The Washington times., 1902-05-22
Feeling at State Depart
ment That the British
Stole a March.
SENATE DELAY CRITICISED
President Sent domination in as Soon
as Re Could Legally Do So in Order
That United States Might Be First
in Cuban Corps.

officials OF the Administration ex-
pressed themselves yesterday as con-
WINGED that e. G. Garden. the new Brit
ish minister to Cuba. will be presented
to President Talma before the arrival OF
.e-bsrt G.. Sauiers, the American min
lister. VITO will sail from New York for
Havana today. and thus secure the hon.
orable position of dean of the diplomatic
corps, an Office which this Government
intended Mr.. Squiers to have.
There is disposition in official circles
to criticise tire Senate for its delay in
confirming the nomination of Mr..
Squitrs According to what was said. the
Delay was occasion.d by the receipt Of
aa anonymous letter by the Committee
en- Foreign Relations revivlng the charge
dat NJ. squicrs. while secretary of the
Tinted States legation at Pekin. hal
been guilty of lcoins Chinese residences
and stores. This charge was investi-
fattd by the State Department at the
time it was made. and Edwin E. Conger.
Ike United States minister to China. ex-
onorated .lr scuiers. who. he said, had
been collector Of Chinese curios for
several years and had purchased every
article in his collection.
II was stated yesterday that within
I've minutes after he received the act
authorizing him to aproint minister to
CuLa, PRESIDENT Roosevelt signed the
of Mr. -Crrfarz anil
forwarded them to the Senate. thus in
dicating his desire that the confirmation
should he prompt. The Senate, however.
failed 10 act as quickly as was wishsd.
and in the meantime Mr.. Squiers was
prevented from starting for Havana
Great Britain Stole March.
The feeling here is that the British
government purposely stole a march On
the United States by forwarding ere
dentials to Mr.. Garden at Havana. where
he had been serving as British consul
general. As Mr. Garden is on the ground.
he will be enabled to make application
for presentation at once. II he has not
already done so. and may be presented
to President Palma even II his formal
III nave MT diAiNeu- IL
was learned yesterday that telegraphic
credentials would be sufficient. and fur
thermore. that II Mr.. Garden makes the
first application. President Palma can
rot decline to receive him first without
affronting the government OF Great Brit
ain. There is much disappointment over
tho failure of Mr.. Squiers to secure the
deanship.
\ report, circulated that telegram
had been sent to President Palma by
Secretary Root. asking him to receive
Mr.. Squiers before any other accredited
diplomatic representative to the new re-
public. was denied by Mr.. Root. Secre-
tary Hay is said to be equally innocent
Of having sent such u message. For an
officer of this Government to have done
so would. it is stated, have been gross
breach OF international etiquette.
First Important Duty.
The first important duty Of Herbert q.
squiers, the new minister to Cuba, Will
be to enter into negotiations with the
government of the republic to secure
the fulillment OF the pledge contained
in the Cuban constitution that the
United States should be allowed to OBJ
tain sites for coaling stations in the
Island. These sites have already been
tentatively selected by the State and the
Navy Departments. but it will rest with
the Cuban government whether they will
be ceded.
The United States Government wants
to establish enc OF the stations in Ha-
vana Harbor. and ii is expected that
there may be some objection to this on
the Fart Of the Cuban authorities. To
fnrestall such opposition. which is I'M
derstocd to apply principally to any site
in Havana proper, selection has been
u AIDE of a place across the bay from
Havana city. and this will be suggested
II there is strong objection to having
an American fertilization On the city
side cf the hay.
This Government wants three ether
stations in Cuba, at Nipe Bay. on the
northeast cCast. said to be an admirable
situation from a strategic standpoint at
the other deep water bay.
about forty miles to the east of SAM
tiago. on the southeast coast. where
American vessels went to coal during
the Santiago campaign. ard at Cienfue-
ecs, on the south central coast. another
admirable location for a strategic sta
ton.
Rear Admiral K. B. Bradford. chief
Of the Naval Bureau OF Equipment. vis-
tied these places. and is understood to
have chosen the places desired. He de-
cliaed to discuss the matter yesterday.