The herald., 1898-03-15
SpAIN'S NEW MINISTER
DENIES THE CLAIMS MADE By
CEBALL0S
ALL ovERTuREs FOR PEACE
Will Be Made by the Spanish Ambas-
sador, Not by a Special
Commissioner
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON. March 14.-The
Spanish Minister, Senior Polo y Bernabe,
received number of dispatches today
from the Minister of State at Madrid,
and from Captain-G General Blanco.
Those from General Blanco stated that
the situation at Havana and through
out the island was quiet. The Minister
of State cabled. in substance:
'The uprising in the Philippines is so
insignificant that 1t will be ended by the
time you receive this"
Senior Bernabe did not have occasion
to visit the State Department today. At
II o'clock he made his first formal call,
by appointment, on the French Am
bassador and at IL o'clock on the British
Ambassador. Informal social exchang-
es had previously been made. but the
calls today were in the nature of for
NAL meetings Of the representatives of
the different governments.
The Minister asked that an emphatic
denial be made to the statement that
Seiior Julian Cebaiios has been in Wash
tngton on mission from the Spanish
government to make overtures for terms
of settlement with the Cuban insurg-
ents.
''Senor Ceballos is not commissioner
of Spain," said the Minister, NOR has he
authority directly or indirectly to speak
for the Spanish government. The only
person qualified to speak for Spain in
the United States is her accredited Min
lister. 1 wish to make the denial broad
and emphatic as possible
1t was explained by the Minister that
Senior Ceballos had recently been named
by the Autonomous Cabinet of Cuba to
be an aide to him in framing the pro-
posed commercial treaty between the
United States and Cuba. That was in
accordance with the autonomous plan
by which the Cubans themselves We're
given control of their tariff affairs. But
in naming Senor Ceballos, the minister
pointed out, his duties were to assist
him as the plenipotentiary of Spain
Whether Mr.. Ceballos, on his own re-
sponsibility, made overtures is not
known at the legation. He did not call
there and it is said that anything he may
have done was without consultation with
or sanction of the Minister, which might
give it the slightest binding weight upon
the Spanish government.
The Minister said in regard to the SAIL
ing of the Spanish torpedo fleet for
Cuba, that the movement had long been
contemplated and even before he left
Madrid the Queen Regent had hidden
goodbye to the captain of the fleet
Their coming had no relation whatever,
he declared, to recent conditions, as they
were wanted for work along the Cuban
coast. Some of them. he said, were de-
signed for use in the Cauto River, while
others, being swift, could be used as
dispatch boats between shore points in
case land communication was inter-
rupted.
The Minister has received no intima-
tion as to the findings of the Spanish
Naval Commission, which is investigat-
ing the Maine disaster. He says this
commission is proceeding with the same
formality and secrecy as the United
States Court of Inquiry and that any in
timation of it's findings will not be justi
fled until It's formal report is presented.
Mr.. Polo added that his personal belief
is, however, that there is no doubt the
Spanish commission will report that the
Maine explosion was due to accident. He
said he was convinced that this also
would be the conclusion reached by the
people in this country when all of the
facts in the matter are made known.
CONSUL LEES SON
TAMPA, Fla, March 14.-Fitzhugh
Lee, jr., son of Consul General Lee has
arrived here on the steamer Olivette
from Havana. Although reticent about
stating anything of an official nature, he
made the following statement:
II have been in Havana but ten days,
having gone there to visit my father on
my regular winter vacation. While in
Havana I ascertained number of facts
concerning the present strained situation
between Spain and the United States.
am of the opinion that war between the
two countries is imminent, notwith-
standing the fact that diplomacy will be
taxed to it's furthest limit to prevent it,
The Maine disaster and the attitude of
the United States on the belligerency
question will be the chief incentive.
While the report of the Board of Inquiry
has not been made public, it is probably
known to the officials, and their deter
mination as to a mode of procedure has
been reached and will be forwarded to
Washington this week.
HANNA'S OPINION
WASHINGTON, March 14.-Col. My
ron L. Parker, one of the leading bust
ness men in Washington, who accompa-
MED Senator Proctor in his recent visit
to Cuba, said today that the Americans
on the island had no doubt that the dis
aster to the battleship Maine was caus-
ed through Spanish agency. He said
there was absolutely no difference of
opinion among the Americans as to the
cause of the disaster having been an ex-
ternal explosion. The insurgents, Col
onel Parker thought, were in better shape
than ever before and would be able to
accomplish their independence in time.
The CubanS, as rule, he believes, would
be glad to see the island come under the
American flag and would do what they
could to bring about that result. The
Colonel reiterated his statement of last
night that the condition of the reconcen-
trados was deplorable in the extreme.
They were confined within narrow linn
its and practically left to starve. The
generosity of the American people, how
ever, was beginning to be felt and the
extreme distress was gradually being re-
lieved. He spoke in the highest terms
of General Lee and the work he was do.
ing and also of Consul Parker. who had
made personal sacrifices for the starv-
ing Cubans.
Minister to England
LONDON, March 14.-Senor Domingo
Gamaga. the Chilean Minister at Wash