The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-04-27

the Presidents time limitation. |
Accordingly. orders were given on Thurs.
day to the feet at Key West to begin the |
blockade OF the Cuban ports.
On Friday the Investment of the Cuban !
coast was begun. On the previous day, at |
New Orleans, 200 mules and horses, pur-
chased by an agent of Spain and loaded |
upon Spanish ship, were seized as contra |
band OF war and removed from the vessel.
Early on the merning OF Friday while the
ships were getting under way at Key West,
Spanish merchantmen was sighted which
was overhauled by the gunboat, Nashville.
The vessel proved to be the Buena Ventura,
GOOD Luck in English) with a cargo OF
lumber. Her fate, as the first prize of war,
illustrates the irony Of her name.
On Saturday President Mckinley issued a
proclamation calling for 125,000 volunteers
for the army, in order to carry into effect
the purpose of the resolution OF Congress
declaring the people OF Cuba free and indie
pendent, demanding that Spain withdraw
her military and naval forces from the
island and its waters, and relinquish its
government and authority there.
Chairman Dingley, of the.House ways and
means committee, introduced q war revenue
bill. 1t provides for loan of $500, 000, 900
in three per cent bonds and the secretary Of
the treasury Is also authorized to borrow at
any time not to exceed 100000, 900 on
three per cent certificates Of indebtedness.
Beer and tobacco taxes are increased, and
mortgages, checks, ETC., are taxed. The in
creased revenue derivable from the meas
ure is estimated at from 800, 900 900 to $780,
000,0 900 annually,
The Spanish ship Pedro was captured by
the cruiser New York, a few miles off Ha-
vana harbor, after a lively chase. The Pc
dro halls from Bilbao in the north OF Spain.
She left cargo OF rice, beer and iron at
Havana and was on her way to Sagua, q
port east of Havana to land structural iron
for engineering purposes. The American
N
Saturday evening and was given a rousing
welcome by great crowd OF people. Fiji
teen minutes after the big ship had tied up
Captain Randall, his fellow officers and the
crew, announced that they were willing to
sign for a years cruise in the service OF
Uncle Sam. The st. Louis will be imme-
diately taken to the ship yard Of the
Cramps, her builders, to be converted into
cruiser Of the auxiliary feet. Her sister
ship, the st. Paul, had preceded her in this
The New York, the sister ship of the Paris,
which sailed from South Hampton three
hours after the St. Louis came into port on
Sunday morning. The Paris is on "the
ocean wave," having left Southampton
on Friday, and is now. lodging Spanish
cruisers while sprinting for the port Of New
York. She is the object OF intense interest,
and il she runs the gauntlet Of Spanish
enemies successfully will have booming
welcome in New York harbor. Her value
is So, 900 600, and she is loaded with guns
and war material purchased abroad Such
rich prize never tempted an enemys ZEAL
The Paris safe arrival is confidently pre-
dicted. She is q splendid ship, OF high
speed and could show her heels to any pur-
suing Spaniard. With her three consorts
Of the American line she will be immedi-
ately converted into cruiser OF the aux
Hilary feet.
The Catalina, the seventh prize captured,
was taken off Havana on Sunday by the
Detroit. She is big merchant vessel from
New Orleans and is worth $4,000 On the
deck OF the Catalina were some eighty
crates Of chickens designed for the tables Of
the Spaniards in Havana. The ROSTERS
orowed in triumph over the change OF desti-
nation, and the American tars Jared sump-
tuously on pot pie. Other captures were
the Miguel Jover, Candida and Antonio,
smaller craft with cargoes estimated at
about $3.50, 900 EACH The Mathilde, laden
with rum and sugar, was another prize Of
the day which, with her sisters in misery
was escorted to Key West.
Mondays news included the announce
ment by Great Britain of neutrality, and the
war ships Of the belligerents were ordered
| to depart from British ports within forty
eight hours from the declaration Of war,
which England declared was the time when
Spain gave Minister Woodford his pass
ports. The Asiatic squadron, commanded
by Commodore Dewey, was at Hong Kong,
England. The order of England, which
was reasonable and had been expected,
simply anticipated the sailing Of Comma
dore Dewey's squadron for the PHILIPPINE
Islands, two days distant from Hong Kong.
These islands are Spanish possessions. The
orders Of Commodore Dewey are believed
to be to invest Manila, the capital of the
archipelago, on the island OF Luzon, to
capture 1t II possible and establish there q
new base OF supplies, which is rendered
necessary by Englsnd's declaration of nu-
trality. Spain has considerable naval
force in Asiatic waters but it Is believed
that the American feet is greatly the gu
perior in e.strength. The Olympia, a
protected cruiser, i6 Commodore Dewey
| flagship, and one Of the latest and best ships
| in the new navy. Interesting news is ex-
| pected from the far East.
England's declaration ties up at New
castle the Albany, one Of the two ships the
| United States bought of Brazil, which was
unfinished and will now be detained till
the end of the war. The Somers, an Amer
lean torpedo boat is caught at Falmouth,
into which port she had put Tor repairs, and
a Spanish torpedo boat, the Audsz, is SINH
larly trapped at Queenstown.
The declaration Of England. the chief
maratime power, will compel all other
| nations to follow her example, or expose
| themselves to claims for damages similar to
those inflicted upon England for the ravages
of the Alabama and other Confederate
| cruisers. Portugal will find 1t necessary to
| deny to Spain the longer occupation Of the
| Cape Verde islands as q naval base for
operations against the United States, and
| this will be distinct advantage to this ma
ton. The declaration Of England is really
in the American interest, as 1t limits Spain
| to the use of her own more distant ports for
the harborage Of her fleets on the other side.
| The disadvantage to Spain is increased IL
| not indeed rendered fatal by making coal
| contraband OF war. Without coal modern
| navy is crippled. Spain can get coal only at
| her own ports, some three thousand miles
| from the scene of active naval operations,
| or at Porto Rico or in the harbors Of Cuba,
on which the United States has, or will,
place its naval thumb.
Congress made q formal declaration OF
war with Spain on Monday, April %, in ac-
| cordance with the recommendation of Presi-
dent Mckinley, ito the end that the defini-
| ton of the international status of the United
States as a belligerent power may be made
| known and the assertion Of all its rights
and the maintenance of It's duties in the
conduct Of public war can be assured" The
bill fixes April 81, the day OF Minister
| Woodfords dismissal by the government at
Madrid, as the date when war became ex-
istent. including that day. The measure
was speedily passed without debate and
signed by the Chief Executive.
| 81, s,.A, - 10