The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-23
ANOTHER CABINET MEETING
DEVOTED TO THE SPANISH SITUA-
 TION IN GENERAL.

Ione or DlscusslOn Salu oo lhulcate U nirih
 Determination to End the Present State
 of Affairs in Cuba-Substantial Unanim-
 ity Exists in the Cabinet Both as to the
 Maine Question and the Subject of Cuba
 The Matter of Intervention-McKin
 ley's Intention.
 Washington, March 22.-The cabinet
 meeting to-day lasted over an hour
 and was devoted to the Spanish situa-
 ton in general, and to the forthcom-
 ing report of the court of inquiry in
 particular. The tone of discussion in-
 dlcated firm determination that there
 must come an end to the present state
 of affairs in Cuba. Secretary Long
 authorized the statement that the re-
 port would reach Washington next
 Thursday or Friday, that it was very
 voluminous and that it's publication and transmission to congress would not occur until next Monday or Tuesday, as
 the president would require that much time to give the document the mature consideration it's character required. Other cabinet officials stated that the general plan included the sending of a presidential message along with the report, stating that Spain had been called upon to make suitable response < to the case presented by the court of inquiry.
 As to the Cause of Maine Disaster. While the cabinet associates of the X president maintained their usual re- x serve as to the exact character of < the deliberations, it was conceded that the discussion proceeded on the theory \ that the coming report would show " that the Maine explosion was not the & result of an accident, but was due to z an external cause. There is no doubt @ that substantial unAnimity exists on x the part of the president and all his cabinet both as to the Maine question x and the general subject of Cuba. < The Matter of Intervention.
 E The possibility of a recourse to inter- # vention in case Spain declines to make S suitable response to the representations $ the president will make after receiving s the Maine report, has been fully dis E cussed, although necessarily it has $ been an abstract discussion thus far S and no conclusion has been reached or s is possible until the vital question as # to the courts findings are before the s s.president and cabinet. At the same a time there is very evident intention Y to consider all eventualities, including # the recourse to intervention, the recog- s nition of independence and other @ methods which appear to suitably meet N the requirements of such condition. NT,Ttryay,s Tnfapfiou
 # It is believed to be the intention s of the president, however, to bring # about very material and satisfactory
 change of condition in Cuba by what
 shall seem to be the best and most @ practicable method of abtaining this # end. It is the hope of the administra- x ton that Spain herself will so far
 realize the situation as to see the ne- x cessity for such radical action on her part with respect to Cuba as shall \ command the appreciation of this coun- z try. Pending a; discussion on the gov-
 ernment's final policy no overtures or x intimations have been conveyed to the aa Spanish government and there is no knowledge as to how Spain would re- x gard a recognition of Cuban independ-
 ence or intervention. The Spanish minister, SenOT I'OlO, IcqfgtSleu lO-uuy
 that statement be made that reports X attributing to him expressions on the # subject of independence were unwar- s ranted and untrue. Senor Polo says he
 has not discussed this or any other
 of the pending questions. Outside of
 the cabinet meeting the day was excep- E tionally quiet. Secretary Long was
 able to clear his desk at 3:30 o'clock r,;T Tot, 5ic
 aster occurred and he left the depart
 ment before office hours closed to enjoy q 8 walk.
 # Flying squadron's Commander.
 During the afternoon the bureau of # navigation posted the notice that the @ battleship Massachusetts had sailed # from Key West for Hampton Roads,
 following the Texas, which left yester- # day. About the same time Commodore
 Schley, who has been suggested as the
 probably commander of the Flying
 Suuadron' centered at Hampton 2 Roads, called at the department and # had a conference with Assistant Sec N retary Roosevelt The cruiser Brook H 1yn is at Newport News and the Moni- M tor Puritan is under orders to proceed & there so that these vessels will be near "A the Hampton Roads rendezvous, if ii # is determined to established a squad K ron there Orders for this movement # have not yet been made, however, nor x has Commodore Schley received any M information from officials that he
 would be placed in command of the EH squadron.
 H Spanish Torpedo FlotilIa.
 # The navy department continues to a keep informed as to the Spanish tor N pedo f1otiila, now stopping at the Can- IA aries Word of it's departure has not N yet reached the department. It can be K stated positively that the report that H President Mckinley has protested # against the coming of this flotilla is I unwarranted. There has been no such i protest. At the navy department Es nothing is known of the reported or sF dering home of the Maine officers now sS at Havana It is said that these or s8 ders, if given, would come from Ad- t6 miral Sicard and not from the navy q department. The several Maine sur Ht yivors who arrived here last Saturday 54 came in response to orders from Ad- sA miral Sicard and it was for this reason x that their arrival was surprise tc la the naval officials here. It is not ex- si pected that Captain Sigsbee, Lieuten. 95 ant Commander Wainwright and oth-