The times., 1898-05-16
HELPING OUR FOES.
France May, he Called to Account
for Her Duplicity.


for Ier Duplicity.
The State Department is making
searching inquiry into the circumstances
attending the transmission of the mes
mage sent to the Navy Department by
Capt. Cotton. ftthe Harvard. from Mar
Unique.
There is good reason to believe that in
stead of the message having been held UP
for fourteen hours it was delayed in
transmission thirty-six hours This could
have been done for one purpose only-to
give the Spanish squadron an opportunity
to get well on its way TO Cuba before this
Government could hear of the presence
of the vessels off Martinique.
The President consulted with Secretary
Day and several Republican members of
the Foreign Relations Committee Satur-
day and the consensus of opinion was that
the situation is grave. and that France is
under the shadow of a dark charge i'm
pugning its honor and integrity as neu-
trail nation.
In the French government officials
caused the delay In sending the Cotton
message, France will have been guilty of
experts, that cannot be construed as any
thing but an act of war, or at least ar
act so unfriendly that apology and re-
paratfon must be made by the French
government
guilty, the cable VIII be cut at Coney
Island, where ii enters American terri
tory. IL is not thought. however, that the
cable company, through its representa-
uVes, could have been unwise enough TO
cause a delay which could bring no pos
sibie profit 10 the company.
As an evidence of the feeling OF the
French government. may be cited the sig
nificant words uttered by Chancellor
Boeufve. France is keeping faith, and this
government is practically responsible for
the statements that the Lafayette has
acted in bad faith"
NJ Boeufve based this charge upon the
fact that certain naval officers had made
the remark, in view of the suspicion that
French and Austrian gunners We're land
ed at Havana from the Lafayette. that It
might have been well to have prevented
the Lafayette from entering Havana. The
French embassy and the French minister
OF marine at Paris have formally dis
avowed the landing of contraband at
Havana. 1t is presumed that in day
or two formal disavowal of RESPONSE
hility for the delay i'll transmitting Capt.
Cotton's message will be made.
The French Government attitude in
this matter may be accurately forecast
from the statement made TO the Jour
nal correspondent at the French embassy
Saturday. 1t was 10 this effect:
1T is utter folly and ridiculous to think
that the French should have held up or
delayed any message Capt. Cotton might
have sent to Washington. The only way
/ in which a hold-up or delay could have
been effected would be through the i'm
piication of the French Gable Company.
which has not a single office I'm Cuba or
Puerto Rico, and depends for its very
life upon American patronage.
IF this company should be found guilty
of intercepting American messages its
lines could be Immediately confiscated and
its future fate sealed and this the COM
pany knows. The message may have
come IN one of two ways-by the English
| line by way of Jamaica, Bermuda and
Halifax. or by the French line. by way Of
| Puerto Plata and Coney Island.
Another thing 10 be considered is the
signature attached to the message. If
Capt. Cotton signed Cotton only, the
message might have been held up by the
censor at Coney Island. We OF the en-
| bassy find ii necessary 10 be very cautious
as to this point We have experienced
/ many delays IN -the past W-llen our mes
! sages were signed merely 'Cambon. Now
that we sign The French Ambassador we
! have no difficulty.
France might more properly be
| charged with showing favoritism 10 the
| United States. The Spaniards are com
| planning to this effect very forcibly II a
! Spanish man-of-war is allowed to stop
| for short time at Martinique storm is
! al once raised. but at the same time the
I-s.rz- ord 10 -
( Unique for several days. Does this look
/ like favoritism 10 Spain?
There may be much enthusiasm among
/ the people of France for Spain. but that
is not the French government The in
vestments and interests of the French
/ people naturally cause this feeling among
the French populace"