The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1898-04-02
PAL DON'T LIKE 1T.

Too Many Warxhfps In The Vicinity
of Cuba.
Washington, March 1S.-The main
development in the Spanish situation
yesterday was in connection with the
definite representations submitted bv
the Spanish government to the state
department concerning the assembling
of a large feet of American warships
at Key West, the war preparations
and the influence which these nigh,
have on the approaching elections in
Cuba. Those representations were
exactly in line with the semi-o1iicial
u%tterances given in these dispatches
and accredited to a high official con-
versation with the views of the Span
ish cabinet. While these representa-
lions cannot properly be regarded as
a protest against the attitude and
acts Of the United States government
they may un~questionably be set down
as q remonstiance calculated to have
an effect in European court circles.
Not, however, being a technical pro.
test the statement has not called
FORTH any official rejoinder on the part
of the state department, for it is lack
ing in tangible accusations. being
rather an argumenative presentation
of alleged Spanish grievances.
The Fern sailed for Havana from
Key West yesterday afternoon. She
goes to relieve the Montgomery as a
home for the officers engaged in super
wishing the wrecking operations in Ha-
vana harbOr. 1t is stated that the
Montgomery is rot withdrawn owing
to any suggestion from Spanish
sources that her
Presence Is Not Desired.
It was the announced intention of
Secretary Long when the cruiser was
sent to Havana to keep her there only
so long as the Fern should be engaged
in the work of distributing relief
among the sufferers in Eastern Cuba.
This task having been performed and
owing to the return of the court of
inquiry from Havana, there being
fewer persons to accommodate. the
Fern. which is better equipped than
the Montgomery to to assist in the
her position.
|. up to the close of office hours the
navy department, though it knew Of
ficially that the court of inquiry had
come over to Key West from Ha-
vana, was not Informed as to the find
ings or plans of the court. 1t is said
that the object of the navy depart
ment in purchasing such crafts as the
late Ogden Goelet's yacht Maytiower
is to provide as quickly as possible
q number of picket boats of good
speed and seagoing ability to act as
scouts, and also to aid u ironclads
and more expensive vessels in opera
lions against torpedo boats. A large
number of private yachts have been
offered to the department. and other
acquisitions of the same type as the
Mayflower may be expected.
The feet at Key West will be aug.
mented within the next day or two by
the arrival of the gunboat Annapolis.
the torpedo boat Foote and the naval
tugs Leyden and Samoset. while the
gunboat Helena is now on her way
from the European station under or
ders to report at Key West. The
Helena has reported her arrival at
Tunchal on her way to join the fleet.
These and the other vessels previous
ly ordered to that point constitute
The Largest Assemllage
of wal vessels made since the demon
stration following the Virginius affair.
and, considering effectiveness ana
armament. it is the strongest assem-
blage Of ships for other than naval re.
view purposes, since the wal.
The fleet now at Key West and
Tortugas is as follows: Cruisers New
York. Detroit, Marblehead; battleships
Massachusetts, Indiana. Iowa, Texas;
gnnboat Nashville, dispatch boat Fern
and torpedo boats Dupont, Cushing,
Porter, Winslow and Ericsson. To
these will o be added the five yes
sells now en- route there. In addition
to these the Montgomery is at Ha-
vana and is practically a part of the
feet; the gunboats Wilmington and
Cushing and cruiser Cincinnati are at
Barbardoes, the Newport at Colon,
with the Puritan, Newark, Amphitrite
and other ships Of the North Atlantic