The herald., 1898-03-17
FLEET AT KEY WEST
MAY UNDULY INFLUENCE THE
CUBAN ELECTIONS
THE REAL OBJECT IN VIEW
Is the Rousing Of an Anti-American
Sentiment in the Court Circles
of Europe
Associated Press Special Wire


Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, March 16.-The chief
development In the Spanish situation to-
day was in connection with the definite
representations submitted by the Spanish
government to the state department con-
corning the assembling of a large fleet OF
American warships at Key West, the war
preparations and the influence which these
might have on the approaching elections
In Cuba. These representations were ex-
actly in line with the semi-official utter
ance given in these dispatches last night,
and accredited to a high official conversant
with the view of the Spanish cabinet.
While these representations cannot prop.
erly be regarded as protest against the
attitude and acts of the United States gov
| ernment, they may unquestionably be set
down as remonstrance calculated to have
an effect in European court circles. Not,
however. being a technical protest, the
statement has not called forth any official
rejoinder on the part of the state depart
ment, for it is lacking in tangible accusa-
tions, being rather an argumentative pres
entation of alleged Spanish grievances.
The Fern sailed for Havana from Key
|
the Montgomery as home for the officers
engaged in supervising the wrecking oper-
ations in Havana harbor.
1t is stated unequivocally that the Mont
gomery is not withdrawn owing to any
suggestion from Spanish sources that her
presence is not desired. 1t was the an
nounced intention of Secretary Long, when
the cruiser was sent to Havana, to keep
| there bo c1,o
be engaged In the work Of distributing re-
lief 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 assist
in the wrecking work, is returned to her
position
Up to the close of office hours the navy
department, though it knew officially that
the court Of inquiry had come over to Key
West from Havana, was not informed as
to the findings or plans of the court.
The fleet at Key West will be augmented
in 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 orders to report at Key West. The
Helena reported her arrival today at
Funchal on her way to join the fleet These
with the other vessels previously ordered
to Key West constitute the largest as
semblage Of war vessels made since the
demonstration following the Virginius
affair and, considering effectiveness and
armament, 1t is the strongest assemblage
of warshps, for review and other pur-
poses, since the war.
Secretary Alger has made reuuisitions on
the president for two large allotments
from the appropriation of $50 900, 900 for the
national defense. One is for $1,000 900 for
the engineer department of the army in
the completion of certain fertilization
works along the Atlantic and gulf coasts
now in progress, and the other is of s., ,225,-
900 for the use of the ordnance depart
ment in the requirement of arms and am
munition. Pretty much all of this money
is needed to cover contracts already made
by the military establishment
AVAILABLE VESSELS
| Meanwhile it appears that there Is q
much larger stock of vessels right at home
available for naval use than was gener-
ally supposed Many of them will make
very efficient cruisers and gun5oats, ves-
sells of the unprotected cruiser type now in
| the navy. Such a vessel is the yacht May
| flower, acquired today. She can be trans
| ferred easily, owing to her staunch con-
struction, into a good dispatch boat or a
small cruiser about equal to the Castine
class, although lacking the protective deck
| of the latter.
| Surgeon General Van Repyn of the navy
returned today from Newport News, where
| he went to examine into the practicability
of converting the Plant line steamer Grand
| Duchess into an ambulance or hospital ship
| for use of the navy department in case Of
| hostilities with Spain. The vessel, after
some necessary work, would make an ad-
mirable American ambulance ship, but the
lack of boilers, which 1t would take some
| months to replace, limits her adaptability
for use at the present time.
There is no room aboard the ordinary
battleship, says General Van Repyn, for
an accumulation of wounded men, because
of the manner in which they are cut into q
large number of rooms and apartments.
Accompanying a fleet of vessels engaged In
war should be an ambulance ship with
adequate accommodations for treating the
sick and wounded with the least possible
jar and omvement, and which, flying the
flag of the Geneva convention, would be
free from harm from the fire of any of the
ships. General A. w. Greeley, chief sig
nal officer of the army, has gone to New
York city for visit of some days. While
there it is probable he will make arrange
ments for the work of connecting by means
of telegraph and telephone lines the vari-
Gus fortifications in the harbor of New
York. A similar condition of affairs exists
at other fortified points along the Atlantic
and Pacific, but arrangements are under
way to remedy this state of affairs.
The war department is making ready for
another big contract looking to the pro-
curement of lot of shot and she'll An