New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-07


reouest their home Governments to recaii the''''
They live officially only through an e*equa'ui
granted by the Government to which 'ney "'e
accredited and this may be Withdrawn NJ any
,,,or,ont So Consul General Lee may be dis
missed from his post at the pleasure vi 'n'
snanisb Government and this would not violate
any section Of international law bu' "e
one resnect UNIQUE. in that he Is endowed with
semi-diplomatic powers by the WISH vi VI,
eminent and by the consent of the Spanish Gov
ounn,ort The request of the Spanish Govern
ment for his recall may therefore be regarded
90 tantamount to a demand for the recall OF al
objectionable Minister--such. for instance as
Sebor Dupuy de LONE There must be sone
s,bstantial or satisfactory reason for such
demand in such cases and as those presented
AGAINST General Lee probably were connneu 10
acts he has so far performed with the full sane
tion and approval of President Mckinney 'he
demand was not entertained. as Is clearly SHOWN
I'm the formal statement given out by Assistant
Secretary Day. Under such circumstances the
incident would close unless Spain took the ue-
cisive step OF insisting on General Lees recall
and. this falling gave him his exequatur
This radical course is not expected, however
and all the indications reaching ofhciais mere II
that Spain will not proceed further with the IN
cdent.
SUPPLIES BY WARSHIPS.
The action regarding the cruiser Mohtgoher!
and the gunboat Nashville is looked upon by OIL
Gals here as much less grave than that ahect-
,rg Caneral Lee Secretary Long said tonight
that he did not regard the question az to what
shin should carry the relief supplies as serious
in any way or as likely to present any perpiex-
ing issues The desire Of the Navy Department.
II npIing
Mr. Long said, was merely to get the supphes
70 Cuba on the most available vessel. There
were three OF these now at Key West-the MONT
gomery the Nashville and the Fern--alike
available for the service and one Of these, MT
Long said would be designated for the trip
The Fern is a dispatch boat rather than an
armed naval vessel, and her availability for TINS
mission had not previously been suggested. Her
choice would probably remove all ground for
affection as she has none OF the characteristics
of a war vessel. Mr. Long said, however, that
the only decision thus far reached was that one
of the naval vessels-the Montgomery, the
Nashville or the Fern-shoud make the trip
As this Is the first time public mention has been
made Of the Fern in connection with carrying
the supplies IL might be inferred that she VIII
make the trip.
OFFICIAL ORDERS UNCHANGED.
The official orders, however. continue to stand
as they were originally made, designating the
Montgomery and the Nashville, but these could
be changed readily II the Fern was felt TO be
best suited for the work. The naval OFFICIALS
have felt from the first that the Montgomery
and the Nashville were Ill adapted for carrying
suppl;es They are essentially fighting ma
chimes and every inch Of available room is taken
uo with their own supplies of cordage. canvas.
coal etc. This was so apparent that the plans
contemplated putting the relief supplies on deck,
covering them with tarpaulin and trusting to
the weather and quick trip to keep the pro-
visions and clothing from damage. The Fern,
not being essentially a fighting machine. but
more Of the type of yacht for the speedy con-
veyance OF naval dispatches. has considerably
more room for slowing supplies, both below and
on deck The Cuban Relief Committee counted
on sending seventy-ive tons TO Key West. but
this has been increased 10 one hundred tons.
II left New-York on one OF the Mallory Line Of
boats Yesterday, and is due at Key West next
Wednesday, The transfer Will take a day. and
the plan has been TO have the Government ship
start next Thursday for Cuba.
NOT ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE GOODS
The decision of the Administration TO send
supplies to the reconcentrados In Cuba was
arrived at early in the week. General Lee had
tnat ne Hdu Deeu ullHDIe 10 ulS-
tribute the goods that had been received in an
swer 10 the proclamation of the President to the |
American people. He reported that many tons
Of these provisions were stored in Havana and
could not be forwarded to the eastern end OF |
the island. The United States consus at Ma |
tanzas and Sagua la Grande had come In person !
to Havana to seek for relief after reporting to
the State Department the terrible conditions ex-
listing I'm their respeCtiye districts
The State Department Immediately instituted |
INQUIRIES and learning that the original decree !
of the Spanish Government authorizing the |
free admission of supplies applied only to the |
port OF Havana, secured permission for the free |!
Of these supplies at all ports.
The next obstacle met was the difficulty of |
trans shipping the goods from Havana eastward, |
there being a semi-weekly service by steamer |
and that subject TO many vexatious local re-
strictions When the United States cruiser |
Montgomery returned from her cruise which |
included the Cuban ports of Matanzas and |
Santiago the officers brought narrowing tales
Of the distress existing there.
Captain Crowninshield. the Chief OF the Navi-
CATION Bureau OF the Navy Department an off,
GER IF the soundest discretion and Judgment
was on the ship an az ,idental passenger He
told President Mckinley directly what he had
learned. The result was the immediate decision
Of the Navy Department 20 accede to the re-
1uest Of the Relief Committee In New-York to