The San Francisco call., 1898-01-25
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 - Within forty-eight hours for the first time since the insurrection broke out in Cuba. three years ago, the United States Government will be represented in the harbor of Havana by a warship. The decision to send the United States ship Maine was finally reached at a special meeting at the White House this morning between the President, Secretary Long, Assistant Secretary Day, Attorney-General McKenna and General Miles, and 1t is a striking fact that with the exception of the Secre- tary of the Navy and the Attorney General not a member of the Cabinet knew of the Presidents intention to take this radical action.
 It Is denied, however, that such move has long been in contemplation. as evidenced in the following statement of Assistant Secretary Day made this afternoon:
 "The sending of the Maine to Ha- vana means simply the resumption of friendly naval relations with Spain. It is customary for naval vessels of friendly nations to pass in and out of the harbors of other countries with which they are at peace, and British and German warships have recently visited Havana. This is no new move. The President has intended to do'it for some time, but heretofore something has happened to postpone it. The or ders to the Maine mean nothing more than I have said, and there is nothing alarming or unfriendly in them, The Spanish Minister here is fully informed of what is going on and so far as know has not made the slightest ob- jection to it''
 Further, Assistant Secretary Day said that Consul General Lee had not sent for a warship. This statement shows that the move was made delib- erately and that it could not have been taken if there were serious apprehen- sions of its results in Havana. The general belief here, however is that in Madrid rather than in any Cuban town is trouble to be looked for, if there should be any misapprehension of the purpose of our Government in sending the Maine to Havana. The temper of the opposition newspapers in the Span ish capital has been threatening for some time, and it may require the strong hand of the news censor to re- press the utterances that would lead to rioting.
 Admiral Sicards orders were not made public in their text at the Navy Department, but it was stated that the substance of them was contained in the statement made by Secretary Long. The orders were not sent di- rectly to the Maine, for the reason that she is now attached to the squadron, and the naval regulations require all such orders to go through the superior officer. There is some question whether the telegram reached the admiral before he sailed with his squadron from Key West for Tortugas Harbor. The belief Is that it did not, but this will make little difference in the pro- gramme, inasmuch as the telegram will be sent to the admiral by one of the torpedo-boats, or by some other means of conveyance. The details of the Maine's movements are believed to be left for the arrangement of Admiral Sicard, but it is thought that the ship, which put to sea with the squadron, will return to Key West before going to Havana
 The German ships, to which Assist ant Secretary Day referred in his statement. are the Charlotte and the Geyer. both training ships. and not of formidable type, though one sufficed to settle hastily the recent Haytien diff1- culty. Their touching at Havana is not significant, as their cruise was ar ranged in all details last September, and the same ships are due at Charles ton, s. C., early in February next The commander of the Maine, Captain Sigsbee, is favorite in the Navy De-