The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-29
SPAIN MUST MOVE ON
PORTUGAL TODAY WILL ISSUE
A NEUTRALITY DECREE
IT'S 1ecs Will he to Force the Fleet
mt Cape Verde Islands tn s.i,
within Twenty-Four Hours-
Austria and Germany Have No.
Yet Taken ActiOn--No Change i'm
Hawaiian Policy.

Austria and Germany Have Not
Yet Taken ActiOn--No CHANGE i'm
Hawaiian Policy.
by the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, April 28.-UnoficiaI
Jews was received tonight, that a de-
t tt deciaring PortugaFs neutrality in
Inc conflict between Spain and the
United States would be unfinished in
the Official Gazette at Lisbon tornor-
row morning. oN loiiioi
Nlscount de Santo Thyrso, the Portu-
suese minister, called at the state de-
partnent this noon, and had confer
800. with Acting Secretary Moore.
Hreat interest attached to the visit
owing to the delay in the issuance If
teoTtugaLs neutrality decree, and the
aeeilhs that this delay to some extent
favored spain in allowing her fleet AT
tie e,, cape Verde islands to remain there
Inc minister's call was not for the
purpose OF giving notice Of PortugaPs
neutrality, or any step in that direc
tlon, as he said his government hal
nor yet communicated with him on the
SUBJECT. AT the same time the minister
expressed his strong personal convic-
tlon that Portugal would maintain tho
strlctest neutrality between the United
states and Spain. He pointed out that
mao not been sufficient time for official
action.
AS 10 the reports from London that
the United States had sent a threaten
ing notification to Portugal. that she
would be regarded as an ally of Spain.
unless the Spanish fleet was ordered
from the Cape Verde islands, no con-
flrmation could be secured from state
department officials or from the Portu-
guese minister. On the contrary, these
reports We're dismissed as highly i'm
probable.
When the minister's attention was
called to dispatches announcing that no
reports would be allowed to leave Cape
Verde concerning the movement of tha
Spanish ships, he said this, of course.
dld not apply to official information
transmitted by United States officials
at Cape Verde and elsewhere to the
united States government, so that the
authorities here will not be curtailod
IN their sources of information as to
the movement of the Cape Verde fleet.
Notices of Neutrality.
The French embassy has received
cable dispatch from the foreign office
at Paris announcing that a decree Of
neutrality towards the United States
ana Spain has been issued and that a
detailed copy will be forwarded by
mail On the receipt of the dispatch
the French ambassador, NJ Cambon.
notified the state department of the
caple notice in brief, stating oniy that
the decree follows the treaty of Paris
OF loo6 The state department has also
been Informed that Mexico, Argentine
Republic, Korea and Belgium have pro-
claimed neutrality. Korea's neutrality
is considered important, owing to her
proximity to the Philippines
The state department has heard
nothing from Germany, but this causes
no apprehension owing to the strong
assurances Germany has given that
she will observe strict neutrality be-
tween the belligerents. This assurance
was conveyed to Ambassador White.
ana is looked upon as practically equiv
alent to formal declaration of neu-
trality.
Germany and Austria are the last of
the important European nations to de-
clare their attitude. Attention is now
being centered on the course Of Austria.
Her delay in declaring neutrality
causes no material inconvenience, as
Austria has no ports at which Spanish
ships can take refuge, but it discloses
that Austr1a'S strong tendencies are
with Spain, owing to the dynastic re-
lations between the thrones of Austria
and Spain.
Foreign governments, through their
representatives in Washington. are be-
ginning to show much concern over
that feature of the war tariff bill now
before congress which increases the
tonnage tax on shipping to 20 cents
per ton. 1t is said this increase is
about 800 per cent, the present rate
being about 3 cents per ton, and that
nearly the entire burden of the 800 per
cent increase falls upon the trans-At-
lantic shipping of Great Britain, Ger
many, France and one or two other
commercial nations.
leading diplomatic official stated
today that, roughly speaking, the At
lantic trade was carried on by about
one hundred American steamships and
about 1000 British. French, German
and other foreign steamships, so that
the heavy tonnage tax would be prac
t1cally insignificant as against Amer
lean steamships, While it would be very
onerous against foreign shipping.
Tonnage Tax.
A transatlantic liner of 1000 tons,
he said, would pay, at 20 cents per
ton, $1,000 every time it entered an
American port. Thus far, however, no
official action has been taken on the
subject by foreign nations, and it does
not seem likely that such official ac-
ton is possible, as the heavy tonnage
tax is consirered a war eXpedient which
foreign shipping must bear so long as
they use American ports. There are
intimations, however, that it may have
the effect of diverting shipping away
from American ports to Halifax, Mon
treal and other Canadian ports.
Prof. John B. Moore qualified today
at the state department as assistant
secretary of state, and in the absence
of Secretary Day received the reports
of foreign governments having diplo-
matte business with the United States.
Among them were the Portuguese min
lister and Mr.. Hatch, minister from Ha-
wall The latter, it is understood,
called to ascertain, so far as possible,
the policy Of the United States with
regard to the republic of Hawaii in
connection with the war with Spain.
1t is said he had no information to
communicate concerning the report
that the United States flag had been
raised at Honolulu, the latest mails re-
ceived at the legation making no ref
erence to such an act.
NO CHANGE IN POLICY