Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-05-05
MANY Startling RUNORS |
Reported Blowing Up of Big Mont"
tor and Detection and Con-
Viction of a Spy.
ALL LATER PRONOUNCED TO BE UNTRUE.
The Spanish Fleet Finally Leaves st. Vim
cent, but a Collision Among the Vess
sells Compels Return to Port-Com-
modore SIMPSONS Report of the Ma
tanzas Bombardment.

sells Compels Return to Port-Com-
mOdOre SIMPSONS Report of the Ma
tanzas Bombardment
WASHINGTON, April 3O.--Yesterday
was day of alarming rumors, run
ming all the way from the blowing up
of a big monitor to the detection and
punishment of traitors; but fortunately
all of them turned out, on inquiry, to
be without foundation. Actual events
of Importance were few in number.
The news of the day of most interest
was the departure from Cape Verde
isles of the Spanish fleet, the stay of
which at st. Vincent had been'a source of
| anxiety on the part of the officials
here, because it seemed to indicate that
the sympathy of Portugal for Spain
| might lead her to wink at violation
of neutrality laws in favor of Spain.
Late in the afternoon a cablegram
| came to the state department from
| st. Vincent, bearing no signature, an
| nOuncing that four battleShipS and
| three torpedo boats had started north
and some of the transports for Cuba,
and that the northern fleet return ed
| shortly, having been in collision.
Because there was no signature at
tached, the officials did not know what
| Importance to attach to this message,
as these are not times to accept what
appears to be information without
close scrutiny.
| Capt. Sampson sent a telegram rela
tive to the firing at the Matanzas forts,
but it was disappointingly lacking in
| detail, but the few words contained in
| the dispatch went to confirm the off,
cial view that the affair was nothing
more than a naval reconnaissance.
No news came from Admiral Dewey's
squadron now on its way to the Phil
| ippines ito do battle with the Spanish
! fleet One officer pointed out that if
Admiral Dewey succeeded in defeating
the Spanish fleet, the Spanish officials,
who control the cable connecting the
island with the rest of the world,
may suppress the news or distort the
facts into a Spanish victory.
! Presuming that the admiral is bound
directly for Manila, the calculation
made at the navy yard shows he would
arrive about two o'clock this (Satur-
day. morning, Manila time, which is
about - hours earlier than our own.
The pressure continues undated on
the war department for changes in he
plans already announced as to mobili-
cation of the volunteer troops, and,
very much against its will and judg-
ment, the department is making some
concessions in this matter.
A large number of callers are bring
ing forward candidates for the many
plums within the gift of the president
and Secretary Alger in the shape of
appointments to grades above regi-
mental in the army.
Gen. Lee and Gen. Dodge spent a
good part of the day in conference with
officials, giving color to the reports
that they are among those selected for
appointment as major generals.
The announcement that the State of
Texas, laden with supplies for the re-
concentrates, is destined for Sagua
| has led to the surmlse that it is proba-
| bly, this port instead of Matanzas which
has been selected for the landing place
of the first attack of the United States
| troops.
Regarding the harmless growls that
appear in the European papers, and
| threats to interfere to prevent the
| United States forces from bloclading
the Philippines, it may be stated that
! this was fully expected. During the
| civil war there were a great many at
tempts On the part of the European
nations to disregard our blockade and
threats of interference, all of which
came to naught from the firm attitude
assumed by the secretary of state.
| In the present case the conditions of
the Cuban blockade are much more lib
eral towards the powers than ever i'm.
posed before. In anticipation of the
action of the German commercial IN
terests, in combining to secure exemp-
ton from search for their mail steam
ers, it is pointed out that the president,
| in his proclamation declaring the ex-
istence of war, explicitly announced
that the voyages of mail steamers are
not to be interfered with, except OF
the clearest grounds of suspicion of a
violation of law in respect to contra
band of war.
Viscount De Santo Thyrso1, the Por-
tuguese minister, looked over the cable
dispatch from Lisbon giving the sub
stance of the neutrality decree ga
zetted there yesterday, and said it was
| evidently accurate and covered the
entire subject. He had not, how
ever, up to late hour, re-
ceived an official notification
of the neutrality decree. He says
that article 3, which permits belliger-
ents to make a short stop at Portu-
guese ports, probably will be better I'M
derstood by saying that belligerents
will not be permitted to make long
stays at Portuguese ports. Under the
rules of international law the stay
is likely to be confined to day or two.