The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 13, 1898, Page 1

Call ; to be taken from 4' the Library.++++ s VOLUME LXXXIII.—NO. 134. SAN FRANCISCO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1898 — TWENTY PAGES. CONGRESS TO ACT TO-DAY, ND IT WILL MEAN WAR THREE TUGS SOLD TO THE UNITED STATES YESTERDAY *The Fearless, Active and Vigilant of the Spreckels Line Added to the Auxiliary Fleet. This Step, in the Line of Protecting the Coast From Spanish Privateers, Brings the Menace of War to San Francisco’s Very Door. The tugs Fearless, Jant and Active, of J. D.| Spreckels & Bros. Co.’s fleet | of tugs, doing duty on the| bay of San Francisco, were purchased by the United States yesterday, and last night they were turned over | to the Navy Department, | with orders that they be | ) taken to the navy-yard at\<» Mare Island immediately. {‘ Negotiations for the pur-|e chase of the tugs have been‘“ in progress between repre-\Q sentatives of the navy andw@ J. D. Spreckels & Bros. Col for several days, but it was“ not until late yesterday that|e orders were received from}g the Navy Department at|§ Washington to close the deal | ¢ and order the vessels to theje navy - yard without delay. [ Each of the three vessels|e has been inspected by naval | $ constructors and plans made T? for placing armament on|e them. Several six - pound guns will be mounted on each tug, and possibly tor- | pedo tubes will be fitted to| the Fearless. The guns for | the tugs are now on the way | from the arsenals in the East, and before they can arrive mounts will be arranged for them on the newly acquired: auxiliary naval vessels, so| they can.be put in place at| once. ; There will be as little de-| lay as possible in preparmg\ the tugs for service with the‘ naval fleet, and when they are ready for sea they will be at-| tached to Rear-Admiral Mil- | ler's command on the North Pacific. : The tugs, when fitted with | guns, will be used as patrol | boats along the coast in case | of hostilities. They will prac- tically be the skirmish boats|$ of the fleet of war ships and |¢ act as dispatch boats and tor- | pedo-boat destroyers as well. The Fearless was built in 1892 at the Union Iron Works @\’}A@@A@@@A@ 20000000 & @ & 74 @ ® LR and is the largest tugboat ¢ that flies the American flag. | & She is 400 gross tons regis- {3 ter, 153 feet long, 26 feet|® beam and 16 feet depth ofr: Continued on Second Page. RESOLUTIONS IN CO WHICH Vigi_[06@6@@0@0@@@0@0@000 9P P0000000006200060 NGRESS WILL MEAN WAR. WASHINGTON, April 12.—It is believed that the resolution as now agreed upon will be reported Foreign Relations to-morrow. in effect: “That the horrible condition of three years in the island of Cuba, so by the Senate Committee on The preamble of the resolution says affairs existing for more than near to our borders, is shocking and a disgrace to Christian civilization; that it has culminated in the destruction of a United States battle-ship and 266 of her officers and crew while on a friendly visit in the harbor of Havana, and that such things as this cannot longer carrying out the suggestion in the gress should act, be it resolved: be tolerated, and therefore, President’s message that Con- “First—That the people of the island of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, independent. “Second—That the war Spain is waging against Cuba is so de- structive of the commercial and property interests of the United States and so cruel, barbarous and inhuman in its character as to make it the duty of the United States to demand, and the Govern- ment of the United States hereby does demand, that she at once withdraw her land and naval forces “Third—That the President of from Cuba and Cuban waters. the United States be, and here- by is, empowered and directed to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect. “Fourth—That the President is authorized to call out the mili- tia of the different States to such an extent as may be necessary to carry these resolutions into effect.” The House committee has not been able to get together with the same unanimity as the Senate committee has done, the Demo- crats holding out for the recognition of the independence of the present so-called Government of Cuba. of the committee have agreed upon language: The Republican members a resolution substantially in “Resolved, That the President be, and he hereby is, empowered and directed at once to intervene to bring the war in Cuba between the Government of Spain and the people of that island to an end for the purpose of enabling the Cuban people of their own free action to form a stable and independent Government of their own, and the land and naval forces of the United S*ztes are placed at the disposi- tion of the President to be used to resolution.” carry out the purpose of this The preamble to this resolution recites the grounds of offense against Spain, which culminated in for which d!saster the preamble dec! the destruction of the Maine, lares that Spain fs responsible. There will be no delay in the House, and the resolution to be reported will be passed by the House to-morrow afternoon unless it is delayed for the purpose of enabling the Senate and House to come to an agreement. Late to-night the Republican members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs succeeded in reconciling all their differences and adopted the resolution, whigh will receive the unanimous support of the Republicans in the House. POPOPPOO0000P000 0000000000000 000000000 @Q@OOOOOOOOQO@Q@@@@ POPOOPO00000000000® L NEWS OF THE DAY. @ ‘Weather fore for San Fran- cisco: Falr on Wednesday; in the afternoon and ni fog; fresh westerly winds. Maximum temperature for the past twenty-four hours: San Diego Sacramento degrees FIRST PAGE. Congress Wil Declare War. Three Tugs Sold to Uncle Sam. To Protect Coast Citles. SECOND PAGE. FEuropean Press Is Adverse, lon to General Lee. Spanish Consuls Going Away. Senate War Resolution. THIRD PAGE. President Will Free the Cubans. Lee Will Give Advice. Mason's Voice for War. FOURTH PAGE. Leo's Bffort at Peace Making. Spain Cries Out for War. Alaskan Steamers in Collision. Drilliant Meteor Near Redding. A Town Without Real Estate. Gold on Copper River. Disastrous Fires on the Coast. FIFTH PAGE. Murdered by a Negro. POOOPOOOPPCPOOPOPS P6006900900000090000000000 0000060600666 092009999990 9PPPVPOPPPPIPPOPPVO090099 ¢©0 NEWS OF THE DAY. The Man Who Rivaled Tilton. Eviction of Four Women. SIXTH PAGE. Editorial. The World's Verdict on the Message. The Charter “Lord Mayor." The San Jose Eiections, A Currency Reform Bl Storiés From the Corridors. Answers to Correspondents. Jean Brito's Invention. SEVENTH PAGE. News From Across the Bay. EIGHTH PAGE. Racing at Emeryville. NINTH PAGE. Births, Marriages, Deaths, TENTH PAGE. Native Sons Grand Parlor. Higher Rates for Horse Board. News Along the Water Front. Decision Against Chinese. Escaped From a Deputy Sheriff, ELEVENTH PAGE. Uklah Asylum's New Annex. Barrels of Whisky Seized. Meeting of the Regents. L. W. McGlauflin Fails. TWELFTH PAGE. The New Charter. NINETEENTH PAGE. Commercial World, TWENTIETH PAGE. Poster for Masonic Festival. Shafter Confers With Dickinsou. POPPPO0PPOCOCOCOPOPOOPOPES 0@@@@@9@0@@@@@@0@@@@@-9@@O@@0®00©®®0000®0000©0000 POPPPVOVPPPP00900900004000000 6 900000800080 000005 9000000000000 0000D 4 + Cuba has greatly THE THREE TUGS SOLD TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CONGRESS WILL DECLARE WAR oo T FRER CHBA Lee Arouses Statesmen by the Assertion That the Maine Was Destroyed by Spaniards. WASHINGTON, April was stated last night on high au- thority that an arrangement had been practically effected by which the resolutions may pass both houses to-day. . It is understood that the F'oreign Affairs Committee of the House and the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate will confer before the as- sembling of Congress for the purpose of perfecting an agree- ment. Last night the members of the Senate ccmmittee believed that the resolution would pass both houses by a practically unanimous vote. It was said if necessary a continuous sitting would be had in the Senate in order to secure final action during the legislative day of Wednesday. NEW YORK, April 12—The Her- ald’s Washington corespondent tele- graphs: The martial spirit is rampant in Wash- ington to-night. The arrival of Consul- General Lee and other Consuls from increased the war feeling in and out of Congress. These gentlemen, and particularly Consul- General Lee, heartily indorse the President’s intervention plans, and they want them put into effect at once. From their standpoint the Maine disaster is casus belli, and they are as anxious to see the death of our American sailors avenged through the medium of war as they are to have Spanish misrule in Cuba speed- ily brought to an end. To Lee, and to the progress made by the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate and the Foreign Affairs Com- mittee of the House in the formulation of resolutions on practically the same lines in favor of immediate forcible in- tervention, are attributable the war feel- ing which exists in Washington to- night. It may pass off when some of the peace men in Congress, and espe- cially in the Senate, take their stand against the speedy»_ action contem- plated by the committee, which ‘will be sure to precipitate war. There will be 13.—It | several speeches. Senator Caffrey says he wants to make one, and probably there will be two days in which to re- view the question of our international obligations and the danger of interna- tional complication before the final plunge is taken. Senater Elkins also wants consider- able time to talk in favor of peace, and Senator Burrows is prepared to de- liver a lengthy argument in opposition to the recognition of independence. There are many others on the war side who differ in their views as to the form of action that should be taken. They will consume considerable time under the elastic rules of the Senate. There may be thus time for another peace wave to succeed the present war wave before the real crisis comes. Mandatory resolutions . directing the President to intervene in Cuba, and couched in such terms as to amount practically t> a declaration of war, wili be reported to both houses of Congress to-morrow. There does not seem to be much probability to-night that the Senate and the Ilouse cammmies will report ex- actly identical resolutions. In fact there will be considerable divergence in their language, but they will be along the same lines and will mean the same thing. They will call for intervention to end the war in Cuba and drive Spain from the island, with no recognition of the present so-called republic of Cuba, but with the declaration of the indepen- dence of the Cuban people. A unanimous report — Republicans and' Democrats together—is expected from the Senate committee. The pres- ent indications are that the Democrats of the House committee will make a mi- nority report proposing the recognition of the republic of Cuba. Consul-General Lee's statements be- fore the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations had much to do with crystal- lizing opinion in that body. His nar- ration of his experiences and observa- tions in Havana and his description of the destruction of the Maine. though it brought out no new facts. united the committee in favor of prompt and man- datory action to secure immediate in- tervention. There was nothing in Consul-Gen- eral Lee’s statement to confirm the re- ports which have been so indus- | PACIFIC COAST HARBORS WILL BE PROTECTED The Government Takes Steps to Save the Ports of the West From Spanish Privateers. NEW YORK, April 12—The Herald’s Washington correspondent sends the following: Preparations are being made by the Navy Department to give Spain’s privateers a warm reception should they attempt to attack one of the coast cities of the United States. By establishing a second line of defense along the Atlantic coast the authorities consider they have taken measures for the protection of the seaports thereon from the depredations of detached cruisers or of privateers. Attention is now *being turned to the Gulf and West coasts, and as a re- sult of the arrangements inaugurated to-day ‘it is believed the cities along these seaboards will be reasonably secure from attack. As it is the plan of the Navy Department to first find and destroy the Sparish fleet, xt is not believed there will be much danger of an attempt by Castilian men- r to destroy cities. The ships for which a sharp watch will have to be maintained are privateers, and through Minister Woodford tha authorities have learned that it is proposed by the Spanish Government to commission any number of prl\'a(eers for operations against the coramerce and cities of the United States. It is considered possible that these vessels may proceed to the Pacific and fire on the cities of the slope. To prevent such an attempt being successful, the President to-day di- rected that the revenue cutters Perry, Grant, Corwin and Rush be turned over to the Navy Department. These will be sent to Mare Island, where they will receive heavier batteries than those which they now carry, and they will be detailed to accompany the whaling fleet. The Fish Commission vessel Alba- tross has also been turned over to the navy for duty on the West Coast. It has been finally determined to retain the cruisers Charleston and Philadelphia in the Pacific.to destroy any privateers or any detached cruisers that may come to that section. The monitor Monterey will be stationed at San Francisco to assist the land forces, and the monitor Monadnock will pro- tect the cities of Puget Sound. It is understood by the officials that when Lieutenant-Commander joseph G. Sobral, formerly naval attache of the Spanish legation, was on duty in the United States he visited the harbors of the Pacific Coast and carefully inspected them, sending reports of their fortifications and their appearance to his Government. It is considered probable that these reports may be used by the Spanish Government for naval operations, and it is for this reason such a careful distribution of naval forces in the Pacific has been made for the defense of that coast. The cruiser Charleston will shortly be ready for service and will be placed in commission the latter part of this month. The cruiser Philadelphia will be ready for service within thirty days, and when reported as ready will at once be put in commission. The condition of the gunboat Yorktown is such that it is stated at the department that she cannot be commissioned under three months. So far as the Bennington is concerned, it is stated at the de- -partment that nothing has been done looking to her withdrawal from Hono- lulu. No instructions have been sent to Rear-Admiral Miller, commander- in-chief of the Pacific station, to hoist his flag over the islands in case of war, but it is generally conceded at the department that this will be done in order that the islands may be provided with protection. Otherwise an attempt might be made by Spain to injure Hawaiian cities, knowing that a proposi- tion is pending in the Congress of this country for the annexation of the islands by the United States. Spanish plot. He also exnloded the rumor that he had information of a mine having been discovered under the Montgomery. He gave it as his opinion that the Maine had been destroyed by a mine in the control of the Spanish officials. “Do you mean by the Spanish author- triously circulated since the court of inquiry’s report was made public, that he would make revelations which could not be made public in the report for fear that his life might be endangered or that he would produce new and posi- tive evidence to show that the destruc- tion of the Maine was the result of a