Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-25

WASHINGTON, u. c.. January "a
v...n forty-eighi hours, for the first
,~. since the insurrection broke out in
r.t. fhrcc years ago. the United States
s,.. .rmcnt will be represented in the
t.rhsr of Habana by a warship. The de-
...cr to send the United States steamship
rne Was finally reached at a special
-lre at the White House this morn
Ions Auorney-Gencral McKenna. As
Ss.rt-sccretary Day. and General Miles.
srf is striking fact that with the ex-
,.r.on cf the Secretary of the Navy ana
n. Attorney not member OF
trs cabinet knew Of the Presidents in
,.uon Co take this radical action. 1t is
r,t denied. however. that some such move
f.s ioas been in contemplation. as is evil
ssreel by the following statement Of As
seart-secretary Days made this after
uo'n.
~Iae sending Of the Maine TO Habana
means simply the resumption OF friendly
naval relations with Spain. 1t is GUS
t-mary for naval vessels Of friendly na-
aar- TO- pass i'm and out Of the harbors
OF other countries with which they are
-t peace. and British and German war
.hrs have recently visited Habana. This
is no new move. The President has in
tended 20 make It for some time, but
heretofore something has happened to
rrstrone IL. The orders to the Name
mean nothing more than have said. and
ths-e is nothing alarming or unfriendiy
- them. The Spanish Minister here is
ray informed of what is going on, and
So 0r as l know. has not made the
slightest objection TO it,"
Further. Assistant Secretary Day said
Consul General Lee had not sent for
varship.
This action has been taken deliberately.
and would not have been taken if there
were any serious arprehensions Of its
results in Habana.
WHAT WILL MADRID THINK?
The general belief here. however. is
that in Madrid rather than in any Cuban
town IS trouble TO be looked for If there
is 10 be any Misrepresentation of the pur-
pose Of the government i'm sending the
Maine 10 Habana. The temper " the op-
position newspapers In the Spanish - oi-
. has been threatening for some time,
and it may require the strong hand Of
-he news censor 10 repress utterances
that would lead TO rioting.
Admiral Sicard's orders were not made
rubiic in their text at the Navy Depart
mont. but il was stated that the sub
stance Of them was contained i'm a state
mnt made by Secretary Long, as fol-
lnws:
so far from there being any truth
r the rumors yesterday Of trouble at
Hlbana. matters are now in such Z con-
l.uon that our vessels are going 10 re-
suue their friendly calls at Cuban ports,
and 20 in and out just as the vessels
of other nations. The Maine Will 60 IN
day or two on just such visit The
department has issued orders for vessels
o. attend the public receptions at Noble
and the Mardi Gras at New Orleans. ana
for the toruedo-boat fiotllla to visit Cal
weston. Tex"
Th. orders were not sent directly TO
tha Maine for the reason that she is now
attached 70 the squadron, and the naval
equations require that all such orders
shall 20 through the superior officer.
There IS some question whether the tele-
-am reached the Admiral before ne
sailed with his squadron from Key west
tor Tortugas harbor. The belief Is. that
Do l.d not but this viii make little diner-
erca in the programme. inasmuch as the
telegram doubtless will be sent TO the
Admiral hy one of the tOrpedo-boats, or
some other means Of conveyance. The
details of the Names movements are be-
leved % be left for Admiral Sicard. but
a thought that the ship which put
o. sea with the squadron. viii return 10
Key West before going 20 BaDana.
The German ships 20 when Assistant
Secretary Day referred in his statement,
orc the Charlotte and the Geyer. both
fr.lrfreehips and not Of formidable type
though Of one sufficient TO settle the
Har.u difficulty Their touching az
HsIana is not believed 20 be- significant,
"a. their cruise was arranged in all its
ftaIs last September. and the same
ships are Que al Charleston, 5. G., early
in February next.
MINISTER De LOMEs OPINION.
Al The sranish legation nothing was
known OF the order for the Maine TO pro-
ca.l lo Eabana. Minister De LONE said
tr.f even in case 81 were true IL pro-
tended nothing serious. IL was per-
f.ty In accord with usage for the war
frl leave each others ports. The war
ships of Spain had visited American ports
0l clmrllmentary missions three times
r as many years. and If there had not
been au American warship in HaDana ln
fn. same length OF time. IL was merely
because the United States Government
fal NOT seen ft 90 order one there. As 10
tAe sibie consequences Of the Maj ~
appearing al Habana al this time, the
Minister EXPRESSED himself as not al all
1na.g There was no doubt he said,
o. the conservative behavior u the loyal
Spanish popularion in Habana and else
Nt.-. and the only remote contingency
Nt.cs might lead TO unpleasant eoiise-
Qu.nces was some overt act on The part
o. the insurgents OF their sympainizers'
committed with a hope OF emDIollhs
spain and the United states I'D ISL suvn
en- Incident as happened wiih the bai,.-
nlfes crew during the insufieclioh III
Chile
ln response 10 an inquiry, the Minister
fn ftsi D. was not customary nor
part OF diplomatic usage for one eopntiy
to notify the diplomatic representative
V another in advance that II Was lh-
tended 10 send war-yessel 20 the waters
'i me other nation.
The statement Of Minister De LONE
makes 10 apparent that The spanish Gov
eminent win not regard the dispatth OF
ihe Maine 10 Habana as hostile at, q
equivalent 10 "a breach OF the iflfnoy ~
alols between the TWO cOnnirles'
Minister DE LONE called Al the State
Department al o'clock this AFTERNOON in
pursuit Of Information concerning the
movements Of the Maine. He aftef"afos
was freely permitted 20 see the ofoerS