The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-25

Admiral Sicard's orders were not made
ment but ii was stated that the substance
of them was contained IN statement made
by Secretary Long. The orders were not
sent directly TO the Maine for the reason
that she is now attached TO the squadron.
and the naval regulations require all such
orders to go through the superior ofticer
gram reached the admiral before he sailed
with his squadron from Key West for Tor
tugas harbor The belief is that it did not,
but this will make little difference in the
programme inaSmuch as the telegram
doubtless will be sent to the admiral by one
of the torpedo boats or some other means
of CONVEYANCE. The details of the Names
movements are believed to be left for the
arrangement of Admiral Sicard but it is
thought that the ship, which put to sea
with the SQUADRON. will return to Key West
before going to Havana.
THE NAMES COMMANDER.
The German ships to which Assistant Sec
retary Day referred in his statement are
the Charlotte and the Geyer, both training
ships and not of formidable type though
one suffced to settle hastily the recent Hal
tian difficulty Their touching at Havana is
not believed to be significant. as their cruise
was arranged in all details last September
and the same ships are due at Charleston,
S. C.. early in February next. The COM
Enander of the Maine Captain Sigsbee, is
| favorte in the Navy Department. For four
years he was chief of the photographic Of
| flee, and by his energy brought the office
UP to a high standard. He was lucky TO
get so important ship the Maine
| sidering his actual rank. which is that of
commander. but Immediately he justified
| the departments Judgment in the selection
| by running his ship straight into dock in
New York harbor TO avoid running down
| packed excursion boat. This was a display
| of quick judgment, nerve and pluck that
| pleased the department so highly that the
captain was sent a complimentary letter.
| His officers are also good lot, including
! Lieutenant Commander Richard Vain
wright Lieutendnts g. II. Holman. John
Hood and G. w. Yungen;. Leutenants Gu-
nior grade) G.. w. Blow. j. T. Blandin and
| r. w. Jenkins; Cadets j. Fl. Holden, w. Z.
| Cluverius, Anon Bronson and ID. Il. Boyd,
jr.; surgeon. l.. g. Heneberger: paymaster,
| G. w Littlefield; chief engineer c. p.
| Howell; passed assistant engineer, f. G.
| Bowers; assistant engineers, J. r. Morris
and ID. r. Merritt: cadet engineers, Pope
| Washington and Arthur Crenshaw; chap
lain, j.. p. Chadwick, and lieutenant of ma
rInes, A. w. Catlin.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
! no disturbing news has been received from
| Havana, but that the sending of the battle
| ship Maine to Cuban waters is rather
! in the line of a resumption of free
/ intercourse of our naval vessels in Cuban
| waters, the same as prevailed prior to their
withdrawal on account of the outbreak of
| hostilities. For some time past admins
| tration officials have been of opinion that
| Il mistake was committed by the preceding
administration, in the very beginning of the
| Cuban insurrection, in deciding out of ex-
ceSSive caution and an Overweening regard
| for the sensibilities OF the Spanish public,
! to abandon the Course that had been pur-
| sued by our Navy Department for years
| past of sending our war ships at intervals
| frequently included stops at Havana.
1t was not regarded as consistent with
| our national pride that this practice, COM
mon to all maritime nations, should have
been abandoned or suspended, and it was
adhered to tot there would never have been
| any complaint of the movements of our
! ships from Spanish sources. Besides, all
! nations have exercised the right to main
tain at least a small naval force at ports
| inhabited by any considerable number of
| their. citizens when there were signs of
| trouble that threatened their safety or their
/ property. Therefore, the administration
! some time ago came to the conclusion that
/ 1t would take steps to restore the old order
| of things and allow our war ships to cruise
! freely, and to touch in Cuban ports as soon
| as the change could be made without lead
/ ing to misconstruction, and without being
| interpreted as a war measure when, as a
matter of fact, nothing was further from
| the intentions of the President.
THE SOUTHERN MANEUvERS.
The first movement in the direction of the
old practice was made last fall, before the
assembling of Congress, when Secretary
| Long announced his purpose to send the
entire North Atlantic squadron to the Tor
tugas harbor for their winter evolutions.
which for several years past, or ever since
! the beginning of the Cuban insurrection,
had been performed with difficulty and un-
| der all kinds of discouraging conditions of
wind and weather off the Chesapeake capes
Ihis movement being received with equa-
nimty, the next step followed, when some
or our little gunboats were sent to cruise in
! the West Indies, the Wilmington and the
annapolis being now in those waters.
IL only remained to send one of our ships
to Havana to completely restore the old
practice Naturally this was a more deli
cate step than had been called for previ-
| ously, and it was not until the administra-
| ton had satisfied itself that conditions in
Havana had quieted and resumed the nor
NAL state that existed before the recent
military riot against the newspapers thaS
| IT was deemed timely to make the last
This decision was not reached without
| consideration of all the results that might
follow The Spanish minister, Senior Dupuy
De,,, ne LONE, was an early caller at the State
department his purpose being to advise
| with the officials relative to the negotia-
Iions OF reciprocity treaty for Cuba under
| the terms of the present tariff act This
| purpose in itself may be regarded as an evil
dence OF the confidence of both parties in
| the security of the outlook
After his visit Assistant Secretary Day
| came to the White House, and there was
q a. notable gathering around the President,
! including Secretary Long, of the navy At
torney General NcKenna and General
Miles, the commanding general of the
army. No callers were allowed to go to
| the PRESIDENTS room. much to their chagrin
| this being the day of the week that is most
! largely assigned TO the reception of congress-
J. SIGNAL callers. The conference lasted for
nearly an hour, and when it broke up it
was with every evidence of serenity and
confidence on the peaceful outlook that the
members dispersed.
! Secretary Long was intrusted with the
| duty of making public statement concern
/ ing the Names orders and the reason there
| Tor. He said to-day: $50 far from there
| being any foundation for the rumors yester-
| DAY of trouble al Havana, matters are now
| III such condition that our vessels are going
| to resume their friendly calls at Cuban
| ports, and go in and out just as the vessels
| of other nations do. The Maine will go in
day or two on just such visit. The de-
| partment has issued orders for vessels to
attend the public celebratioDns at Mobile
! and the Mardi Gras at New Orleans and
| for the torpedo boat fiotilla to visit Calves
| ton Tex"
Minister De LONE called again at the
| State Department about O'Clock in pur-
/ suit of information concerning the move
ments of the Maine. He asked and was
sent Admiral Sicard directing the
Maine to proceed to Havana. In an in
/ terview Senior De LONE said the action
! of the administration was perfectly in
| accord with the usage for war ships of two
| friendly powers to enter and leave each
/ others ports. The war ships of Spain had
1 visited American ports on complimentary
missions three times in many wears and
! If there had not been an American war shin
| in Havana in the same length of time it
was merely because the United States gov
ernment had not seen fit to order one there
| AS to the possible consequences of the
/ Names appearing at Havana at this time
the minister expressed himself as not at
| all uneasy. There was no doubt, he said,