the official notice of Frances neutral-
| ity will be received by tomorrow, as press
dispatches announce that a proclamation
| was agreed upon at yesterdays cabinet
council at Paris. Up to tonight, however.
| the French ambassador. NJ. Cambon, had
| not received any notice of such proclama-
| tion.
Including France, four out of the six
great powers of Europe have declared their
neutrality, namely: Great Britain. Italy,
| France and Russia. There remain of the
great powers German and Austria. neither
of which has yet acted. The delay of Aus
| tria does not cause surprise. as Austrias s
sympathy with Spain is more pronounced
than that of any other country of Europe.
1t is not doubted, however. that Austria
will assume a neutral attitude sooner or
| later.
| The delay Of Germany is felt to be due
solely to Germany's consulting her own
| commercial interests before shaping the
| exact terms of her neutrality proclama-
| ton. From the first, Germany and Great
Britain have opposed the right of search
as detrimental to British and German COM
merce. Thus far Spain has announced a
much more radical doctrine than the United
! States on this matter. The Spanish Or
der, published in the Official Gazette last
| Monday, announced the purpose Of exer-
| cising the right of search of all merchant
| ships on the high seas. The presidents
proclamation of yesterday qualified tho
right of search by saying that it 'is to
be exercised with strict regard to the right
of neutraIs. and the voyages of mail steam
ers are not to be interfered with except
on the clearest grounds of suspicion, ETC."
1t is understood that this matter Of right
of search is causing hesitation on the part
| of Germany and that, If it is satisfactorily
established that German merchant ships
shall not be subject to harassment, Ger
many will adopt the same course as other
| nations.
The attitude of Portugal is felt to be
more important just at present than that
of any of the great powers of Europe. ow-
ing to the presence of the Spanish feet
at Cape Verde islands, belonging to Por-
tugal. Neither the state department nor
the Portuguese minister at Washington,
yiscount de Santo-Tirsio, had received
word up to tonight as to the purpose of
Portugal on the question OF neutrality
This caused considerable apprehension in
official circles here. it was felt that
Portugars vicinage to Spain might induce
her to withhold neutrality for a time. She
owns the Cape Verde group, the Azores
and the Maderas. which would give the
Spanish fleet three very important bases
of operation. Late in the day. the press
dispatches from Lisbon saying that the
cabinet council will declare neutrality to-