The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-06
The War Begins.

Spain having thus denied the demand
of the United States and initiated that
complete form Of rupture of relations
which attends II state of war, the Exc
cutive powers authorized by the res0lu-
ton were at once used by .me to meet
the enlarged contingency of actual war
between sovereign States. On April
22nd ] proclaimed blockade of the
north coast of Cuba, including ports on
said coast between Cardenas and Bahia
Honda and the port of Cienfuegos on the
south coast of Cuba; and on the 23rd |
called for volunteers to carry out the pur-
pose of the resolution. BY my message
Of April 18th the Congress was inform
ed of the existence of n state of war
between the United States and Spain.
The Congress accordingly voted on the
same day the act approved April 10Th,
1898, declared the existence Of such war
from and including the Dist day of April.
and re-cnacted the provision of the reso-
luton of April Goth, directing the Presi-
dent to use all the armed forces of the
nation to carry that act into effect. Due
notification of the existence of war rs
aforesaid was given April 25th by tele-
graph to all the governments with which
the United States maintain relations, in
order that their neutrality might be as
Sured during the war Various gov
ernments responded with proclamations
of neutrality. each after its own methods
1t is not among the least gratifying in
cidents of the struggle that the obliga-
tons of neutrality were impartially dis
charged by ALL often under delicate and
difficult circumstances.
STATUS OF NEUTRALS DEFINED.
In further fulfilment Of international
duty, l issued, April Goth. 1898, n pro-
clamaton announcing the treatment pro
posed to be accorded to vessels and their
cargoes as to blockade, contra band. the
exercise of the right Of search and the
immunity of neutral 'ags and neutral
goods under the enemy's flag. A similar
proclamation was made by the Spanish
Government. In the conduct Of hostili
ties, the rules Of the declaration OF
Paris. including abstention from resort
to privateering, have accordingly been
observed by both belligerents, although
neither was party to that declaration
THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Our country thus, after an interval of
half century of peace with all nations,
found itself engaged in deadly conflict
with a foreign enemy, every nerve was
strained to meet the emergency. The
response to the initial call for 125,OO0
volunteers was instant and complete, as
was also the result of the second call OF
May 25th, for $4,000 additional volun-
teers The ranks of the regular army
were increased to the limits provided by
the act of April Goth, 1898.
The enlisted force of the navy on the
18th day of August, when it reached dts
maximum, numbered 81, 1913 men and ap-
prentices. One hundred and three vessels
were added to the navy by purchase, one
was presented to the Government, one
leased and four vessels of the lnterna-
tiOnal Navigation Company, the st. Paul,
st. Louis, New York and Paris We're
chartered. In addition to these the reve-
nue. cutters and light house tenders were
turned over TO the Navy Department and
became temporarily a part of the aux
iliary navy.
THE SHIPS OF THE NAVY
The maximum effective fighting force
of the navy during the war separated
into classes. was as follows:
-Four battleships of the first class, one