Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-06-29
QUEEN REGENT
Weary and Ill Over the
War.
STICKS TO HER DUTIES,
And is Preparing the Young
King for Confirmation.
STICKS TO HER DUTIES,
A Gloomy Outlook For the Navy-Mfp'
lister Of Marine Believes War win BE
Over Before a Reserve Fleet Will BE
Ready.

Anxiety over the war and the po-
iitical situation in Spain have so
preyed upon the Queen that she
looks weary, preocupied and sick.
Her face and figure have much
thinned, but she sticks gamely to
her duties, kindly assisted by her
mother, the Archduchess Elizabeth
of Hampsburg, and her sister, in
law, the Intanta Isabella. g
In the midst of State and war
cares, she has taken a daily inter
est in the preparation of her son,
tue young King, for confirmation.
His first communion will be taken
at Madrid, in the court chapel,
next week. Bishop Sion, Grand
Almoner of the army, prepared the
King, who has the same contessor
as his mother, the Jesuit Father
Mendia. e.
The Minister of Marine has re
turned to Madrid, after visits to
Cadiz and Cartageua, undertaken
with the double object of seeing
the state of naval preparations and
tranquilizing the public outcrv
against insufficient naval efforts on
the part of the government and the
previous Marine Minister.
RESERVE FLEET A HARD PROBLEM
AS regards preparations, the
minister came to the conclusion
that war is most likely to be over
before a second reserve fleet can be
got together. The Lepanto, which
he carefully inspected at Cartagena;
the Princes Asturias and the Cardl-
nal Cisneros, are evidently the only
three ironclads Spain possesses in
preparation. They cannot be
ready for months. He knows, be-
sides, that Spain has, outside these
vessels, no other ironclads, cruisers
or destroyers. So many trans-Ar-
1antic steamers have been used an
auxiliary cruisers, coal providers
and blockade runners that only six
remain They are not fast vessels.
The naval authorities declared
recently that the repaired old IRON
clads, Numancia and Vitoria, are
only fit for coast guard service.
The minister will have to ask the
Government to buy abroad con-
siderable amount OF stores, guns
and ammunition. He complains OF
the very backward state OF the sub
marine defenses of Cadiz and Car
tagena.
PEACE PARTY GROWING IN INFLU-
ENcE.
The most significant articles
have appeared in several financial
papers of Madrid and in the Diario
de Barcelona by well-known pollti-
clans and fnanciers, advocating
peace rather than the prolongation
of a useless, hopeless struggle,
which, they say, prolonged, will
erd in the total loss of SPANS col
ories and ruin Spanish finances,
even if it does not lend to revolt
ton and civil war on the peninsula.
Even the most obstinate mo
surrender" papers, like the I'M
parcial, are obliged to admit that
the peace party is increasing in
numbers and quality in Madrid and
the provinces. Everybody is fully
aware of that. The Queen, Min
listers and Generals are convinced
, that Spain will be worsted, and
unjust fare worse with every month
Mat passes. They have been ad-
\ &sed by all foreign Governments,
Aluding Austria and the Pope,
give in and save what they can
but the fear of revolution and
Atary discomfort still overrule
Ery other consideration.
4 There are rumors current here
today that the Cortes may suspend
Tits sessions during the coming
n week, when Senior Puigcerver, the
Il Minister of Finance, will resign, in
which event it is thought the
Premier, Senior Sagasta, will be
compelled to submit to the Queen
1 Regenta question of confidence in
/ the Ministry. 1t is possible there
fore, that Sagasta will resign, in
which case, it is said, national
Government, pledged to the most
energetic course, will succeed his
Ministry.
The Chamber of Deputies today,
has had under consideration the
aekol1.e1,