Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-18
COAL AS CONTRABAND OF WAR
1t Would Operate More Against Spain Than
This Country.
Eject OH the U. =. Fleet Mt Hongkong-
Value of Hawaii In Such Case
What May be Done.

New York, April 1S.-In directing her
colonies to regard coal as contraband
OF war in the event of hostilites be-
tween the United States and Spain,
Great Britain has taken action, admin
istration officials say, in line with the
wishes of the President and naval au-
thorities, says the Washington cores
Icndent of the Herald.
Pressure will be exerted upon France,
Haiti and San Domingo to accomplish
the same result, and some attention is
being given ~ the state department
to South American countries with a
view to securing from them declara
ton of the contraband character of
coal,as well as an announced determin-
alton on their part not to sell either to
Spanish or American men-of-war u
supply Of fue' greater than that neces-
sary to enable the bellieerent vessel to
steam to the next home port.
So far as the Danish West Indies are
concerned. the authorities have pur-
chased i'll their ports all the coal that it
is possiJ to srCurV. With coal a de-
clured cuulraf and of war, administers
ticn officials and naval experts say 1t
Win he Impossible for Spanish vessels
t. ol crgte III the West Indies or in the
Pacific and. as u result, the chances of
success fer American arms would be
UNNECESSARILY cnchaEced.
Great Britaln's decarlation of the
contraband character of coal VIII aNrrt
the United stetes a. only ore point
in the far East. TINT United .i't -, l'.w
has at Hungkung a fleet of six vessels
the cruisers Baltimore, Olympia, Ra'
leigh and 4, stOn, ard gunboats Con-
cord and Petrel-and these ships are
awaiting the word TO go to Manila.
If the Qualifications at Philippines
should stand off the American fleet for
any length of time, the operation OF
barrassed. for, by England's declara-
ton, her colunists viii be only allowed
to sell TO either belliserent a supply of
coal only sufficient to take him to his
home port
Approaching the position assumed by
the British government, Commander
Dewey, acting under instructions from
Secretary Long, has purchased large
quantity of coal and has stored 1t on
board two golfers which Will accom-
pany his fleet to the Philippines. Ex-
tended operations would necessitate
renewal of the supply and the CEN
trail position of Hawaii Is pointed to
by naval experts who want 1t for q
naval base.
Hawaii Is 1000 miles from the Philip
pines. Her position in the family of ma
lions would compel her to observe
strict neutrality and not to favor one
belligerent more than another but her
annexation to the United States, 1t is
pointed out, would result in placing
supplies for the Asiatic squadron 1000
miles nearer to the vessels than would
be the case II coal, munitions of war.
etc, had to be shipped from the United
States. 1t is also pointed out that
Hawaii will find II necessary to sell
coal to the Spanish vessel coming in
at Honolulu sufficient to take II a por-
tion of the way to its next home post,
just as she would sell coz to an Amer
lean ship.
In the event that coal is declared con-
traband of war by France, Hayti and
San Domingo naval authorities say IL
will be impossible for Spanish vessels
to secre fuel in the West Indies.
Official information has reached the
state department. as the Herald an
nounces, this morning that Spain has
been shipping large quantities of coal
and provisions into Havana and San
Juan, and the President is contemplat-
Ing action which will prevent any fur
ther supplies from being exported from
this country
Examination made of the diplomatic
correspondence on file In the state de-
partment shows that President Lin
coin directed his secretary of the
treasury, in April, 1862, to prohibit the
shipment of coal to Southern ports
These instructions We're issued during
war, and the action was subsequently
legali2ed by act of Congress, but the
authorities have no doubt that Con-
gress would approve SIMILAR action at
this time by President Mckinley.
Strong representations have been
made to the President by Secretary
Long and naval experts to get him to
instruct the secretary OF the treasury
to decline to grant clearance to shps
carrying provisions and coal to Spanish
ports.
with coal contraband OF war, It will
he possible for American cruisers to
siege vessels carrying 1t to Spanish pos
sessions. The Canary Islands win be
admittedly Spanish base of operations
and it win he the effortsof this govern
ment to blockade them and seize any
vessel which may try to bring contra
band from any other country 20 them.
This will be especially the - with
Cuba and Porto Rico.