The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-07
Spanish Officials at Havana Ex-
pect War
And Are Prepared to Meet it
When it Comes.
ACTIVITY
rs Being Displayed on the War
Vessels.
And Picket Boats Patrol the
HarbOr Entrance.

Havana, March As the conviction be-
come settled that the court of inquiry
will decide that there was mine explo-
sion under the Maine, discussion among
American naval officers and civilians
here is prevalent as to the warlike meas
ures which it is believed the United States
government will adopt in the case the
question of payment of indemnity by
Spain is overruled.
majority believe that American troops
will be landed at some point east of Ha-
vana and the insurgents communicated
with; that the Spanish sOldierly will be
defeated and captured in detail and that
in the meantime fleet of United States
vessels will blockade, if not lombard,
Havana No one seems to doubt that
the reduction of this city would be COM
west and two east of the city are the
only ones that are dangerous. These are
not likely to be well served, while their
emplacements are not modern.
That SpaniardS are of opinion that
attack on Havana will be made is shown
by the abnormal activity displayed on
board the Vizcaya- The Associated Press
correspondent has the best naval au-
thor1ty for the statement that the Viz
caya is in a constant state of readiness
for emergencies and that picket boats are
on the alert day and night inside the har-
Dor and outside the harbOr at night.
Tt is pointed out that the men-Of-war
Vizcaya and Almirante OquendO might be
prey to a United States fleet. The cruiser
Alfonso XII is without boilers and would
the probability of war among Americans
and Spaniards proves nothing. and only
shows the state of feeling here.
The conduct of the Spanish divers who
are Investigating the wreck of the Maine
been down i've. hours in the aggregate,
and they show no disposition to make
It is impossible to learn the truth con-
corning the purpose of the Spanish court
OF inquiry, but it is generally believed the
ulEers were sent down TOT FORM sake
only and that a report will be made in
accordance with instructions from Madrid.
II may be true that the Spanish divers
have discovered that the whole port side
of the Maine forward is gone, and hav-
Ing so reported, further examina ton IS
deemed unnecessary. The work of
own ulNers hehGeIorth IS Dounu 70 pc
SLOW, owing to the ponderous weight to
be moved. and the safety clamps, nuts
and rivets that must be cut.
senator PROCTOR IS Hkely TO make
speech in the senate on his return that
WI nave sle<iI W Sls4I n 1eIeI trimming tie
future pOhcy OF the United states. lie IS
much affected by the suffering that he
found in Matanzas, and highly indignant
at what he calls the inhumantty of the
course pursued" During a visit to Arte-
misa. this province. he saw thousands of
reconcentrados who refused to beg,
though starving. They were evidently of
a class accustomed to make their living
saw thousands of acres of the best to-
bacco and banana lands in the world re-
duced to waste, with trOchas and garr1-
sons at every village and crossroads.
His driver. pointing to the mountains 10
miles away, said: There are plenty of
insurgent camps there that the Spanish
have never discovered
The work of distribution of American
relief under Miss Clara Barton, Mr. Ell
well and their assistants is, in Senator
Proetor's judgment. carefully and effect
lively carried on. The demand is far in
excess of the supply. The supplies expect
ed at Matanzas and Sagua la Grande, to be
brought by American cruisers, will afford
unspeakable relief.
Now that Spain's men-of-war are
lying in the harbor, the Spaniards exult-
ingly declare that the city is safe; and
it is given out officially in the newspa-
pers that the new arrival is of the same
size armament and complement as the
Vizcaya.
Philadelphia, March Word was sent
by the navy department three days ago
to John H Dialogue & Son, ship builders
at Kaighn's Point, Camden. that the sin
gle screw composite gunbOat Princeton
should be finished as soon possible.
Since that time added force of ship
builders has been hard at work, and to-
day the gunbOat was steamed up in or
der to try its boilers The trial was in
every way successful. It is said that the
gunbOat will be completed and handed
over to the government in the course of
two or three weeks.
The Princeton is a single screw com
pOsite gunbOat. barkentine rugged. 1t is
16S feet long the water line, with a
nodded breadth of So feet inches and