The record-union., 1898-02-07
EVIDENCES OF PREPARATION.

Evidently the United States Govern
ment does not propose to be caught
mapping, but will be prepared for any
emergency arising out of the Cuban sit
uation. 1t is announced, apparently, as
d mere matter of unimportant detail,
that Commodore Howell asked leave to
rendezvous the European squadron in
southern waters, instead Of having it
performing evolutions, usual each year,
in the north or elsewhere. He was
told that it was a matter of his own
choosing, and he could do as he pleased.
But we must believe that the Navy
Department we'll knew what his choice
would be, and it may not be stretching
a point to intimate that it prompted the
inquiry he made. Accordingly, he has
called out the American ships on Medi-
teIranean stations to meet him at Lis
bon. This will bring a strong Amer
lean naval force directly across the
path from Spain to Cuba.
In the meantime the Atlantic squad
ron. has been gathered in and about Key
West, and ships are scattered through
the West Indies and on the Cuban
shore. Thus the news is that the
Montgomery suddenly appeared at Ma
tanzas the other day, passed the court
estes Sof the day with the Spanish forts,
and sailed for Santiago de Cuba. The
Brooklyn has started on a tour through
the Windward Islands, and will sail
leisurely back and forth through the
expanse of the Caribbean Sea, touching
at one of the Danish Isles. and finally
bringing up at Colon. otherwise Aspin-
wall, where she will be In telegraphic
touch with Washington, and also Will
find plenty of coal.
The Maine is anchored in the harbor
of Havana, and the Key West fleet Is
but four hours distant, where the blue
Jackets are busily engaged In learning
how to handle torpedo boats. The gum
boat Wilmington has started for
Grenada from Trinidad, and will prob
ably be kept in the lower waters of the
Caribbean just to be handy to call.
Thus American men-of-war will be
thick along the whole line of the sailing
path from Spain to Cuba, and will be
within few hours call OF any point
east, west, north and south Of Cuba.
All. in all, it looks very much as If the
Government at Washington is getting
it's boats of war just where they Will
prove most useful If there is need for
them; indeed, these placements of the
ships would indicate expectancy Of the
need arising
Concurrent with these movements, the
Spanish have QUILTED a torpedo fleet
for Cuba, and being a bit short OF
cruisers, has called In the reserve pas
senger liner City Of Cadiz, paid back the
passage money TO passengers who had
shipped on the steamer, and is fitting
her out at Barcelona as a cruiser to
convoy the Spanish torpedo fotilla on
their way TO Cuba. All these things
put together look menacing and indi-
cate that however affable the relations
between Spain and the United States
may appear to be, like a shell they
SOQiIQ iOuQ DSNduSS tHey dIt tloiiOW.
We find something OF confirmation of
these views in yesterdays dispatches
from Madrid, to the effect that the Sa-
gasta Ministry expresses itself through
its Premier as not disturbed at the
situation, but that 1t considers matters
to be 'in state of expectation" what
ever that may mean; certainly it's
meaning is not amiable 1t is added that
rumor in Madrid has 1t that Spain viii
reply to the last American note in terms
giving ii to be understood that the
Queens Government objects seriously
to any Power saying to it that any
war prosecuted by Spain must be
closed up by given time. Further it
IS added that Spain Will say that she
is quite equal to attending to her own
affairs without assistance from any for
eign State.
The Impartial of Madrid is quoted
as saying editorially yesterday that 1T
IS impossible TO allow the United
States" to go on and throw a Gordon of
warships about Cuba, SO that at any