Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-03-24

Washington, March 1s.-The main
development in the Spanish situation
Yesterday was In connection with the
uennlte representations submitted by
the Spanish government to the state
department. concerning the assembling
of large feet of American warships
AT Key West, the war preparations
ana the influence which these Nigh,
nave on the approaching elections III
Cupa. Those representations were
exactly In line with the semi official
utterances given in these dispatches
and accredited to high official con-
versation with the views of the Span
1sh cabinet. While these representa-
lions cannot properly be regarded as
a protest against the attitude and
acts of the United States government
they may unquestionably be set down
as a remonstrance calculated to have
an effect in European court circles.
Not, however, being a technical pro.
test tl| statemect has not called
forth any official rejoinder on the part
or the state department, for it is lack
ing In tangible accusations, being
rather an argumenative presentation
OF alleged Spanish grievances.
The Fern sailed for Havana from
Key West yesterday afternoon. She
goes to relieve the Montgomery as a
nome for the officers engaged in super
yising the wrec]:ing operations in Ha-
vana harbor. 1t is stated that the
Montgomery is not withdrawn owing
to any suggestion from Spanish
sources that her
Presence Is Not Desired.
1t was Che announced intention of
Secretary Long when the cruiser was
sent to Havana to keep her there only
so long as the Fern should be engaged
in the work of distributing relief
among the sufferers in Eastern CUBA.
This task having been performed and
inquiry frorG Havana, there being
fewer persons to accommodate, the
Fern. which is better equipped thai
the Montgomery to to assist in the
Wrecking operations, is returned to
her position.
Up to the close of office hours the
navy department, though it knew Of
ticially that the court Of inquiry had
come over to Key West from Ha-
vana, was not informed as to the find
inGS or plans of the court. 1t is said
that the object of the navy depart
ment in purchasing such crafts as the
late Ogden Goelet's yacht Aayt1ower
is to provide as quickly as possible
a number of picket boats of good
speed and seagoing ability to act as
scouts, and also to aid our ironclads
and more expensive vessels in opera
tions against torpedo boats. A large
number of private yachts have been
offered to the department, and other
acquisitions of the same type as the
Mayf1ower may be expected.
The fleet at Key West will be aug.
mented within the next day or two by
the arrival Of the gunboat Annapolis.
the torpedo boat Foote and the naval
tugs Leyden and Samoset, while the
gunboat Helena is now on her way
from the European station under or
ders to report at Key West. The
Helena has reported her arrival at
Funchal on her way to join the fleet.
These and the other vessels previous
ly ordered to that point constitute
The Largest Assemblagc
of war vessels made since the demon
stration following the Virginius affair.
and, considering effectiveness ana
armament, it is the strongest assem-
blage of ships for other than naval re.
view purposes, since the war.
The fleet now at Key West and
Tortugas is as follows: Cruisers New
York. Detroit, Marblehead; battleships
Massachusetts, Indiana, Iowa, Texas;
gunboat Nashville, dispatch boat Fern
and torpedo boats Dupont, Gushing,
Porter, Winslow and Ericsson. To
these will soon be added the five YES
sells now en- route there. In addition
to these the Montgomery is at Ha-
vana and is practically a part Of the
fleet; the gunboats Wilmington and
Gushing and cruiser Cincinnati are at
Barbardoes, the Newport at Colon.
with the Puritan, Newark, Amphitrlte
and other ships Of the North Atlantic
squadron at points along the coast
further northward.
Secretary Alger has made reQuisi-
tions on the president for two large
allotments from the appropriation Of
$5O,OOO,OOO for the national defense
one is for $5,0OO,0OO for the use OF the
engineer department of the army in
the completion of certain Notifications
along the Atlantic and gulf coasts now
in progress, and the other is for ST.
2Z5, 900 for the use of the ordnance de-
partment of the army in the acquire
1nent of arms and ammunition. Pretty
much all Of this money is needed to
cover contracts already made by the
military establishment.
WAS A QUIET DAY.
No Dispatches Of Disturbing Nature