The herald., 1898-03-28
HOLD AN INFORMAL szss1oH Oh
SUNDAY
NO sEMBLANcE or SABBATH
At the State, War and Navy Depart.
msnts- -Diligsnt Preparation for
the Nations Defense
Associated Press speciai wire

cabinet at the White House today. They
dropped in one by one. until those present
included Secretaries Bliss. Alger and Gage
and Attorney General Griggs. With them
Eaiso was Assistant Secretary Day, who
presumably had some dispatches to show
the president The gathering was not a
special cabinet meeting in the sense that
that term Is generally used, but was simply
talk between the president and his advis-
ers concerning matters on which he desired
to consult. The Cuban question and the
report of the Maine court Of inquiry were
the topics discussed, but. so far as could
be concerned, nothing conclusive was de-
| termined, one Of the members of the cab
met saying subsequently that there was
nothing new or startling in the situation.
The, presence of Judge Day would infer
that there were advices from Minister
Woodford, but, further than an acknowl-
edgment that communication is in progress
between the state department and the min
lister, nothing could be ascertained.
At the state, war and navy departments
there was little semblance Of Sabbath.
Chiefs of bureaus, clerks. messengers and
| telegraph operators were at work. Prob
ably never since the days of the late war
have 80 many officials gathered at the
war and navy departments on Sunday.
Dispatches that came over night regard
ing the movements Of ships and other mat
ters were received, and as many of them
required prompt answers. replies were
formulated.
Secretary Long. however, did not appear
at the navy department during the day, as
most Of the matters requiring attention
were those that could be as well attended
to by bureau officials and their assistants
Mrs Long has been i'll for some time, and
the secretary In part shook official cares
and spent the major part Of the day with
her. In the afternoon. in company with
Mrs. Long. the secretary drove to the
navy yard and inspected the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvius, which is having her guns
repaired. The vessel has been at the yard
about q week, ana great crowds have been
there to see her. Assistant Secretary Day
spent a portion of the day at the state de-
partment and there received call from
the Spanish minister-a rather unusual pro-
cedure. indicating important matters for
consideration. The conference lasted some
time, but its nature could not be learned.
Tonight Commodore Winfield s. Schiey,
Just appointed commander Of the flying
squadron" left here for Norfolk. 1t Is
said that tomorrow he will hoist his flag
on the Brooklyn, which is to be the flagship
Of the fleet. The other vessel of the squad
ron now at Hampton roads Is the Massa-
chusetts.
OF the remaining three. the Texas Is In
New York, receiving her ammunition
hoists, and the Columbia and the Minneap-
oils are at League island navy yard, where
the final work preparatory to their sea SER
vice is being hurriedly done. The latter
will be at Norfolk about the middle Of the
week.
The developments of the day in the Gu
ban situation indicate steady progress In
the negotiations between this country and
Spain looking to the maintenance of peace,
for the present, at least. There is good au-
thority for saying that Spain's wish is to
secure a cessation of hostilities in Cuba
rather than to engage in war with the
United States, and that 1t Is more than
probable that negotiations between the
government Of the United States and the
Sagasta ministry will take a favorable
turn in the immediate future. The present
Spanish ministry has expressed pacific
disposition from the beginning. and the in
dications are strong now that 1t will avail
itself Of the good offices of the United
States to the fullest extent that public
opinion in Spain will allow. in bringing to
an end the hostilities in Cuba.
To what extent the United States may
go in assisting Spain in her present design
of securing an armistice is not yet deter
mined but the conservative element in the
administration considers the manifestation
of this desire for even a temporary peace
direct result of President McKinley's
diplomacy and is naturally disposed to
contend that the president should be left
| free, for the present, at least, to pursue a
| policy which promises much in the way of
preventing a war between this countryNlad
Spain and also of bringing to close the
hostilities in Cuba. Hence there will be an
effort on the part of the peacefully inclined
4 in congress to continue to hold that body
in check and to prevent infiammatory ut
terances there until this promising diplo-
matte lead may be exploited. On the part
Of the administration, 1t is stated that the
development of the situation Will not re.
quire a great length of time, and 1t is said
there will be no extended delay. A policy
has been fully determined upon by the
president.
1t is to bring the Cuban war to a close
This will be accomplished by pointed in
tervention If necessary. but 1t is consid-
cred far preferable that the end should
come as the result of peaceful negotiations
than that 1t should be accompanied by hos
tile demonstrations on the part of the