The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-18
THE SITUATION In CUBA.
OUR WARSHIPS READY TO SAIL
ON A MINUTES NOTICE
they VIII be Sent to Havana InstentIy on
Request at any Time from Consul Gen
erai Lee-Geperai Lee Thinks There May
be Further Trouble-Confiict Between
His Cab grams ard News Given out at
the Spanish Legation.

Washington, January A-perfect
calm prevails in Havana, according to
dispatches received by Senior Dupuy
de LONE, the Spanish minister. last
night and lis morning. One Of these
dispatches, filed at / O'Clock this morn
ing by Secretary General Congosto,
says: The tumult has not been con-
tinued. Calm is preserved throughout
the city. / believe that the normal
condition will be perfectly established.
Fortunately there is not a single cas-
ualty nat we have to regret"
Aside from this dispatch the minister
has received a number of minor dis
patches, all indicating an absence of
disturbance and that no apprehension
is felt by the authorities. He has given
directions that every development be
communicated to him and, in view of
this fact, does not credit a report that
there was another outgreak yesterday,
saying that any such outbreak would
have been communicated to him and
that the report doubtless arose either
from a delayed cablegram based on the
outbreak previously reported, or else
that there was some minor disturbance
OF such a trivial character that it did
not get to the attention of the official
heads of the Cuban government.
Later in the day Senior de Lone re-
ceived a cablegram dated Havana, 10
O'Clock a. m, saying that perfect tran
guilty prevailed at that hour and that
no further trouble was expected.
Assistant Secretary Day came over
To the White house from the state de-
partment before the cabinet meeting
and left a telegram that had been re-
ceived from Consul General Lee. 1t
was sent from Havana during the
middle hours of the night and reported
the existence there of nue. excite
ment and chronicied the attacks on
the newspaper offices in continuation
of those of the day before and the
participation of some soldiers in the
demonstration. General Lees cable
gram, it is also learned, stated that
while he did not see any indications of
the resumption of the riots, yet, in
view of the jnfiammable situation in
Havana, he believed that there might
be further trouble. He added that he
did not anticipate another outbreak, but
yet would not be surprised at one.
None Of the disturbances he reported,
had been directed against the United
States or American citizens.
When the cabinet met at II O'Clock
this dispatch formed the basis of a
short discussion. The members of the
cabinet professed to feel satisfied with
n situation. The Senate resolution
calling for information as to what had
been done by the president to safe
guard American interests in Havana
during the period of rioting, was re-
ceived from the state department and
also briefly talked over, with a view to
dAtermine the nature of the reply to
be made. The main subject under con-
sideratiOn before the cabinet, however,
If 1S 6apla rod wa tho nrncnpof IF tho
Hawaiian annexation treaty, and not
Cuban relations. -
The cabinet discussion showed tina
the president, while decided MOTTO
send a war ship to uba at present,
does purpose to keep one or more YES
sells within reasonable distance Of Ha-
vana so that one of our ships may
reach there Within six hours in the
event Of a sudden call for it's presence
from General L~ee-Shouid our consul
general say that the emergency de-
ly, it is stated.
The last news of the day from Consul
General Lee am to the state. depart
ment about 2 o'clock and was at once
sent over to the White house. 1t went
to confirm the previous reports and was
a simple statement by General Lee
that at noon to-day all was quiet in
Havana.
The North Atlantic squadron which
has been gathering at Hampton Roads
is to sail southwark tomorrow.
Lest there should be any misunder-
stading of the purpose of the cruise,
Which has already been described in
the orders as one of evolution and
drill planned many months CO., the
orders under which the vessels will
proceed nave been made public and,
taken in connection with the depart
ment's orders to admiral Sicard, the
navy department says show that the
squadrOn's movements have no refer
nee to Cuba