Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-07

far reached was that one of the naval
| Observation-Disclosures Nashville on
Fern-should make the "trip. AS this
Is the FIRST time public mention has
| been made of the Fern in connection
with carrying the supplies. It might be
| inferred that she win make the trip.
The official orders. however. continue
| to stand as they were originally made,
designating the Montgomery and
| Nashville, but these could be changed
readily If the Fern was felt best
| suited for the work. The naval officers
| have felt from the first that the Mont
| gomery and Nashville were lily
| adapted for carrying supplies. They
| are essentially fighting machines. and
! with their own supplies Of cprdaEe.
canvas. coal. etc. This was go mp
parent that the plans contemplated
putting the the relief supplies on deck
covering them with. tarpauiins and
| trusting to the weather and quick
| trip to keep the provisions and clothing
from damage. The Fern not being es-
| sentlally a fighting machine but more
| Of the tyne of yacht for the speedy
conveyance of naval dispatches, has
| considerable more room for slowing
supplies. both below and on deck.
TYING UP RELIEF SUPPLIES.
The cuban relief committee counted
on sending seventy-iYe ton to Key
| West but this has now been increased
to 100 tons. 1t left New York on one
of the Mallory line Of boats yesterday
and is due at Key West next Wednes-
day. The transfer will take day. and
the plan has been to have the govern
ment ship start next Thursday for
Cuba.
The decision of the administration to
send supplies to the reconcentrados in
Cuba was arrived at early in the week.
| I ha ed
been unable to distribute the goods
that had been received in answer to the
proclamation of the President to the
American people. He reported that
many tons of these supplies We're stored
! in Havana and could not be forwarded
| to the eastern end of the island. The
United States consuls at Mantanzas and
Sagua la Grande had come In person
to Havana to seek for relief after re-
porting to the state department the
terrible conditions exist ing In their re-
spective districts.
The state department Immediately
instituted inquiries. and learning that
the original decree of the Spanish gov
eminent authorizing the free admission
of supplies applied only to the port OF
Havana, secured permission for the
free reception of these supplies at all
ports. The next obstacle met was the
difficulty of transshipping the goods
from Havana eastward. there being n
]
that subject to many vexation local
restrictions.
When the United States cruiser
Montgomery returned from her cruise.
which included the Cuban ports of
Matanzas and Santiago, the officers
brought narrowing tales of the distress
existing there.
Capt. Crownlnshield. the chief of the
navigation bureau of the navy depart
ment, an officer of the soundest discre-
ton and Judgment, was on the ship,
an accidental passenger He told
President MCKINLEY directly what he
had learned. The result was the imme-
diate decision OF the navy department
to accede to the request of the relief
committee in New York to forward
their supplies to the eastern ports of
Cuba
One of the American lines of steam
ships running to New York had offered
to take the bounteous contributions of
the American people to Key West, and
the President himself gave the order
for their carriage to eastern Cuba by
any of the available ships of the
North Atlantic squadron.
MCKINLEY WILL NOT CHANGE.
The announcement by the press of
; the purpose of the government to send
supplies to Cuba on naval vessels was
made last Wednesday. Within twenty
four, hours there were signs or resist
ance on the part of the Spanish govern
ment. At first this took the shape CT
an informal inquiry by the Spanish
charge d'affaires as to the correctness
of the report, the inquiry being couched
in an incredulous tone. and later when
the affirmation came, there was lodged,
not n formal protest, but rather an in
situation that the movement of the
naval ships would not be acceptable:
that IL would be construed into an act
of sympathy on the part OF the govern
ment of the United States with the in
surgents.
But the President has satisfied him
self that the course he had chosen, that
Of sending the supplies in naval YES
sell was the only one that promised
sufficient and prompt relief. There was
no time for polite diplomatic exchange
of notes, when. according to Gen.
Lees advice. people We're perishing
from hunger by hundreds every day in
Cuba, and the Spanish charge d'affairs
was 80 Informed.
Senior du Bose. when seen at the
Spanish legation today, could add little
to the fund of information on the TIVE
subjects which We're attracting so much
official and public attention. He had
received no word from his government
concerning Gen. Lee. and. he stated
positively that no suggestions concern
ing Gen. Lees retirement had been
submitted to him by the state depart
ment.
As to the sending OF relief SUPPLIES
by the Montgomery and Nashville. Mr.
Du Bose said he felt that merchant
vessels We're much better equipped for
such service. and their use was not
open to that INSTRUMENTATION ~ossible
In sending supplies by vessels of the
navy.
The naws concerning Cen Lee
aroused tho deepest interest and no
little excitement throughout Wash
: inrtor, End for the time being, the
usunl quiet Of Sunday evening was put
aside. In hotol corridors. at the clubs
and in ~ public places II was the all
sorhing tonic. ard not since the Maine
disaster was such widespread popular
interest evinced in the Spanish stu
alton.
PRESIDENT Is ENDORSED.
Americans Stand nv UIs Official Action