The herald., 1898-03-30
WAR SEEMS CERTAIN
After Talking Over Matters With
Captain Sigsbee

naval officers who have talked with Capt.
Sigsbee since his arrival in this city are
| more firmly convinced than over that war
will inevitably come out of the Cuban sit
uation, and that the energy with which the
| army and navy departments have made
J extraordinary preparations in the last few
weeks will not have been for naught. AS
| soon as the commander of the Maine re-
| ported at the navy department he lost no
| time in explaining to Capt. CrOwninshield.
| chief of navigation, the intOlerable atti-
| ture of Spanish sympathizers in Havana
| harbor and city toward Americans, and
| particularly their anim0sity to American
naval officers now at work on the wreck
| of the Maine.
| He said trouble could not be avoided
much longer, and when collision did oc-
| cur in his opinion, the local authorities
would be powerless to protect either the
small American colony afloat or the ones
| ashore. All day long and well into the
night foul epithets, insults to the dead as
well as to the living. and taunting threats
are shouted to those upon the vessels
around the Names wrecking, numerous
boats going to and fro in the harbor, and
these demonstrations have been steadily
increasing for the last ten days, especially
since the Montgomery came away, until
an overt act was liable to occur at any mo-
ment
NO ARMISTICE WANTED
CHICAGO, March 29-The Tribune's
special correspondent in Washington sends
the following interview:
I'VE cannot and will not consider any
proposition for an armistice," said Gen.
Tomas Estrada Palma, the Cuban minis
ter, "or anything else except absolute in
dependence of Cuba. will meet Minister
Bernabe on neutral grounds. provided it is
distinctly understood that the question to
be discussed will be independence. After
this has been agreed upon and sanctioned
by his government, will agree to pay
Spain a reasonable sum to withdraw her
troops; but. understand this must be for
her buildings and grounds, and not the
price of our independence or at the sacri-
flee of our honor. We are willing to paw
Spain reasonable sum, but would not
consider 100000 OOO."
PUTTING ON WAR PAINT
FORT MONROE, Va, March 29.-"Put-
ting on war paint" is at present the prin-
cipal occupation of the nucleus of the
American flying squadron.
Everything will be completed by tomor.
row night, so that the squadron will be
ready to move.
The Minneapolis will join the fleet this
week. in all likelihood
| On the Brooklyn today there were at least
so applicants for enlistment as sailors and
marines. Very few are accepted, although
about 15 are needed, as the physical exam
| ination is severe.
SYLvUS ASKS QUESTIONS
| HAVANA, March 30.-La Lucha publish
| es communication signed Sylvus, asking
a number of questions, among them:
What about the discomfort of the SAIL
ors of the Maine on account of being de-
MED shore leave?"
did the officers Of the Maine say that
| life on the United States warships Is so
hard that they hoped to see the whole navy
| blown up?"
How about the dinner on the steamer
City of Washington. where all of the offlc-
ers saved were PRESENT."
What kind of precautions were taken
| when guns were loaded and torpedoes
primed?"
"Why were no torpedoes found after the
wreck?"
What about the confusion after the ex-
plosion, so great that the sailors did not
lower the boats?"
La Lucha's correspondent says these are
grave questions that the American court of
inquiry should have settled before insult
ing Spain by deciding that the explosion
was external.
NOT IRREFUTABLE
NEW YORK, March 39.-A dispatch to
the World from Paris says:
1.-THE Maine report is not an irrefutable
document. On the contrary. between the
facts it lays down and the conclusions it
draws from them, there are hiatuses cal
culated to keenly impress wise and inde-
pendent minds in Europe. The United
States would be wrong in making light Of
this.
"The opinion of optimistic American Of
ficers concerning the position of affairs on
board the Maine at the time of THE explo-
sion is biased because a professional ques-
ton is involved, and the court of inquiry
refusing to form definite opinion based on
| the evidence of the divers rejects the posi-
blity of contractions. On the other hand
there is nothing to show, as the report af-
firms, that there was no fault on the part
| of the crew.
"It will be impossible for the United
States to make war on so slender a basis.
To do SO would be to challenge the moral
| opinion of the whole world
BLAMED FOR HASTE
| PARIS, March 30.-The Journal des De-
| bats blames President Mckinley for his
hurry in sending his message to congress,