Evening star., 1898-01-27
Official Ccremonies a, n..


No news to the contrary having been re-
oeived at either the State Department or
the Navy Department, il is assumed that
all Is quiet in Havana today. Captain sies-
bee gave notice yesterday that he intended
;o make call at the palace today. and
this 1t is believed will end the official cera
monies connected with the Names visit tn
havana for the banquet which the Amer
lean residents are to give in honor of the
1i 1iaile any oilioeis is moi regarded a strict
iy Official function.
lhe Spanish minister here was advised
early IN the week OF the intention of his
government to send a national vessel to m.
United states, but so far he has not been
informed which ship has been chosen nor
at what ports she will touch. The minister
SAID TO-DAY that he is in no wise concerned
over the attempts that have been made to
pelttle the Importance of the camnafen
conducted by General Castelancs in tho
mountains of Cubitas. While he reneats
the statement he made on the occasion of
lAe hrst tidlnSs of the engagement of Es-
PeIaflza, that the capture of the town itself
tWhlch, by the way, he says is identical
with Agramente) is of little conseouenca
ne adds that the Importance of the cam
paiSn hes in the fact that il has demon
suateu the possibility of a Spanish force
penetrating the very heart of the enemy's
country.
The Dispatch Of the Vfscnya.
Ihe news from Madrid that the Spanish
government has decided to send the war
snip Niscaya On a visit to American ports
causes no comment in official circles and
Is not regarded as having any special sig
nlhcance. The Viscaya is a Formidable
craft, larger, faster and more powerful
than the Maine. Her points are recorded
here as follows: Length $40 feet. beam
Go feet; draft, p feet 6 inches: two propeI,
lers, 1900 horse power. with a l2-inch
armor belt and barbettes 10Ia inches and
an armored deck varying in thickness from
two to three inches. Her battery is made
up of two 2S-centimeter rifles ten l4-centt-
meters, one 9-centin eter tall Honoria guns
made i'll Srain). eight 57-milimeters four
-mil!meters and two machine guns There
are six torpedo tubes. The ship was
launched in 1891, cost s3,Oo9.0U and is
capable of twenty-one knots speed, while
the Maine is but seventeen and one-half
knots. The Viscaya is first-class ship in
every respect.
Disquietude I'm Congress.
There is more than the ordinary dis
qu!etude in Congress concerning the Cuban
situation. When the announcement was
made that the Maine had been ordered 10
Havana it was construed by many to mean
that the President was taking the steps
referred to by Mr.. Hitt chairman of the
foreign affairs committee, in his speech,
looking to the settlement of the Cuban
question. Ii has since developed with suffi-
Gent clearness that the sending of the
Maine to Havana meant no more than
merely what was conveyed in the orders
and that the President has not in contem-
plation any further steps at this time un-
less something should happen to compel
action.
Impa thence of Members,
The understanding Of this situation has
led to the breaking out OF impatience
among members of the House with a
greater degree of intensity than has here
tofore been apparent. This renewal of i'm
patience has not yet led to further express
sion in debate, but 1t Is obviously more
dangerous than that which finds express
sion In the Record In irregular debate. 1t
is finding expression now in conferences
and private discussions which look more
seriously 10 action. 1t has seemed that the
wishes of the President would be respected
by all republicans and that they would all
restrain their sympathy for Cuba.
May Insist Upon Action.
1t appears, now. however. that there is
q strong probability that the Cuban SYM
pathizers will insist upon action within
a sort time, and a radical proposition Is
expected to make it's appearance In the
House before long. with a prospect of hav-
ing the support of a majority OF the men,
bers.
1t is believed that the situation develop
ing rapidly in Cuba In such az to Indicate