New-York tribune., 1902-08-23
CLAIM YACHT KANAWHA
CUBAN PAPER SAYS IT BELONGS TO THE
NEW REPUBLIC
TRY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !


| Washington Aug. 22-The army yacht
| Kanawha. which has been placed at the dispo-
sition of Major General Macarthur comman nd
ing the Department of the East. for during
the joint manRuvres, has just been made the
cause of sensational attack on General Leon
ard Wood in Havana. Eel Mundo." a personal
newspaper organ of General Maximo Gomez.
gives prominence it's editorial page to an
article charging the late military governor of
Cuba with having carried off one of the steam
yachts bought and paid for from the treasury
of the island of Cuba The ''Mundo's' article
states that the boat appropriated by the retir
ing military governor for his private use. and
sent beyond the waters of the island before the
change of flag, May 20" cost 100000, and
was paid for III instalments drawn under three
separate checks of $4,000 $4,000 and $4,000
presented at the Cuban Treasury and cashed
when General Alexander Rodriguez chief
of the Guardia Rural. was Treasurer of the
! island 1t urges the Cuban Minister at Wash
ington to insist upon the of the vessel to
the Cuban Government the property of the
new republic. The Editor of the "NIundo." Sehor
]. NJ. GOWN who is a member of the Cuban
House of Deputies for Havana Province. has
presented resolution to that body demanding
an inquiry as to this matter by the executive
branch Of the government of Cuba.
A letter from Havana says: The yacht in
I
which, although acquired for the Cuban customs
revenue service under the administration Of
Colonel Bliss was generally used as the Gov
ernors yacht by General Wood. Captain Will
tam +. Lewis. of Cuban filibuster fame. who
took the boat north for repairs. afterward re
turning to Havana, declines TO be interviewed
upor the subject. but he longer appears
upon the Cuban payrolls. having been informed
that his position has been abolished upon the
change of flag"
More mischevously misleading and absolutely
false statements than these have never appeared
in connection with the military administration
in Cuba. The real facts are, fortunately, we'll
known in Washington. having been spread upon
the official Congressional documents. some OF
which have been public property for three years
The kanaWha and the viking We're purchased
by the navy in March 1SgS for 100000 and
transferred to the quartermaster's department
Of the army. to be used as revenue cutters IN
Cuban waters. The army paid the navy for
them hy a transfer OF credits on the NIoUOo""'
war emergency fund at the original cost by an
order of the Secretary of War, in December:
1890 the two vessels we're loaned To Colonel
Taskcr H. Bliss Collector Of Cuban Customs, the
ownership Of the vessels 70 remain In the quar-
tertnaster's department but the expense OF main
tenance and repairs t" he paid ny me i'Sula' sun
York at that time. They were repaired at a cost
of S3. 500 crews We're chartered. asd supplies
were purchased. and early in January. l""1,
they reached Havana and Colonel Bliss TOOK
charge OF them and put them at work Watching
for suugCIers- on February - he notihed COLO
mel Humphrey. the United states army quarter
master. 10 take back the boats. as tney were
TOO evpensiVa for the work BY that time bills
amounting to S1Io0o had accumulated on ac-
count Of repairs. crew. stores. etc. Tor TWO
months The iuSulaT government has not pald
these bills except that for the crew. TO this day
No insuIar funds ever went into elther OF
those vessels When they were thrown back on
the ha udS of the army QuarteTmdSter. the sec
-. ~ war left them at the disposal of Cen
oraI wood as commander of the forces in Cuba
and he properly. brought they away with HIM