The San Francisco call., 1898-02-14
SP AWARDS
 TAMPERlNC
 WITH MAIL Reason the Cushing Was Sent to
 Havana. Official Communications to the Maine Are
 Intercepted. Will Hereafter Be Carried by Torpedo-Boats From
 Key West. MADRID'S NAUGHTY STAND Has as Yet Failed to Disavow Re- sponsibiltiy for the Do
 Home Letter.
MADRID'S NAUGHTY STAND
Has as Yet Failed to Disavow Re- sponsibiltiy for the Do
 Home Letter.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Q NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-The c 0 Herald's Washington corre- c Q spondent telegraphs: It Is now c 0 known on the highest authority c Q that the real reason for sending 6 o the United States torpedo-boat C 0 Cushing to Havana was that the C 0 Spanish authorities have been C @ tampering with mail sent to the C 0 battle-ship Maine in. Havana C o harbor. This resulted in Captain C 0 Sigsbee of the Maine sending C @ protest to Washington, with 6 0 the suggestion that regular ( o service be established between 0 Key West and Havana by means @ of torpedo-boat. On the strength C c of this protest the Cushing was ( 0 dispatched to Havana C o It Is stated that the Gushing C 0 will return to Key West from ( 0 Havana in day or two. bring C o ing dispatches. After remaining ( o at Key West for about week ( @ she will go back to Cuba's Q capital. C 0 Although it has been frequent C Q ly reported that official mail has ( o been tempered with in the past, C o Secretary Long told me tonight ( @ that he had received no reports C o from Captain Sigsbee saying C o that the Spanish authorities C 0 had interfered with his letters C @ in any way. o "The dispatch of the Cushing o to Havana" he continued. "was C @ in line with the departments ac- o tion in sending the Maine on C @ friendly visit to that port and C c the Montgomery to Santiago de ( Q Cuba and Matanzas. l expect ( c she is now or will be soon on ( Q her way back to Key West" (
 The De Lome incident is still un- settled. A cipher dispatch received from Minister Woodford late last nigh, and translated this morning was not entirely satisfactory. It was taken to the President by Assistant Secretary Day this afternoon, and after short conference between them MT. Day sent another cablegram to Minister Wood ford.
 Officially nothing will be said about these two communications further than that the incident is not yet en- tirely closed. l am reliably informed however, that Minister Woodford's $ cable was a report of his interview with the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, which showed that no direct disclaimer had been made by Spain of that feature of the De Lome letter which has been interpreted to indicate the insincerity of the Spanish Govern ment in the matter of autonomy and in negotiations for a commercial treaty.
 The absence of such a disclaimer Is not entirely satisfactory to the Presi- dent Accordingly, Minister WOodfor6 has been given further instructions or the subject. Without making any ex- press demand for disavowal, Minister Woodford is required by his new in structions to impress upon the Madrid authorities the importance to all par ties concerned of some distinct repudia- tion of Senor de Lome's declarations which the President cannot believe cor rectly represent the position of the Spanish Government.
 Mr. Mckinley believes that when the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs fully appreciates the interpretation which has been put upon Senor de Lome's letter in some quarters in the United States he will hasten to dis avow 1t. Minister Woodford has been told in a positive way what the Presi- dent would like to have done, but he has not been told anything which would justify him in making demand for a disavowal. In other words, it is assumed that he will use delicate diplomacy to secure the end desired and the President is sincere in the be- lief that another interview between Minister Woodford and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Madrid will end the whole trouble.