The times., 1898-01-24
VESSELS HAVE NOT SAILED.
Alarming Reports From Key West

Lack Verification.
The rumored assassination of Consul
| General Lee at Havana was an inter-
yesterday. The report originated in
the West, where it was published yes
terday morning, and caused the send
Ing here of inquiries as to the truth of
| the sensational story. The report went
further, stating. circumstantially that
when the news of the assassination
had reached Key West the Montgom-
Havana
Up TO S.o'clock last night the vessels
had not left Key West. Both state
ments were regarded as having been
manufactured for quiet Sunday read
ing. The basis of the report is, how
ever, interesting and suggestive. 1t is
believed that the possibility, in fact the
probability, of assassination arose from
the recent statements of the Secretary
of tE'e Navy and of the assistant Secre-
tary referring TO the inferiority of three
American vessels to those of other
nations, with the assumed reference
particularly to Spain. This statement
was telegraphed to Madrid and then
TO Havana, where it produced the ef-
feet of emboldening the Spanish war
spirit Of these who are anxious to pre-
cipitate hostli with this country as
the best and most honorable means of
surrendering the island to the insur-
gents, and eventually to this country.
The assassination theory was believed
to be good one as the best thing
and the first thing that would occur
to the Spaniards as u cause of war.
If the American fleet was as repre-
sented, the SpanardS were willing TO
take the chances of war. If the fleet
was not what il was represented to
be the sooner war with America came
the better. The story was in some
respects ingenious, but wholly false.
The last reports from Gen. Lee on
Saturday We're as usual that all was
quiet. The general impression also
was that things would be quieter the
closer the North American squadron
got to Key West.
The advance of the squadron towards
Key West has. been unaccountably de-
layed. When the vessels left on the
cruise to Dry Tortugas it was stated
at the Navy Department that they
would arrive off Key West by at least
Thursday night. On Friday morning
at O'Clock the Fern. which is to be
used as q dispatch boat, was reported
as passing Jupiter Inlet. Fla, and it
was believed that the squadron was
not far in the wake of this swift ten
der There We're no reports from the
squadron on Friday and none on Sat
urday up TO The close of office hours
at the Navy Department. =. m. That
was thirty-three hours after the Fern
had been reported going South. On
Saturday evening the squadron was
two whole days behind the time at
which it was expected to have arrived
at Key West The long delay has
been partly accounted for by possibly
foggy weather all the way down and
by TIE three-knot current which is
met going South around the Florida
coast. All OF the vessels left in fine
An effort was made on Saturday to
get from the State Department a veri>
fcation of the news alleged to have
been received from Havana that the
headquarters town of the Cuban Re-
public, Esperanza, had been captured |
,y the Spaniards. 1t was thought that |
4 matter of such grave import and !
Affecting the relation of this Govern |
nent 10 the war would have been con- |
idered Of sufficient weight to have in |
lueed Consul General Lee to inform |
he State Department The report was |
circulated in the corridors of the Army |
md Navy building that such yerifica-
ion of certain press news had been |
eceived by the State Department. |
udge Day, however in answer TO d.
ect inquiries replied that no such veri-
cation had been received by the state