The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-29
ALL COMING 10 TINE
Even Portugal on the Eve of
Declaring Neutrality.
AUSTRIA WAITS LONGEST
England and Portugal Have
Played to SPANS Hand
AUSTRIA WAITS LONGEST

Lisbon. April 28.-The official Gazette
| will publish tomorrow decree declaring
the neutrality OF Portugal in the conflict
between Spain and the United States.
Washington, April 2S.-The French en-
bassy has received cable dispatch from
the foreign office at Paris announcing that
a decree of neutrality between the United
States and Spain had been issued and
that a detailed copy will be forwarded by
mail. On the receipt of the dispatch the
French ambassador, Mr.. Cambon. wrote
to the state department informing them
Of Frances neutrality. The cable notice
is brief, stating only that the decree fol-
lows the theaty of Paris Of 1865. The
state department has also been informed
that Mexico, Argentine Republic, Korea
and Belgium have proclaimed neutrality.
Korea's neutrality is considered import
ant, owing to her proximity to the Phil
ippines.
The state department has heard nothing
from Germany, but this causes no appre-
hension, owing to the strong assurances
Germany has given that she will observe
strict neutrality between the two oeilis-
erents. This assurance was conveyed to
Ambassador White and is looked upon as
practically equivalent to a formal decla-
ration of neutrality.
Germany. Austria and Portugal are the
last of the important European nations
to declare their attitude.
PORTUGAL HAS PROMISED.
The apprehension as to PortugaIs
course was considerably relieved today by
the call Of Viscount De Santos Thyrso,
who gave strong assurances to the state
department that Portugal would remain
strictly neutralt The Portuguese minister
expects the official declaration almost
any hour. Although Portugal explains her
delay on the ground that the declaration
of war was not made until the Ath inst,
yet Great Britain declared neutrality with
unusual promptness. The effect of Great
Britain's speedy action was to force the
United States feet to leave Hong Kong,
while the effect of Portugal's delay has
been TO permit the Spanish feet to remain
at the Cape Verde Islands. This speedy
action in the first case was harmful to
American interests, while delayed action
in the second case was equally harmful
for American interests.
Attention is now being centered on the
course of Austria. Her delay in declar-
ing neutrality causes no material incon-
venience, as Austria has no ports at which
Spanish ships can take refuge, but ii dis
closes that Austria's strong tendencies
are with Spain, owing to the dynastic re-
lations between the throne of Austria and
Spain.
THE PORTUGUESE MINISTER.
Washington, April 2S.-viscount De
Santo Thryso, the Portuguese minister
called at the state department this noon
and had a conference with Acting Secre-
tary Moore and Assistant Secretary AIDE
call was not for the pur-
pose of giving notice of PortugaPs neu-
trality, or any step in that direction, as
he said his government had not yet COM
municated with him on that subject. At
the same time the minister took occasion
to express his strong personal convic-
ton that Portugal would maintain the
strictest neutrality between the United
States and Spain
AS to the reports from London that the
United States had sent a threatening
to Portugal that 1t would be
regarded as an ally of Spain unless the
Spanish fleet was ordered from the Cape
Verde Islands, no confirmation could be
secured from state department officers
or from the Portuguese minister. On the
contrary. thes reports were dismissed as
highly improbable. When the minister's
was called TO dispatches an
that no reports would be al
lowed to leave Cape Verde concerning
the movements Of Spanish ships. he said
this, of course. did not apply to official
Information transmitted by United
States officials at Cape Verde and else
where to the United States government,
so that the occials here will not be cur
tailed in this source OF information as
to the movements of the Cape Verde
feet.