Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-03-17
SPANS Mild PROTEST
Against the Warlike Preparations
Of Our Government.
TWO NEW WARsHIPs PURCHASED

They Were Built For the Brazilian
Government, But Are Now the Prop
erty OF Uncle sam-warlilxe Prepa-
rations Continue in All Sections.
Washington March 1.-THE main
| developments in the Spanish situation
| yesterday was in connection with the
| definite representation submitted by
| the Spanish government to the state
| department concerning the assembling
| of a large fleet of American warships
at Key West the war preparations and
| the influence which these might have
| on the approaching election in Cuba.
| 1t has been specially pointed out that
the presence of a large fleet of United
| States warships at Key West cannot be
| regarded as friendly measure as the
| sending of ships was officially repre-
scented to be when the Maine went to
| Havana and the Vizcaya returned the
| complimentary visit. In short, the
| presence of this extensive fleet near
| Cuba, together with the war measures
taken by the United States, are regard
ed by Spain as seriously prejudicial to
the policy of autonomy which Spain
and the United States have alike APP
| proved and an indirect encouragement
to the insurgents in defeating the de-
sires of both governments for the sue
cess of that policy.
Finally, and in the same spirit of
friendly representation rather than of
| protest, Spain has pointed out that a
war by the United States against
| Spain under such circumstances would
be unjustif1able before the world, and
crime against humanity and civilian
ton.
The representations contained no
reference whatever to the Maine dis
aster or to redress of indemnity there
for.
| While these representations cannot
properly be regarded as a protest
against the attitude and acts of the
| United States government, they may
unquestionbly be set down as a re-
monstrance calculated to have an eff
| feet in European court circles. Not
however, being a technical protest, the
statement has not called forth any of
/ fetal rejoinder on the part of the state
| department, for it is lacking in tangible
accusations, being rather an argument
| alive presentation of alleged Spanish
| grievances.
| The fleet at Key West will be aug
| mented WITHIN the next day or two
| by the arrival of the gunboat Annapo-
| lis, the torpedo boat Foote and the
| naval tugs Leyden and Samoset, while
the gunboat Helena is now on her way
| from the European station under or
ders to report at Key West These and
the other vessels previously ordered to
that point constitute the largest as
semblage of war vessels made since
/ the demonstration following the Vir-
| ginius affair, and, considering effective
ness and armament, it is the strongest
assemblage of ships, for other than re-
view purposes, since the war.
The fleet now at Key West and Tor
tugas consists of four battleships, three
| cruisers, one gunboat and five torpedo
boats To these will soon be added the
five vessels now en- route there. In ad-
| dition to these the MONTGOMERY is at
Havana, and is practically a part of
the fleet, the gunboats Wilmington and
| Castine and cruiser Cincinnati are at
Barbados, the Newport at Colon, with
the Puritan, Newark. Amphitrite and
other ships of the North Atlantic
squadron at points along the coast fur
Their northWard.
| In point of ships the fleet under Rear
Admiral Case on Jan. 3, 1874, following
the Virginius affair, was considerably
larger. Although formidable in it's
day, this aggregation was made up of
the Old style wooden ships. monitors
winch mad gone through the civil war,
ana every available craft that could
pear guns. Compared with the mod
ern Dattiesnips ana cruisers OF the new
navy II was lnsignlhcant In tonnage
ana general effectiveness. II Is note
worthy, however, that tnls formidable
gathering OF snlps was at the same
point as the present gatnerlng' ana
curing crllicai period with Spain' ana
tnaI II ulu not eVentuate IN war.
III al sections u lne country the
manufacture u ammunition ana arms
Is peins rapiuiy pushed, ana seVeraI
estapAsnIients are Worklng gay ana
night. In auoltioh TO THIS Dill mas
oeen introduced IN congress- at the re-
quest OF the aohinlstration' admitting
naval stores Tree OF DUTY 1or period.
AT conference between the war de-
ment ana raliroad omcials on sunday
arrangements were perfected for the
speedy transfer OF troops 10 points
along the southern coasts.
/ Negotlatlons closed MONDAY by the
triumphant purchase by the navy de-
partment, IN London, OF the two fine
cruisers built and building at Elswick
for the Brazilian government. Pos
sibly the officers took more pleasure in
closing up the business in this manner
because of the knowledge that the
| Spanish agents have been striving to
secure these very ships, to whom it is
said they would be of much greater
value in case of trouble than to the
United States. The United States flag
will be hoisted over the new ships
within week, probably, and just as
soon as the crew can be put aboard the
| Amazonas she will start for the Uni
! ted 6tates. The other vessel will fol-
! low at the earliest possible moment.
The terms Of sale are secret.
| The two Brazilian vessels will be ex-
/ tremely useful additions to the United
States navy in either war or peace, in
the opinion OF Secretary Long. They
are steel, .sheathed and coppered, with
twin screws, and will be the first
cruisers IN our navy to embody that
most important useful feature of naval
construction, sheathing, for which
constructor Hichborn has worked
earnestly for many years past. He
finally succeeded In having some of the
smaller gunboats constructed on this
principle. Ine Amazonas is rated at