The record-union., 1898-01-25

was believed that il it had been con-
sistenuy adhered to there never would
have been complaint of the visit of our
ships from Spanish sources. British
and all nations have exercised The
right to maintain at least a small ma
val force at ports inhabited by any con-
siderable number of their citizans, when
there We're any signs of trouble that
threatened themselves or their proper
ty. Therefore, the Administration some
time ago came to the conclusion that
X would take steps to restore the old
order of things, and allow our warships
to cruise freely and touch Cuban ports
as soon as the change could be made
without leading to misconstruction.
and without being interpreted as war
measure, when. as matter of fact,
nothing was further from the intentions
of the President
The first movement in the direction
of the old order was last fall before
the assembling of Congress, when Sec
retary Long announced through the As
sociated Press his intention to send the
entire North Atlantic squadron to the
Tortugas harbor for their winter evolu-
tions which for several years past, oT
ever since the beginning of the Cuban
insurrection, had been performed with
difficulty and under all kinds of dis
couraSng conditions of wind and
weather off the Chesapeake capes This
| movement being received with equa-
nlmity, the next step followed. when
some Of our little gunboats were sent
TO cruise in the West Indies. the Will
mington and Annapolis now being in
those waters. 1t only remained to send
one of our ships to Havana to com
| pletely restore the old practice. Natur
ally this was a more delicate step than
had been called for previously. and il
was not until the Administration had
satisfied itself that conditions in Ha-
| vana had resumed the normal sta1e
! that existed before the recent military
riot against the newspapers that ii was
| deemed timely to make the last move
| That decision was not reached without
! consideration of all the results that
| might follow
The Spanish Minister, Dupuy de
Lone, was an early caller at the State
Department, his purpose being to ad
wise with the officials relative to the
negotiations of reciprocity treaty for
Cuba under the terms of the present
be regarded as an evidence of the con-
| tidence OF both parties in the security
Of the outlook. After his visit. Assist
ant Secretary Day repaired to the
White House. and there was a notable
gathering around the President, includ
ing Secretary Long Of the Navy, Attor-
ney-General McKenna and General
Miles, the Commander General of the
!
to the Presidents room. much to their
chagqin this being the day of the week
that is most largely assigned to the
reception of Congressional callers. The
conference lasted for nearly an hour.
and when It broke up it was with
every evidence of confidence in the
peaceful outlook that the members dis
| perGed. Secretary Long was intrusted
with the duty Of making public state
ment concerning the Maines orders and
reasons therefor
Secretary of the Navy Long was seen
this morning concerning the rumorS
that We're ahoat in regard to the move
ments of the ships and said:
so far from there being any founda-
tions for the rumors yesterday of
trouble al Havana, matters are now in
such condition that our vessels are GO
ing 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 a visit The department has is
sued orders for vessels to attend the
public celebrations at Mobile and the
Mardi Gras at New Orleans. and for
the torpedo boat 1otilla to visi, Gal
weston, Tex
The Maine. which had been selected
to make the trip to Havana. is a battle
ship of the second class. and is re-
garded as one of the best ships in the
new navy. She was built al the Brook
lyn Navy Yards, and is 31S feet long,
- feet broad. 21.6 mean draught and
G,GS2 tons displacement. She has two
l0-inch vertical turrets and two mill
tary masts, and her motive power is
furnished by twin screws with triple
expansion engines having q maximum
horsepower of 9,293, capable Of max
ing speed of lis knots. She carries
four 1e-inch and six 6-inch breech
loading suns in her main battery, and
seven 6-pourde4s and eight 1-pounder
rapid-firing guns and four gatlings in
her second battery, and four Whitehead
torpedoes.
While administration officials miss no
opportunity Of declaring their belief of
PEACE. it may he noted as matter of
interest that the United States has as
sembled at Key West the most formid
able fleet of warships that has gotten
together in our home waters for many
years 1t is made up of the North
Atlantic squadron under command of
Admiral Sicard. flagship New York;
fi1st-class battleships Maine and Texas;
cruisers Detroit and Montgomery; dis
patch beat Fern, and the torpedo boat
fiotilla. composed of the Gushing, Ericc-
son. Dupont and Porter, which VIII be
reinforced in a few days by the Foote.
The big protected cruiser Brooklyn,
equal to battleship herself is fitting
cut at the New York Navy Yards. and
Captaih Cock. who commands the ship,
was at the Navy Department this
morning. expecting to sail the latter
part of this week TO join Admiral
Sicard's squadron. The gllnboat Nash
VILE and the training ship Essex are at
Tort Royal. s. c.. within easy call. and
the entire navy may be said to be in
state Of preparedness that is crafty
ing TO officials in view of the limited
resources placed at their hands by Con-
gress.
4 FORMIDABLE FLEET.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2I--Never be-
fore has the majesty of the United
States been represented by so large and
powerful a fleet Of warships as that
now gathered of the extreme southern
coast OF Florida. within direct strik
ina aistsnce of the Island OF Cuba