The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 21, 1898, Page 1

&2 o o 77 Call VOLUME L a1 1 P SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. XXXIII.—NO. THE PORT OF SANTA CRUZ, TENERIFFE, CANARY ISLANDS, Where the Spanish Tor- pedo Fleet Has Been Halted on Its Way to the West Indies. Santa Cruz Has Direct Cable Connection With Cadiz and, by Way of Pernambuco, Brazil, With Havana. SPAIN FORTIFYING é& 3 By the 15th of HOME PORTS AND THE PHILIPPINES May the Madrid| Government Will Have Reached the Zenith of Its Fighting Strength. © NEW YORK, March 20— | {) A special to the Herald from © L Washington say: Information © O has reached the authorities that © O Spain is actively fortifying her © O home ports and those in the © O Philippine Islands. This is one © O of the many preparations which e © the Spanish G ent is mak- © ° ing for of the g S future. £ to informa- 3 o tion in the hands of the authori- ° ° ties the entrances to Ma har- P ° bor are being prepared for the P o reception of mines, which can o ° be placed down at a moment’s P @ notice in the event that war is g © declared. This is al true of @ © some ports of Spain. o Commodore George Dew manding the Asiatic squadron, is keep- ing a sharp watch on the mov nts of Spanish officialg in the Philippines, and he advises the department as soon aspossible of what they are doing in the line of putting ports in such condition as to resist offensive movements of his squadron, which is stationed at Hong kong, 600 miles away. The vessels comprising his squadron are the cruisers Olympia, Boston and | Raleigh, and the gunboats Petrel and Concord. This squadron will be re- enforced within two weeks by the cruiser Baltimore, which left Honolulu on March 17 for Hongkone. With this force at his command it is believed by the department that Commodore Dewey will not have any difficulty in destroy- ing the five Spanish gunboats which are in Philippine waters and reducing the fortifications of Manila and other points. Naval preparations are being pushed with the utmost vigor by the Spanish authorities. Information which has reached the naval attache of the Government in Madrid is to the effect that Spain will reach the zenith of her naval strength by the 15th of May. By that tinie all her battleships and torpedo boats and tor- pedo boat destroyers now under con- struction will be finished. Her naval force in commission will therefore be increased within the next two months by the battle-ships Pelayo, Numancia and Vittoria. The Princesa de Asturias | will not be ready for service for several months, although Spain is working night and day on her and i pushing her completion in every way possible. It is known by officials that just as soon as Spain completes work on these vessels they will be placed in commis- sion and sent to the Canary Isiands, where the torpedo boat flotilla is an- chored. This point is some 700 miles nearer to Cuba than is Cz "z, and it will ) be naturally to Spain’s interests to sta- tion the fleet at this point. The plan of campaign which will be followed by this Government, as the Herald has stated, will be to intercept the flotilla in case it should attempt to cross from the Canary Islands to Porto Rico unattended by a fleet, and it will com- | extracts. © | as the armament of these vessels will have to be removed in order to permit them to make the cruise. = RELIEF FOR THE STARVING CUBANS Money and Twenty-one Carloads of | Supplies Sent From Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. KANSAS CITY, 1 arch 20.—A relief fund of $9033 and twenty-one carloads of provisions and clothing collected in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma for the starving Cubans were forwarded south from Kansas City to-day. These relief measures are being carried out under the management of the Kansas City Star, and agents of the Star will aid in the distribution at Matanzas, under the on of United States Consul Brice. relief is being carried free on a special train over the Memphis road to Memphis, then over the Illinois Central to New Orleans. The United States Government has granted the transpor- tation from New Orleans to Matanzas. The principal articles of food sent are wheat, fiour, cornmeal, rice, potatoes, rolled oats, condensed milk and soup The contributions of clothing include a great number of calico dresses for women and children, mostly of the “Mother Hubbard’ pattern, made by various church sewing circles. —_——— SHOT AND SHELL FOR FORTS AND BATTERIES Large Quantities of War Material Being Sent for the Defense of Pensacola Harbor. PENSACOLA, Fla., March 20.—Pow- der, shot and shell continue to arrive here in large quantities for the forts and batteries defending the harbor. Three of the eight big mortars for the new batterv on Santa Rosa Island have also arrived and they will be mounted quickly as possible. There is great activity at Fort Pickins. In addition to the six and eight inch rifle guns a fifteen-inch gun is being mounted in the fort. Captain J. W. McMurray, commanding the two batteries of the Fourth Artillery at Fort Barrancas, has been promoted to be major of the Fifth Artillery. The work of deepening and widening the new channel on the bar is progressing steadily and the largest merchant steamships now pass through it without difficulty. It is expected that twenty-eight feet of water will soon be obtained. S NN L, Eighty Recruits Forwarded. COLUMBUS, O., March 20.—Eighty recruits have been forwarded from the Columbus Post up to date for the new artillery regiments, and as many more are now at the post under instructions. A high standard for enlistment is fixed, and fully four-fifths of those ap- plying are rejected. SESE T Prisoners Sent to Barcelona. Copyrighted, 1593, by James Gordon Bennett. HAVANA, March 20.—The prisoners arrested with Newspaper Correspond- ent Laine were sent on board a steam- er to-day to Barcelona. Juan de Dios Romero, charged with aiding rebels, be an easy, task to destroy it in daytime | was arrested yesterday. _ NEW YORK, March 20.—A Washington special to the Her- ald says: In order to strengthen the navy where it is weakest Secretary Long is contemplating the placing of contracts for the rapid construction of torpedo boat destroyers and torpedo boats. This matter is under seri- ous consideration on account of the fallure of efforts of represen- tatives of this Government abroad to purchase destroyers and sea-going torpedo boats. Al- though the United States naval attaches and diplomatic repre- sentatives have been negotiating with ship builders and Govern- ments for the last two weeks for the purchase of vessels of this type no success whatever has at- tended their efforts, and it is apparent, according to state- ments made by naval officials, that it is practically impossible to add such boats to the navy by purchase from foreign ship builders. In view of this fact and of the pos- sibilities of the future Secretary Long, in accordance with the recommendation | of the Roosevelt strategic board, which completed its work the first of last week, telegraphed on Friday to ship builders in all parts of the country re- questing that they inform him at once of their price for building destroyers and torpedo boats. Destroyers, the Sec- retary stated, must be of 350 tons dis- placement and capable of steaming at a rate of thirty knots per hour, and must be finished within the shortest possible time. Torpedo boats, the Sec- retary added, were to be of fifty tons displacement, each with a speed of twenty knots or more. These boats are to be for torpedo defense only. In response to the telegrams Lewis Nixon of the Crescent Shipbuilding Works of Elizabethport, N. J., and other representatives of shipbuilding firms, came to Washington yesterday and conferred with the Secretary and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, but no contracts were let. I understand that Mr. Nixon offered to build torpedo boats within thirty days, working night and day. This is considered a good proposition by the department and has been taken under serious advisement. | 1t is appreciated by the officials that | it will take longer to build torpedo- boat destroyers than torpedo boats. Chief Naval Constructor Hichborn es- timates that by working night and day a ship-builder ought to finish a de- stroyer within four months, and tor- pedo boats in less time. The Chief Con- structor is in favor of placing heavy penalties in 2ll contracts made in case ‘builders should fail to deliver on time, and offset this penalty to give a high premium for every da~ that the boat is delivered ahead of time. This matter has been brought to the attention of department officials and will, undoubt- edly, be adopted. Should Secretary Long decide to abandon entirely the efforts to get de- stroyers and torpedo boats abroad, it is explained he will at once make con- GOOLOOO RN k=g k= o o b o o ped o | 1 & o 2| bt o o | | | bas =3 p=3 2 k=g < fed o o =3 o f=1 o f=1 feeReFegagefefegegegagaga] TORPEDO BOATS AND DESTROYERS BADLY NEEDED 'As Enough of These Vessels Can’t | Be Bought Abroad Long Will Place Emergency Cons tracts at Home. tracts for these types of vessels. A de- partment official with whom I talked told me this Government ought to have at least fifteen destroyers and suffi- cient torpedo boats to place a number in each harbor for defense of citles located on the shores. It is feared by officials in favor of the report of the Rodgers board that the department ‘will not be able to secure yachts which will be suitable for torpedo-boat de- stroyers, although it is expected that a number of seagoing tugs and small yvachts will be acquired and converted into torpedo boats. The most pressing need of the navy to-day, however, ac- cording to the officials, is tornedo-boat destroyers, and all their eff~rts are be- ing directed toward the acquirement of this type of boat. Brings Smokeless Powder. NEW YORK March 20.—The Nor- weglan steamer Norkin, which arrived this morning from Hamburg, brought twenty-five tons of smokeless gunpow- der for the United States Government. She anchored in Gravesend Bay to dis- charge the powder into lighters. — - Running Day and Night. BETHLEHEM, Pa., March 20.—The Bethlehem Iron Gompany’s ordnance works were working to-day, for the first Sunday in the company’s history. The plant is running day and night, and over 2000 hands are busy. / POPOOOPO09000660006 NEWS OF THE DAY. Weather forecast for San Fran- clsco—Unsettled weather Monday; fresh southwesterly wind. Maximum temperaturs for the past twenty-four hours: FIRST PAGE. Spain Fortifying Ports. Uncle Sam Must Build Boats, McKinley's Message and Demand. SECOND PAGE. General Moore for Alliance. Congress and Cuba. Spain a Very Weak Foe. Food for the Cubans. THIRD PAGE. Black Jack's Gang Exterminated. Young Sacramento Forger. The Omaha Exposition. Big Wheat Deal Closed. 90000669000606060600068 660 Threatened Clash in Alaska. ° Fatal Battle With a Negro, . FOURTH PAGE. e Faitorial. < Prepared for Peace or War. = Clearer Commercial Skies. ¢ Season of Fetes and Flowers, > Poolrooms and Opium Joints, < The Postal Deflcit. & Fias Gone Too Far. % “Individual Thoughts,” by & Modest ¢ Critle. News of Foreign Navies, Storfes From the Corridors, Answers to Correspondents. PAGH FIVE. News Along the Water Front. Regular Army Matters. Coming Police Promotions. On the Rifle Ranges. SIXTH PAGE. In Memory of Miss Willard, A Cattle King Seeks Revenge. A Coming Convention. Good and Bad Pools. Stabbed Herself to the Heart. SEVENTH PAGE. Musiclans at a Pienic. National Guard Affairs. News From Across the Bay, EIGHTH PAGE. The Day at the Churches, NINTH PAGE. Births, Marriages, Deaths. TENTH PAGE. Coursing at Two Parks. Electrometers Work Owners. P00 P0 0009000 D oSO\ DI G B for Thelir 000606006609 906060660660666006666 |OPP990909999099900909909009900900900900090000090000000000000000000® 0@ | battleship Maine was clearly due to an PRESIDENT M’KINLEY PREPARING DEMANDS AND A PITHY MESSAGE Formulating a Note of Representation to Spain and Information for Congress. Conclusions and Report of the Maine Court of In- quiry Will Be Promptly Fo}lowed by the Recognition of the Independence NEW YORK, March 20— The Herald’s Washington cor- respondent telegraphs: Having positive knowledge that the re- port of the Naval Court of In- quiry investigating the cause of the Maine disaster will show that the vessel was destroyed by an external agency, President Mc- Kinley is now engaged in foxjm- ulating a note of representation to Spain and a message on the subject to Congress. In furtherance of his proposition, previously announced in the Herald. the President intends to take Congress into his entire confidence, and to sub- mit the full text of the report, together with the findings and with a statement setting forth that he has made vigorous diplomatic representation to Spain. It is also intended to send all the Cuban correspondence to Congress at an early date. These conclusions have been finally arrived at as a result of unofficial in- formation coming from official sources which reached the President yesterday from Rear Admiral Sicard. who con- vened the Court of Inquiry, and who is. therefore, empowered to discuss with the court the evidence it has taken and the findings it has reached. I can state authoritatively that the report of the Court of Inquiry has not yet been sub- mitted to the President or received in Washington, but it is confidently ex- pected it will be here by Tuesday. As a result of the receint of Rear Ad- miral Sicard’s communication, I can re- peat with emphasis what has already been stated in the Herald. that the court has found that the destruction of the PPPCPPPOOOOOOO®OP R R R A AR A Al outside cause, in which the Spanish had no official participation, and that the court has been unable to definitely de- termine the person or persons respon- sible for this cause. It will acquit the officers and men _ox' any blame in connection with the dis- aster, on the ground that the ship was in excellent condition at the time, and that the second explosion resulted from the first, which took nlace on the port side, directly under the forward maga- zine. The contents of this magazine were detonated by a primary explosion, consequently de- and the ship was stroyed. The information contained in Rear Admiral Sicard’s letter confirms in every particular the deductions made by the Herald from the discovery of the keel plates of the Maine above water, made by Ensign W. V. Fowelson. Th'e court has laid specific stress upon this discovery. Although the President has been led to expect just such a finding as reported by Rear Admiral Sicard, he was not fully prepared to definitely 'outlmc his policy until he obtained the information which has just come to hand. Mr. Me- Kinley realizes that the publication of the report is likely to create a profound sensation in Congress, even though the court is unable to connect the Spanish Government with the crime. But he has not abandoned his purpose of treating the question judiciously and diplomatic- ally. He appreciates that Congress and the country have a right to all the in- formation in his possession, and it is with this idea in mind that he intends to transmit the report and findings to Congress at once. As another indication of the adminis- tration’s purpose tc take prompt action on the court’s report, I learned to-day that telegraphic instructions were sent to Rear Admiral Sicard some days ago directing that he request the court to make two copies of its record and find- ings. One of these will be for Con- gress, the other for Spain. With the first will go the President’'s message; with the second his demand for immedi- ate reparation. It is not the desire of the President to precinitate action by of Cuba. the usual diplomatic channels. It is the firm expectation of the administration that Spain in rep'y to the President’s representation wil: forward the report of the Spanish Co:rt of Inquiry, which | will find that the ¥essel was destroyed by an internal cau%e, due to negligence of one of the officets or members of the crew. Then will tome a diplomatic clash, the outcome:of which can hardly be anticipated. It is surmised that Spain will suggest arbitration, and in view of this possi- | bility the authori‘les are already dis- cussing how they will meet the propo- sition if it comes. Conservative mera- bers of the Cabinet will be inclined to recommend the adoption course, but so mugh depends upon the temper and possibie action of Congréss that it is hard to say what the final decision will be on this point. As previously stated in the Herald the Maine disaster will at first be treated independently of the general Cuban question, but it will be consid- ered as a kindred subject in connection with future action looking to the ending of the war in Cuba. Just at the present time the authorities are feeling the pulse of other foreign countries as to whether they would follow the action of the United States In recognizing the independence of Cuba in case that step should be taken. It is believed, if the President can receive the assurances of Great Britain and South American countries that they will join in such recognition, that he will act in this direction im- mediately. In this connection a promi- nent member of the Cabinet said to me to-day: “My judgment, from the tone of the British press, is that England and other European nations would, in the interest of humanity, If for no other motive, join the United States in bringing to an end the distress now prevailing in Cuba.. In dealing with the Maine disaster this Government must be able to satisfy the world that the destruction of the ship wasbrought about through the agency of the Spanish Government before we can de- mand damages. The question of dam- ages is a subject for arbitration, but there is nothing to arbitrate in the act of recognizing Cuban independence. “As much as we deplore the terrible calamity which befell the Maine and her gallant crew, we must demonstrate beyond question that the Spanish Gov- ernment is directly or indirectly re- sponsible. To my mind the great ques- tion to be met, and met promptly, is whether the United States shall inter- vene to put a stop to the cruel and de- vastating conflict that is now going on in Cuba. As I said, I belleve all civil- ized nations will join the United States in such a humanitarian and Christian- like act.” SR S S AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT OF EXTERNAL EXPLOSION. It Is Given in Secret Instructions Returning Captain Sigsbee to Active Duty. HAVANA, via Herald-Call dispatch- boat Triton to Key West, Fla., March 20.—The first announcement on author- ity that the Maine was destroyed by an external explosion, and that the Court of Inquiry so finds, has been re- ceived here. It comes in the form of secret instruction from Washington to Captain Sigsbee that he is to be re- turned to active duty. This announce- ment sets all doubt aside, for the rea- son that any other finding than de- struction by means of force externally applied would mean a court-martial for Captain Sigsbee. No date has been set for the cap- tain’s departure from Havana, but he understands that as soon as the demo- lition of the Maine proceeds a little further he will be called to Washing- | ton and his ship will technically go out of commission. As soon as proper ar- rangements can be made and a crew of men and officers be gathered together he. will take charge of one of the additions to the new American navy. Should President McKinley be success- ful in his efforts to purchase the O'Hig- gins and San Martino, Captain Sigsbee will be given command of one of those fighting monsters, so his friends in ‘Washington have been assured. Congress pendine diplomatic negotia- tions for settlement of the Maine disas- ter, and it is, therefore, not likely that he will make any recommendations as t» the course Cengress shall pursue. On the contrary, his message will show that he is dealing with the matter in a vigorous, diplomatic way and that he will promptly communicate further as soon as Spain’s reply is received. If the reply is not satisfactory Con- gress will then be in position to share the responsibility with the President for any further action that may be “To the superficial observer there has been little change in Havana during the past week. The local press, however, has assumed a more radical tone. The censor now permits the publication daily of inflammatory articles hereto- fore carefully suppressed. More than all the causes for the in- creased surliness and hostility shown toward Americans is the undoubted fact that Spaniards here begin to be- lieve the Government at Washington is disposed to yield whenever Sagasta makes some Vi of such a| FTHEtbhtthte b bt THE EXPLOSION WAS EXTERNAL. LONDON, March21.—The morning papers publish a long statement by Seaman Newman, recently arrived in England, who was on board the Maine at the time of the disaster in Havana harbor. Newman solemnly declares the explosion was external and on the port side of the ship. + R RS R R R d R R Y dent of the Fern’s dispatch with reliet Stores to Matanzas and Sagua, after it had been previously announced that the Nashville and Montgomery would go. Spaniards firmly believe their Govern- ment’s protest against formidable ves- sels being employed for this purpose caused our change of programme. They are not slow either to attribute to similar causes the reported partial scattering of our squadron at Key West and the sailing of certain ships for Hampton Roads. Coincident with this increased confidence, not_to say arro- gance, among loyal Havanese is noted an increased exuberance of patriotic demonstrations. HOLD CONFERENCES EVEN ON SUNDAY. President McKinley Receives Cabinet Members and Others Interested in War Preparations. WASHINGTON, March 20.—Presi- dent McKinley did not attend church this morning as is his custom, but in- stead spent two hours or more in con- ference with several members of the Cabinet. Assistant Secretary Day called about 10:30 and remained until nearly noon. Secretary Long and Sec- retary Bliss were the other members present. They remained less than an hour. Commander Clover, in company with Mr. Flint, who has been acting for the Government in the negotiations for the purchase of ships, also called, and were shown into the President’s pri- vate office. The members of the Cabi- net on leaving the White House said that there was no special significance in the meeting this morning. The re- port of the Board of Inquiry had not been received, nor was it definitely known when it will reach here. It was T R Pttt ettt et ADVERTISEMENTS. The chair mads vacant by death is always a sad re- minder, It is es- o pecially sad when it is mother’s . All over broad land there are vacant chairs that would ehaii Shares y healthy, happy, " radiant mothers 1 ‘women would but realize the importance of keeping well in a womanly way. ‘omen cannot too soon understand that it is little less than a crime to neglect the health of the organs to which are intrusted the | per%elnatlnn of a healthy, robust race of human beings. By neglect of these organs a woman ruins her own health, ds stroys the happiness of her home, and fails | in the performance of the most sublime | duty that she owes to the world. The best medicine for women who are weak where Nature demands the most | strength is Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescrip- tion. It acts directly upon the organs that make motherhood possible. It cures all weakness and- disease that exists there ané | stops all distressing, debilitating drains. It » prepares a woman for motherhood and in- sures a healthy baby. It makes the coming of baby easy and almost painless. Drug- gists who offer something ‘' just as good | are either ignorant or dishonest and im either case are not t6 be trusted. *'T had been a great sufferer for years with foy male weakness,” writes Mrs. John Downie, of No. 243 Lexington Avenue, Eddystone, Delaware Co., #a. ‘“Could not walk three squares without terrible suffering. I also had a pain in my left side for seven years—until I used Dr. Pierce's Golden Medi very, ‘ Favorite Preseri] tion’ and * Pleasaut Pellefs.’ My pain has lefi me altogether. Have had no symptoms of it at all for two years. 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