New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-12
PARIS.
REPORTS OF MADRID'S DESPERATE SIT
UATION
THE CRISTOBAL COLON'S BREAKDOWN
CERvERA ASKS HOW TO REPAIR

HER-PARIS SOCIETY.
Try CABLE rnIBuXEl
Paris, June IA French dipomatist who to-
gether with his wife. arrived yesterday at Paris
from Madrid where he had conversed with
several leading Spaniards. including General
Weyler and General Polavieja the Weyler Of
the Philippines, describes the situation in the
Spanish capital as almost desperate. The work
ing classes in Andalusia represented
upon the verge Of Socialist outbreak. The
treasury outlook is so dismal that issue Of
small deprecated paper currency is only ques
zion OF time and in the face of threatened mill
| tary pronunciamento and revolution there Is not
a single statesman, not even Moret, who has the
moral courage to accept the inevitable and
frankly urge the Government TO avoid ruin by
offering TO relinquish. while there is yet time.
what Spain can never again hope TO hold.
Meanwhile Generals Weyer and Polavieja,
whose influence and popularity In the army daily
increase. declare that war cannot be said 10
have really begun until the land forces OF Spain
and the United States are actually face To face.
There is not word OF truth in the reports Of
mediation on the part OF France. Austria or any
! other Power, for no such mediation has yet been
! asked for. 1t has also come to light that no
calamity is more dreaded by the present regime
in Madrid than the possible expatriation Of the
hungry unpaid army IN Cuba which would lead
TO a military dictatorship.
Important information concerning the present
condition OF Admiral Cervera's ships has leaked
out from La Seyne Construction Works. near
Touon, showing that Cervera was compelled by
a breakdown Of tho Cristobal Colon's machinery
either to abandon that cruiser to put into
Santiago and remain there. The Cristohal
Colon's gun-fring machinery and also her steer
ing gear were entirely ont Of order. Upon his
arrival In Santiago Cervera cabled Madrid ask
ing that detailed instructions be obtained from
the foreman Of La Seyne works concerning
certain repairs on the Crstobal Colon. which
none OF his own engineers had been able 10
make. This request communicated TO Tou-
lon by means Of the Spanish Embassy at Paris.
and reply is believed TO have been duly trans
mitted through Madrid TO Cervera at Santiago.
a civil engineer who IL on intimate terms
with the authorities at La Seyne, and who
visited the Peayo when she was being refitted
/ there last March. says that the opinion prevails
/ at La Seyne that neither Cervera's nor Camaras
| ships are in a At condition TO go into action.
| The crown Of the Pelayo's boilers is reported TO
be nearly burnt through owing to the inexpe-
rience Of the Spanish machinists now on board
| Of her. and the Carlos VS. turrets have never
yet been got into working order.
/ NJ Adare a naval mechanical engineer at
/ La Seyne Is reported to have remarked in con-
versaton "intrusting the delicate and compli-
/ Gated machinery OF the Pelayo to Spanish naval
machinists is like putting chronometer into
/ the hands Of children"
Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew. who returned 10 Lon
! don on Wednesday. succeeded by numerous con-
versatons with leading political and social per-
sons in Paris in dispelling the ignorance Of the
! real grounds Of the American action In Cuba
| that has prevailed since the war began. Mr..
| Depew's explanations as 10 the real cause OF the
war, which were first published in the Temps
and "Matin," have been reproduced in upward
Of forty newspapers and are widely and favor
ably commented upon. In the course OF con-
versation Mr. Depew stated to The Tribune cor
respondent that shortly after his arrival In Paris
! he was impressed with the fact that the French
feeling was hostile to America. and mentioned
| half dozen incidents In illustration. drawn
| from what he observed at fashionable enter
tainments, and also at races. shops and else
where. He remarked that all but two news
papers were against the United States, and that
the general tone Of public opinion was bitterly
critical OF America. Mr. Depew. however.
| thought that this feeling would pass away, and
said that the Government and especially NJ.
Hanotaux were markedly fair and friendly.
The leading fashionable incident is the anna
teur circus performance. which came OF to-
night with great eclat at NJ Moliers private
hinnodrome at Passy. 1t given for q charl-
20 hIa object under the auspices Of the Duchesse
dUzes who by the way prosecuted by the
noIice Yesterday for conducting her motor car
riage I'm the streets OF Paris at speed above
the regulation pace OF ten miles an hour. Among
the sensational performances was that OF DR.
Dieudonne, one OF the most learned professors
q, the sorbonne. who was loudly applauded for
his feats the flying trapeze Then boxing
match according to the Queensberry rules took
place between NJ. Henriquez Jubiera. a CUBAN
| doctor and Mr. Lucien Robert. when the Cuban
got the worst Of the encounter Inc Couhtesse
ae Pheton. dressed as the "Grande Duchesse de
Coldstein" appeared on a splendid horse ana
sang fragments Of comic operas WIN profess
sIonal vocalist, who also was on hofseDack'
Contc de Montesquiou figured as ar acrobatic
c,own and two young women presented two
dronedaries riding them in true Bedoun FASH
o., ond mt then through all the performances
:. ~ 1Iaute Ec,le after which NJ. Grisel, an
.u,a,eur Jumper. made a spring jumr over both
d,omedaries Among the Americans present at
,b,s original entertainment were Countess bohi
40 Castellane Mrs Charles Carol, MIS- van
persselaer Cruger Mr.. Eugene Higgins. MT
.rd Mrs Ralph Curtis and Mr.. and Mrs EDWARD
b. Russell
Mrs Cases ball last night was DECIDED suc-
-. ord WAS attended by oil the leading meih-
,or. n, the American colony ana dancing was
x.,t an until daylight. A ball was also given
- ,r,ursdav BY Mr. and Mrs. Harris fheips'
~ 81. cot,I,on was led by Count de Fizensac.
g.. .,un,uous dinners ct favorite restau-