The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-14
hat no indignity was put on any American
n terasf citiza1, l,lll.li.


rated the press dispatches. They made it
clear. II is stated at the legation, that the
demonstration was an unorganized riot, the
paruc1pators being gathered up from the
streets, without arms or ammunition. 1t
began when a few army officers, VINO
mobbed the reconcentrado newspaper es-
tablishment, that paper being so lukewarm
toward autonomy that it was suspected OF
having inSurgent tendencies Later. as the
people We're leaving the shops at the close
of the days work, and the streets were
filled with home-goers, the demonstration
was begun again by an attack on the es-
Diario de la Marina. The dispatches state
that a small group raised a cry against
autonomy, some few gave vlvas for Gen.
directed against General Blanco In the
main, however, the vivas were ~or Spain
and the army. The mounted police We're
brought into use and dispersed the groups.
so that order was restored and the city
was tranquil by midnight.
GENERAL LEE GUARDED.
During this excitement United States
Consul General Lee was in communication
with the Spanish authorities. Neither he
nor the officials appear to have been ap-
prekensive but it was deemed the part of
wisdom to guard against contingencies by
sending a guard of soldiers to the United
States legation and to the private residence
of Consul General Lee. Accordingly twen-
ty tive Spa soldiers were dispatched to
guard of twenty-five to the residence of
General Lee. They acted as an emergency
guard and no occasion arose for their serv-
ices to be brought into actual requisition.
The Spanish authorities at Havana sent
the strongest possible assurances to Minis
ter De LONE that they are entirely able
to cope with the situation. They minimized
the demonstration, saying that it was moth
ing more than a wind" uprising They
added that if by any possibility an emer-
| gency should require 1t = which, however,
they in no way expected-the government
authority is ample to protect every interest.
A large body of troops is quartered in the
| city and these are said to be more than
enough for all requirements. This state
ment is made by way of assurance, how
ever, for the authorities say the trouble is
United States Consul General Lee has re-
| ported to the State Department from Ea-
| Vana the facts connected with the rioting
| there; According to General Lees report,
| the disturbance has been quelled for the
time, being. but he was apprehensive of
| another outbreak at any moment. Nothing
| has been heard from the consul general to-
| day, so it is assumed at the State Depart
| ment that the situation remains unchanged
! in Havana. General Lee did not ask to
| have war ship sent to Havana, and, in the
| opinion of the State Department officials,
| that is sufficient reason for the assump-
| ton that there is no occasion for sending
! one. The officials are evidently not appre-
! hensive of any trouble in the immediate
/ future that will require the forcible inter
vention of our government.
The disquieting feature of the situation
| is the horrible condition of the poor in
| Cuba. According to General Lees advices
no less than 100000 people on the island are
| in the last stages of destitution and are
| wholly dependent on charity. To feed these
| people on a ten-cent ration per day would
! cost $4,000 daily, which sum is double the
amount so far raised in contributions dur
! ing the past ten days by the State Depart
ment. In the opinion of General Lee no less
| than 20 per cent. of these poor people are
surely doomed to death from starvation
/ a In y, rfo 70 cf ff1fx 4 I.o
| existence of any form of organized govern
| ment is threatened and the autonomy plans
Of the Spanish government command little
attention.
SHIPS IN FLORIDA WATERS.
The naval authorities maintain their seren-
ity, Notwithstanding many rumors of radi-
cal action, such as the dispatch of war
ships to Havana and like stories. Secretary
Long was asked whether any of the Amer
lean ships had been ordered to be ready to
sail for Havana He replied that while he
could not discuss the matter, he would say
| that he had not made any change in the
battle ship Maine, now lying at Key West.
| Inquiry developed the fact that the Names
| last orders were to go out for target prac-
| tice. and on falling in with the North At
| lantic squadron, to attach herself. Although
| there is no expectation at the department
| of any trouble just now, still, in case it
| should occur, the navy is more strongly
represented in Florida and West Indian
| waters than it has been in the past ten
| years. At Key West there is the second
| class battle ship Maine, at Jacksonville the
| dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, at St. Kits is
| the Annapolis and at Guadaloupe the Will
| mington The Detroit is on the way from
Cape Haytien to Key West, where she is
now due.
| Unless American interests are actually
| mperiled no war ships will be sent to Cuba.
The administration feels that the appear
ance of an American war ship in Havana
harbor would be likely to be misconstrued
by the excitable populace there and be re-
grfed Of as be pgpose on the he
interfere in favor of the insurrectonsts and
thus might precipitate the very trouble its
sending was intended to avert, namely, the
Americans in Havana. The administration
is supported in this resolution by the fact
that in casesof real need only few hours
would elapse after sounding note of warn
ing before our ships could appear off
Havana, and that General Lee heretofore
had acquainted the administration with his
intention to ask for two naval vessels in
the event of occurrences arising to demand
their presence in Cuban waters. Meanwhile,
the Navy Department is fully prepared for
all emergencies and although the officials
been sent to the ships in Florida waters
to go to Havana they have prudently shaped
their programme so as to have a ship ready
at any moment that she might be needed by
Consul General Lee. 1t is said at the de-
partment that in case at any time 1t should
be determined to send a ship to Havana
the choice would fall on the Marblehead
rather than the Maine. The reason for this
choice probably is that the former is q
swift cruiser and could cross the strait to
Cuba in much less time than the Maine,
while, though unarmored. she would be full
ly as effective for the protection of Ameri-
can interests in time of riot as the heavy
battle ship.
SQUADRON OF EVOLUTION.
During the day telegram came to the
department from the commander Of the
Essex announcing that he mad sailed from
st. Thomas for Port Royal, so the fleet OF
American ships in West Indian waters has
thus another accession, the Essex, though
training ship, being still serviceable, and
especially for landing parties.
especially for landing parties. This naval
Maine-of unarmored but lightly protected
cruisers and gunboats. 1t will be powerful
ly reinforced however, in few days by the
North Atlantic squadron, under Admiral
Sicard, composed of heavily arlnored ves-
sels the most powerful fleet that the United
States has had together in many years. The
vessels of the squadron are now distributed
as follows: The flagship New York and bat
tie ships Iowa and Indiana, in Hampton
Texas, at New York. The former are to
sail on the 18th for Florida waters, while
the last two are to leave New York Satur-
day and Sunday, respectively, falling in
with and joining the squadron on the South
ern drill grounds off the Chesapeake capes.
1t is authortatively stated at the Navy De-
partment that this southern movement of
the squadron is no degree attributable to
the troubles in Havana, but that the move
n r4su frV ,ftat