Evening star., 1898-05-14
DUTIES OF NEUTRALS
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page1
the spanish warships to attack her while
she is inside the harbor, as international
law forbids such attack in neutral
harbor. The most the Spanish admiral can
do is to wait outside the harbor in hopes
of taking the Harvard as she leaves. 1T is
evident from the filing of Spain's protest
that she had fully expected the Harvard to
leave St Pierre, and that the Spanish ships
were lying in wait for her.
The Harvard is Safe.
But wait for seven days would he
futile, as other American ships can go to
the relief of the Harvard before that time.
Moreover, while the capture of the Har-
ward would be a valuable incident to the
move ment of the Spanish squadron, it is
obvious that it cannot shape it's entire
n ovements for the next seven days in
order to effect this one capture. Had the
French authorities decided, in view of the
pr otest, that the Harvard must leave at
once, her position would have been OK
tremely critical, her batteries are in
significant compared with those of the big
Spanish warships. and her feetness would
not avail when the Spanish ships COM
n anded the harbor entrance and had
thirty-knot vessels among their number.
AS it is. the Navy Department is relieved
of all serious apprehension on the Har-
va-d as the action of the French govern
nent insures her safety.
By strange coincidence the French own
ership of Martinique is bringing protests
from both quarters-the United States
as well as Spain, although those from this
country are entirely unofficial and are ex-
pressly discountenanced by the State De-
paitment. They relate to the use of the
French cable system between the United
States and the West Indies inrimations be-
ing made that these served to assist the
Spanish authorities and to embarrass the
officials at Washington. There appears to
be no ground for this suspicion, as it is
pointed out that the French cable company
would be working against it's own interests
by such a course of action. and moreover
would subject itself to the darger of hav-
ing its cable cut at Coney Island, where it
makes the landing
Use of the French Cable.
1t developed today that General Greedy,
chief of the signal service, had made a
careful investigation as to the business op-
erations of the French cable company, and
had laid down strict course Of action
to which the company fully acceded
Thursday General Greedy notified the cable
company that the government was reliably
advised that Spain was secretly using the
French line to send messages from two
Spanish officials in London to the Spanish
authorities at Cuba and Porto Rico. He
said this was doubtless without the knowl-
edge of the company
He then laid down certain classes of
forbidden messages. These included mes
sages between Spanish officials code or
cipher messages, and messages inimical to
the United States in its present war
against SPAIN Exceptions were made to
messages sisred by the President and
membets of the cabinet and also to mes
sages from neutral governments and their
representatives in. Washington.
General Greedy stated that he had no
desire to exercise military control or su-
pervision over the French cable lines. and.
as long as the necessities Of var permit
preferred that the company should look
after its own affairs. While granting this
permission, however, General Greedy said
it was with the distinct proyiso that the
company would order all it's agents and
employees to refuse to receive or trans
nit any of the messages he had forbidden
to be sent. Mr.. Lurienne, the agent of the
company, gave General Greedy written as
suranee that all the foregoing conditions
would be fully observed, so that the
United States authorities are now fu,Iy
safeguarded against the use of the cable
for purposes inimical to the government