The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-27
NAVAL STATIONS IN CUBA
Agreement With President Palma
Signed at Washington.
GUANTANAMO TO BESTRoNG BASE
Bahia Honda win Be : coalinx statten-
Two Points Well Adapted For ~.
Purposes Intended-very Little Anti
American Sentiment in the I.land, Ac.
cording to Minister squie,s.

Two Eoints we'll Adapted For tha
Purposes Intended-very Little Anti.
American Sentiment In the Islapd. Ac.
cordine to Minister squie,s.
Washington, d C.-President Roose-
Welt has signed the agreement drawn
under the terms of the Plat amend
ment providing for the acquisition by
the United States of naval bases at
Guantanamo and Bahia Honda. both
in Cuba. The document had previous
ly been signed by President Palma and
was brought to Washington by Min
listers Squiers.
1t does not specify the price Of the
properties to be acquired by the United
States, and this detail is, left ia the
settled by the usual legal condemna.
tory proceedings, after the NAVY De.
partment has decided exactly the
amount of land it wishes at each Mace
The agreement does not require af-
frmative action by the United States
Senate, although it is understood Presi.
dent Palma intends submitting II for
approval to the Cuban Senate as I
matter of precaution against objection
to his individual action.
Guantanamo and Bahia Honda tho
two points agreed upon. are highly
spoken OF by naval officers as being
well adapted for the purposes intended.
Guantanamo has a magnificent har.
boz, in which almost the entire Navy
of the United States can lie at anchor.
The harbor is sheltered and ALWAYS ac-
cessible to vessels of the largest
draught. 1t commands the Windward
Passage. Bahia Honda lies west of
Havana on the northeast coast. and
occupies a commanding position with
regard to the Yucatan Passage.
1t is the expectation to immediately
commence making Guantanamo n
strong naval station. For the present
Bahia Honda will be used as a coaling
station.
Mr.. Squiers has cleared up to the
complete satisfaction Of the State De-
partment the important charges ON
fded to him, with the exception of the
settlement Of the possession Of the Isle
of Pines.
The indications are now that the
United States Government will not
press strongly in this matter. although
there are important American interest
clamoring for a termination Of the
present unsatisfactory conditions IN the
island. The reason for the indifference
is the unavailability Of the island as 4
naval base owing to the shallow water
surrounding it, and the strong senti-
mental attachment Of the Cubans for
the place.
Minister Squiers speaks confidently
of the outlook in Cuba.
No one doubts the success of the
Palma administration. he said. Good
order is maintained throughout the
island" 8a
Mr.. Squiers declared that American
business interests were making steady
progress in Cuba, and that American
investors seem well satisfied with their
Investments. almost every week /
hear of new enterprises based on
American capital" said he. president
Palma's administration is very friendly
to this class of investors.
Occasionally up here you read OF
anti-American sentiment, but really we
find very little of it in Cuba. l would
not say that some instances have beer
exaggerated, but at a distance they
seem more important than they actual
~ are. Taken as a whole, the friendli.
ness of the C1D6h Government toward
Americans is reflected among the PEG
pie of the island"