The record-union., 1898-05-06

Navy Departments since the civil war
to let foreign nations do most of the ex-
perimenting, and to stick to that which
is good until something else proved, by
actual test, to be better. The Spring
field can be depended upon; the other
guns have yet to prove their fitness.
MAGUIRE PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT.
Fresno Republican: Mr.. Mcguire is
the latest gentleman whose mouth has
got him into trouble. In discussing
the seizure of the Buenaventura AMI
other Spanish vessels by our watchful
bluejackets he said. according to the
Examiner: ST consider the act and
other seizures up to this time are moth
ing more than piracy" We can en-
dure it when the Spaniards in their
impotent rage term our sailors pirates
for seizing their ships; we can even
laugh at their fuming and frothing, but
when one of our own citizens thus Stig-
matizes the country's brave defenders
"a citizen, too whom the people be-
lieved worthy of a seat in their National
Legislature, then it is time to protest.
There may be an honest difference of
opinion as to the legality Of the seiz-
ures referred to, but that does not jus
tify the villification of American sail
ors if their actions do not accord with
ones views.
Mr.. Maguire's offense is all the more
inexcusable because he must have
known that the legality of the prizes
will be passed upon by a tribunal. If
the capture of the vessel was illegal
they will be ordered released; if legal
they will be disposed of according to
the law governing prizes. 1t was in bad
taste for him assume functions which
do not belong to him, while his refer
ence to the sailors of our navy as pi-
rates must bring the flush of anger to
the brow of every true American. It
is to be doubted if the Congressman
knows more of the circumstances sur
rounding the seizure of these vessels
than is known to the public, and what
knowledge we have Of them inclines us
to the belief that the captures were le-
gal-at least so far as the time in which
they were made is concerned. The dis
missal of Minister Woodford by the
Spanish Government was equivalent to
a declaration Of war, and this Govern
ment accepted it as such and ordered
blockade of the northern coast of
Cuba, clearly hostile movement. The
Buenaventura was taken after these
acts, and in regard to this feature of
the case is a legal prize.
THERE WE'RE MINES.
Tacoma Ledger: To prove that Wey-
ler and those who sustain his assertion
that Havana harbor was not mined
stated what they knew to be untrue,
it is only necessary to read the state
ment Of the Spanish Minister Of Marine,
Admiral Beranger, published in "El
Heraldo'' of Madrid, April 11th, in
which he said: There is no fear of our
Cuban ports being exposed to a night
attack, inasmuch as Havana, Cienfue-
gos, Nuevitas and Santiago de Cuba
are defended by electric and automatic
torpedoes with large radius Of action.
The late Senior Canovas del Castillo,
who paid attention to these matters,
decided in accord with myself to send
to Cuba 1870 torpedoes, which must
undertook to convey and place these en-
Chacon, the well known torpedo expert.
undertook to convey and place these
engines. t4
FREE REIN NEEDED.
VacaVille Reporter: We hope the at
tempt will not be made to carry on the
war from Washington. In the early
years of the republic an effort was
made in that direction, and it was an
egregious failure. What the bureau
Gratis of Washington do not know about
war would fill big book. Let General
Miles and Admirals Sampson and
Schley be given the order to lick the
Spanish until they cry hold, enough
on land and sea, and let the bureau
Gratis at Washington be content to sup
ply the means of warfare. 1t will make
the war many moons shorter and much
more satisfactory. The red tape meth
DDS of Washington will handicap us
seriously; we fear. If it should turn
out that Miles, Sampson and Schley are
not the men for the occasion, others
will be found who will fill the bill