The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-11
NAVAL STATIONS IN CUBA!
Agreement With President Palma
Signed at Washington.
GUANTANAMO TO BES1RONG BASE
Bahia Honda Will BE . Coalins Station
Two Points Well Adapted For Ia
Purposes Intende d-verv Little Anti
American Sentiment In the Island. Ac.
cordine TO Minister squiers.


Purposes Intended-verv Little Anti
American Sentiment In the Island, Ac.
cordine to Minister Squiers.
Washington. ID. C.-PresiGent Ro0se-
welt has signed the agreement drawn
under the terms Of the Platt 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
~ 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 to the
settled by the usual legal condemns.
tory proceedings, after the Navy De-
partment has decided exactly the
amount Of land It wishes at each place.
The agreement does not require af-
firmative action by the United States
Senate, although It Is understood Presi-
dent Palma intends submitting 1t for
approval to the Cuban Senate as a
matter Of %precaution against objection
to his individual action.
Guantanamo and Bahia Honda. the
two points agreed upon. are highly
spoken Of by naval officers as being
well adapted for the purposes intended.
Guantanamo has q magnificent har.
Dor, In which almost the entire Navy
OF the United States can lie at anchor.
The harbor Is sheltered and always nc.
draught. 1t commands the Windward
Passage. Bahia Honda lies west Of
Havana on the northo st coast, and
occupies q commanding position with
regard to the Yucatan Passage.
1t Is the expectation to Immediately
commence making Guantanamo a
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 con.
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 q termination Of the
present unsatisfactory conditions In the
island. The reaso for the indifference
is the unarailability Of the island as a
naval base owing to the shallow water
surrounding II, and the strong senti.
mental attachment Of the Cubans for
the place.
Minister Squiers speaks confidently
Of the outlook In Cuba.
mo n doubts the success Of the
Palma administration" he said. Good
order is maintained throughout the
island"
Mr.. Squiers declared that American
business interests were making steady
progress In Cuba. and that American
investors seem well satisfied with the'-
Investments. almost every week
hear Of new enterprises based Oh
American capital" said he. president
Palma's administration Is very friendly
to this class of investors.
professionally up here you read of
anti-American sentiment. but really we
find very little Of It In Cuba. I would
not say that some instances have been
exaggerated. but ut a distance they
seem more important than they actual.
ly are. Taken N n whole. the frIendli.
s Of the Cuban Government toward
Americans Is reflected among the pe0'
pie Of the island"