Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-05-05
STARTS
FORCUBA
Spanish Fleet Leaves the
Cape De Verde
Islands.
But Several Ships Are
Disabled by a Col
lisiOn.
Some European Countries
Don't Like Proposed
Tonnage Tax.

Washington, April 30.-Friday was
day Of alarming rumors, but for
tunately they all turned out without
foundation. The actual events OF i'm
portance were few.
The news of most interest was the
departure from the Cape Verde islands
of the Spanish fleet Late in the af-
ternoon a cablegram came to the
state department from the Cape Verde
islands, bearing no signature, an
nouncing that the Spanish cruisers
Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Wis
caya and Cristobal Colon, accompanied
by the Spanish torpedo boat destroyers
Pluton, Terror and Furor, had sailed
in a westerly direction. presumably
going towards Cuba and that the Span
ish torpedo boats Azor, Rayo and Ar
iete and the Spanish transports San
Francisco and Ciudad de Cadiz sailed
at the same time in a northerly direc-
ton, probably going to the Canary ISL
ands. The latter fleet returned in
few hours, having been in collision.
Captain Sampson sent a telegram
relative to the firing at the Matanzas
forts, but it was disappointingly lack
ing in detail. The few words went to
confirm the official view that the affair
was nothing more than a naval recon
noissance.
No news came from Dewey's squad
ron now on it's way to the Philippines
to do battle with the Spanish fleet.
Presuming that the admiral is bound
directly for Manila, the calculation
made at the navy department shows
that he should have arrived about 2
o'clock this morning, Manila time
being twelve hours earlier than ours.
Generals Lee and Dodge spent good
officials, giving color to the reports
that they are selected for generals.
The announcement that the State Of
Texas, laden with supplies for the re-
concentrates was destined for Sagua,
led TO the surmise that probably this
port instead of Matanzas has been Sc
lected for the landing place for the first
attack of the United States troops. Re
garding the harmless growls in the
European press and threats to intimi-
date the United States forces from
blockading the Philippines, it may be
stated that this was fully expected.
The Portuguese minister, looked
over a cable from Lisbon, giving the
substance of the neutrality decree ga
zetted there yesterday and said thai
it was evidently accurate and covered
the entire subject. The minister
says that article 3, which
permits belligerents to make a short
stop at Portuguese ports, would prob
ably be better understood by saying
that the belligerents would not be per-
mitted to make long stays at Portu-
guese ports. The British and French
ambassadors here have received In
structions relative to the tonnage tax
provision in the war tariff bin, which
passed the house yesterday. 1t is
understood that the German ambassa-
dor will also receive instructions
on the same subject They doubtless
relate to Joint representations against
the severity Of the new tonnage tax.
The leading diplomats are hopeful that
their representations will lead to a
modification of the clause before the
new tariff bill becomes a law. as other
wise they feel that the tonnage dues
will be so burdensome on British,
French and German shipping as to
| cause ii to seek Canadian and Mexi-
can ports.
The republic of Hayti is expected to
maintain strict neutrality between the
| United States and Spain. 1t is recog-
nized that all the sympathies of Hayti
are with the United States, yet, any
action by that country inconsistent
! with strict neutrality would place
| Hayti in the attitude OF being the ally
OF this country and open enemy OF
/ Spain.