The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-11
SPAIN BACKS DOWN
SHE wITHDRAES REQUESTS FOR
LEES RECALL,

To ~avana-Con ress { Place $50, 600,
600 aU the Presidents Disposal for Pur
chasing of War Munitions and warships
The Montgomery Supplied with Ammu,
ton and Ready to SaI
Washington, March There were
no less than five important events to-
day having a bearing more or less di-
rect upon the troubled relations be-
tween the United States and Spain,
viz: The introduction in congress by
Mr.. Cannon, of a resolution carrying
$50, 900, 900 for the public defense; the
withdrawal by the Spanish government
IF it's minated objection TO the con-
tinuance in office of Consul General
Lee; the order to the cruiser Mont
gomery to proceed to Havana in place
of the Fern 1.-THE passage Of the bill
through the house, increasing the ar
tillery arm by two regiments, and the
institution of negotiations looking to
the purchase of warships for u navy.
Mr.. Canncn's resolution probably
lead all other topics in interest, par
ticularly when it became known that
1t was the result OF a conference be-
tween the author, the pres dent, Sena-
tor Hale and ether leading spirits in
congress-.
SPANS BACK DOWN.
AS fer Consul Genera Lees case, the
news of the satisfactory ending of the
incident through the withdrawal of the
suggestion by Spain was expected as
soon as it was noted that a lOOphOIe
had been left open thrOuqlh the fail
ure to make the complaint in anything
like a. official shape. Some fear is ex-
pressed hat the consul general Will
not find his post very cOngenial now
that he knows he is an unWeIcOme
guest in Havana, fbut the administra-
ton is relying upon his devotion to the
welfare of the Americans in Cuba and
American interests generally to SUBJ
INIT his own personal wishes to re-
straint and omain at his post.
Late in the afternoon Senior du Bose,
the Spanish charge d'affaires received
a cipher cable from the minister of
state at Madrid, Senior GullOn saying:
You can disavOW the rumor that any
official application has been mad for
the recall Of General Lee" This on
firmed Mr.. du Bosses view that a mis-
apprehension had occurred and some
intimatiOn concerning General Lee had
been construed into a request or de-
mand fer his recall, which Mr.. du
Bose says with pOsitiveness was never
intended.
1t is learned that the Spanish objec-
ton to Consul General Lee is based
largely upon his sympathy for the Gu
bans and some of his u~tterances which
have found their way into print. 1t is
understood that the SDaniards also
take exceptions to the friendly rela-
tiOns and cCmpaniOnship existing be-
1901, r,n,ro on, ~ nd nd -
ents of papers,, which have been deci-
dedly unfriendly to Spain. 1t is be
IieVed that Senior de LONE carried to
Spain papers and infOrmla ton calCulat-
ed to make the Spanish government
request the recall of Consul General
Lee.
AS there has been no designation of
the Pun pose which prompted the intro
ductiOn of Mr.. CannOn's resolution, it
may be said that the money is wanted
primarily as an emergency fund. 1t is
said Ny officials who will have the dis
position of the treasure that it by no
means follows because congress places
such a sum of money in the control of
the president that he will fell bound
to spend all of it. Those who look for
a wholesale purchase of Warships from
the bargain counters of European
builders are likely to be disappointed.
The navy department at present is in
Clined to make but one purchase of
this kind, at tirst, at least, in the shape
of a substantial irOnclad. 1t does de-
sire to get possession of several of the
larger class of torpedo Oat destroyers,
such as the SCkul, CT the Russian navy,
vessels of 800 tons 2ble to keep the sea
in bad weather, a weak point with our
own boats. and capable of enormous
speed. such as thirty two knots. But
such craft are not for sale at AL times;
they are built to order generally and
could not be procured in this manner
in less than six months from the date
of contract even in Europe unless spec
fal prices were paid. There is no dis
position on the part of the navy de-
partment to Number the navy with a
lot of unsarviceable craft in a spasm of
fear, but rather to get a few of the
best vessels to be had.
OFFERS OF SHIPS TO THE NAVY.
The offers of ships to the navy de-
partment are now as-u ming definite
and formal shape. During the day
Secretary Long received a call from A.
F. Lane, representing the Maxim
Nordenfeldt Company and the agent
for several war vessels now nearing
completion in large foreign ship yards.
These include two cruisers of the type
of the Cincinnati, which are designed
to be twenty Knot vessels, ana TWO
ironclads of fourteen knots, which
would be called third class battleships
under our rating. These are now open
to purchase, and it is understood that
Mr.. Lanes visit was in this connection.
The two cruisers are $50 feet long, AZ
feet beam and Is feet draft. They
carry six 6 inch and four 5 inch gums,
and an auxiliary battery. The iron
clads AVE "a 1894 nch belt of harvey
lied steel. Their armament is two 10
inch guns, four 3 inch, two 6 inch, six
6 Founders and four 1 Founders. Mr..
Lane regards these ships as first class
in every particular, as they were de-
signed on modern principles and are
being built by one of the leading ship
building firms in Europe. They are
well along toward completion, and all
four. it is said, could be in commission
within a few months. They were orig
inally designed for one Of the South
American republics, but there is said