Part 2
Very little news of interest is received from Spain. In the list of the new Spanish ministry, published week before last, we included the name of Señor Leon y Castillo as Minister of Foreign Affairs; Señor Castillo did not accept the office, which was then offered to Duke Almodovar de Rio, who has accepted.
The duke said that he did not wish the office, but accepted it on patriotic grounds, "as every Spaniard is bound to devote all his powers to the defence of his country." The duke is well and favorably known in England, where he was educated, and it is considered that the choice for this office is a good one.
The Spanish Minister of Finance, in discussing Spain's financial condition, recently said that he considered it satisfactory, and that the payment of all expenses of the war is assured; as a means of raising additional funds he proposes to convert the floating debt, now amounting to about 500,000,000 pesetas, into treasury bonds of small denomination, and to extend the Bank of Spain note issues. Spain may by this issue of additional paper money find herself in as unfortunate a position as did Cuba when Weyler endeavored to force paper money upon the people there. With an increase of twenty per cent. on taxes of all kinds, and with a paper money of doubtful value, Spain will indeed be in a sorry predicament.
Later reports from Spain would indicate that a crisis is approaching; business is at a standstill, and a famine imminent, as provisions are so high as to place them beyond the reach of the poorer people. It is thought that if an encounter with our fleet ends in disaster to Admiral Cervera, a revolution is inevitable. It is said that Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria has advised the Queen to leave the country, but that she has expressed her determination to remain and face the result.
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Lieutenant Carranza, to whom we are indebted for the admirable explanation of why Spain should not be held responsible for the _Maine_ disaster, published in THE GREAT ROUND WORLD some weeks ago, is having an unpleasant time in Canada. Together with several other Spanish officials he has been carrying on an "information bureau" for the Spanish Government; by information bureau we mean a system of receiving and forwarding reports to the Spanish Government in reference to our fortifications, etc. The present trouble has arisen from the fact that a letter containing important information has been mislaid; he accuses Joseph Kellert, a Montreal detective, and two other persons of entering his room and stealing this letter. They are making such a fuss over the matter that the letter must have been an exceedingly important one.
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A despatch has been received from Admiral Dewey, dated May 20th, addressed to the Secretary of the Navy; he cables as follows:
"Situation is unchanged. Blockade is continued. There is a great scarcity of provisions in Manila. The foreign subjects fear an outbreak of Spanish soldiers; arrangements have been made for the transfer of these foreign subjects to Cavite if necessary. The rebel commander-in-chief, Aguinaldo, who was brought here by the _McCulloch_, is reorganizing a force, and may render assistance that will be valuable."
The first shipment of troops to the Philippine Islands started May 25th on the three transports, _City of Pekin_, _Australia_, and _City of Sydney_. When these vessels left San Francisco, late in the afternoon, the shores were lined with people, and there was great enthusiasm. These three transports carry about twenty-five hundred men; the expedition is under command of Brigadier-General Anderson, and consists of four companies of regulars under Major Robe; the First Regiment California Volunteers, Colonel Smith; the First Regiment Oregon Volunteers, Colonel Summers; and a battalion of fifty heavy artillery, Major Gary; and in addition to these a number of sailors, naval officers, a large amount of ammunition and naval stores for Admiral Dewey's fleet, and supplies sufficient to last a year. It was expected that the fleet would arrive at the Sandwich Islands by Tuesday, May 31st; it will proceed from this port in company with the _Charleston_, and should arrive at Manila about June 20th. A detachment of the United States Engineers was ordered from Willets Point, N. Y., to the Philippines, under command of Captain Langfitt; Captain Langfitt is an expert in the matter of torpedoes and harbor defences of this kind, and it is thought that his mission at the Philippines will be to fortify the different harbors by planting mines, torpedoes, etc.
Now that the reinforcements are well on their way, there is no reason to feel any anxiety in reference to any expedition which might be sent from Spain. The shortest route from Cadiz is, of course, by way of the Suez Canal; the distance by this route is over 8,000 miles; from San Francisco to Manila, by way of the Sandwich Islands, is but 7,000 miles; therefore we have at least a week the start of any expedition which might leave Spain. The troops sent on the three transports which sailed May 25th will be sufficient to garrison Corregidor Island; with strong fortifications on this island at the entrance of Manila Bay, it is believed that we can prevent the entrance of any fleet. The only fleet which it is possible for Spain to send at this time is Admiral Camara's; in this there are but two armorclads, the _Pelayo_ and _Emperadar Carlos V_. Admiral Dewey would not consider them sufficiently formidable to give him any anxiety.
Unless we meet with misfortune or great reverses in dealing with the Spanish forces now at the Philippines, there is little doubt but that they are ours by this time.
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Now that the Philippine Islands are to be kept by us, the previous regulations in reference to mails have been changed. When war was declared the Post-Office Department shut off communication with the Philippine Islands, as well as with other Spanish countries. A new order has been issued, and mail may now be sent to the Philippine Islands by way of San Francisco. In times of war this country permits soldiers to mail letters to their homes without prepaying postage; this is a great advantage to them, as we can readily understand that while on a campaign post-offices cannot be reached and postage stamps are not easy to get. The officers or men have simply to write on the letters, "Soldier's letter," "Sailor's letter," "Marine's letter," and they will be carried by post to their destination and postage collected there without extra charge. Under ordinary circumstances letters will not be carried unless partly prepaid; and if foreign postage is not fully prepaid a penalty in the shape of extra postage is added to the regular rate, and collected upon delivery.
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European powers are watching with great interest our movements in the East. Admiral Dewey's victory, it is considered, has put an end to Spanish sovereignty in the East. European governments evidently expect the United States to keep the Philippines, and it is difficult to see any other solution, as it will certainly not be advisable to return the islands to Spain, nor would this be consistent with the "war for humanity's sake." Spain's cruelties in the Philippines have been even more excessive than in Cuba, and we certainly should not again place the islands in the hands of that cruel taskmaster, Spain. It has been suggested that we cede them to some European power; the question is, Can we do this? These powers are so jealous of each other that they will not stand quietly by and see any one of their number favored by a gift of such importance; on the other hand, the presence of an American colony in Eastern Asia will be a thorn in the side of the great powers; we have, therefore, to choose which horn of the dilemma we shall accept. The final settlement of the matter will, no doubt, cause many new complications and material changes in the traditional policy of our Government.
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The mysterious sailing of the steamship _Adria_ from Key West, a week ago, has attracted a good deal of comment; it is said that she had on board many miles of submarine cable, together with the necessary appliances for grappling, splicing, and laying, and telegraphic instruments for use on shore. It is believed that the purpose is to cut the cable off shore, splice a piece to it, and carry it to some unfrequented spot and there establish a cable station; this would enable our authorities to communicate quickly with Washington--when the invasion of Cuba takes place, or to keep the insurgents advised as to our movements.
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A very interesting question of international law has been brought up by the cutting of the cables by Admiral Dewey; it is claimed that by doing this he has established an international precedent, for his cutting of the cable connecting a country at war with another country is a forcible interference with communication which has not been practised in any previous war.
The question of cable-cutting has never come up before as a means of offensive warfare, as it is only in recent years that there has been any extensive laying of cables. Dewey's example has been followed by the blockading fleet off Cuba; this fact establishes beyond all peradventure the position that this Government has assumed. The British Government evidently believes that in the time of war the right to cut cables connecting the opposing nation with other countries is one which may be assumed without violation of international law. In a speech on this matter, Mr. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury, quoting in Parliament a few days ago an agreement made in Paris in 1884, in reference to the protection of cables by different nations, said: "By Article XV. of this convention, in time of war a belligerent signatory to the convention (that is, a county signing this agreement) is as free to act with respect to submarine cables as if the convention did not exist. I am not prepared, therefore, to say that a belligerent, on the ground of military exigency, would under no circumstances be justified in interfering with cables between the territory of the opposing power and any other part of the world."
Our State Department considers that this statement on the part of Great Britain commits that country to the policy regarding cables which we have recently put into practice; her approval of our action virtually establishes this right as a principle of international law.
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Very serious trouble is anticipated in Italy because of the hopeless poverty of much of the peasantry, and the apparent inefficiency of the present system of government. The Italian peasant barely succeeds under the most advantageous circumstances in obtaining food enough for himself and family; consequently every change in the price of bread is a serious matter to him; under the present Government the taxes have become heavier, and this is sure at no distant date to bring about a crisis; that this crisis is near is shown by the recent bread riots. The only hope of averting trouble is a change in the policy of the Italian Government.
Many people in Europe are asking why the price of wheat continues to advance, as there is apparently no reason, for the Spanish-American war has created no increased demand, nor has it seriously interfered with the shipment of grain. The increase in price is accounted for, by those who are familiar with these subjects, on the ground that there seems to be a general conspiracy to hold back supplies from Europe in the hope of obtaining higher prices, and in consequence scarcity is created in certain markets, thus causing the rise in price both there and elsewhere, and with each rise in price comes additional reason for the holding back of supplies on the part of the speculators who are manipulating the market.
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It is rather interesting to turn from the account of the riots in Italy to a brief history of Joseph Leiter's famous wheat deal. This wheat deal, which has just been closed, is the most remarkable that has ever been known in the history of the grain markets. Leiter has not only made himself rich, but has added to the wealth of the farmers in the West enormously. Every effort on the part of other speculators to force Leiter to the wall has been unsuccessful. Last fall when he was buying, they turned over enormous quantities of wheat, but he seemed to have untold millions at his command, for he met every offer with cash, and demonstrated that he had more money if they could furnish more wheat: the result was that wheat went up, up, up, until it reached nearly $2 a bushel, and Leiter has made, it is estimated, over $4,000,000, or nearly $500 _an hour_ since April of last year.
The account of the troubles in Italy, and the great prosperity resulting from Leiter's success here, simply demonstrate what has been called attention to before--that what affects one part of the world has its influence upon the rest. A contribution from the prospered wheat farmers (and Leiter) to the suffering poor in Italy would not be amiss under the circumstances.
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In our recent numbers we mentioned the trouble in the Sierra Leone Protectorate. This trouble has been ascribed to the hut tax; this tax is practically the only tax levied upon the natives, and it is for the purpose of raising sufficient revenue to prevent slave-trading. The trouble in this colony has arisen indirectly, not directly, as a result of this tax, as the slave-traders have used it as a pretext for stirring up the rebellion among the natives. England for many years has been doing her best to suppress slave-trading, and the slave-traders make use of any grievance, imaginary or otherwise, in their attempts to overthrow the power of the white men, in order that their barbarous man-hunting may not be interfered with. Several men-of-war have been sent by England to Sierra Leone, and are to be reinforced by others; troops have also been sent to the assistance of the missionaries and others whose lives are endangered by the uprising of the natives.
Day by day news from this district becomes more alarming; all of this part of Africa is at the present time in a state of great excitement, and it is expected that great difficulty will be experienced in suppressing the revolt. Early in May, the rebels attacked the American mission at Rotufunk and killed five of the American missionaries--Mr. and Mrs. Kane, Miss Archer, Miss Hatfield, and Miss Schenck. Their bodies have been recovered.
The hut tax, which has been made a pretext for all this trouble, amounts to about one shilling a year for each member of the population, or, in case of families, five shillings for each family. The insurrection was started by a native chief who has given the colonial government much trouble heretofore.
During the latter part of May there were first rumors, then reports, and then confirmed reports that the Spanish fleet was at Santiago, Cuba, and that it was caught as in a trap by our war-vessels.
The harbor of Santiago is a deep one, with a very narrow mouth, as stated in a recent issue of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD. The Navy Department feels extremely happy over the locating of the Spanish fleet and the fact that it may be kept where it is for the present; this will make possible the invasion of Cuba and the carrying out of the general plans of the campaign without fear of having them interrupted by attack from the Spanish vessels. Santiago is not very well supplied with provisions, and it will be but a question of time when the Spanish fleet must either force their way out of the harbor or else surrender. It is to be hoped that the capture of this fleet will be accomplished without battle, for battle will mean a large loss on both sides, and it can have but one ultimate outcome. The inevitable may be deferred, but the United States is pretty sure to win in the long run.
One or two of our battle-ships or monitors stationed at the entrance of the harbor will be sufficient to prevent the exit of the Spaniards, even if we do not succeed in so blocking the channel with obstructions as to make exit impossible; this will leave the rest of our fleet free to operate elsewhere. Great vigilance will be exercised to prevent the Spanish torpedo-boats from running out and attacking our vessels under cover of darkness. The entrance to the harbor is so narrow that a patrol of small boats can be established, making such an attack almost impossible.
Cables connecting Cuba with the world outside are being rapidly located and cut, and by the time this paper goes to press Cuba will no doubt be cut off entirely, and we will cease to see reports from Madrid of what is going on in Havana and elsewhere in Cuba.
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[Sidenote: =Latest News=]
May 31st Commodore Schley made an attack upon the forts at the entrance to the harbor of Santiago, with the intention of ascertaining the position and strength of the fortifications. At one o'clock in the afternoon of that day the signal to form column was hoisted on the _Massachusetts_; the _New Orleans_, _Iowa_, and _Vixen_ followed her as she steamed slowly toward the harbor entrance. When between three and four miles from shore two of her 13-inch guns were fired; it is reported that one of the shells struck the partly dismantled Spanish war-ship _Reina Mercedes_, crashing through her bow and killing a number of men; two shots followed quite near the same vessel; the two guns in the forward turret sent their projectiles so close to the Spanish flagship that the spray was thrown all over her. The shore batteries at this time began a rapid fire on the _Massachusetts_, but she was soon beyond their range. The fire was then turned on the _New Orleans_; the shells from this vessel struck the large battery on the hill above Morro Castle, and a great cloud of dust and débris rose in the air as the shells burst. They must have done considerable damage; the shells which followed sent portions of the wall of Morro Castle tumbling down, a mass of ruins. Almost every shot found a mark in either the batteries or vessels. It was the _Iowa's_ turn next; her shells made things lively for the Spanish fleet in the harbor, although it is believed she was not successful in hitting any of the Spanish vessels. The little _Vixen_ swept along after her predecessors, and banged away with her one 6-pounder with as great an air of importance as if it had been a 13-inch rifle; then she steamed away in a triumphant manner, as much as to say: "I have done my share." The commodore promptly ordered her to keep out of danger. The ironclads turned, and a second time bore down on the harbor, and when within five miles the shells began again to fall thick and fast around the Spanish vessels, although accurate firing was almost out of the question, as the vessels were behind the hill out in sight, and range could not be ascertained. The Spaniards kept up a brisk cannonade long after our vessels had stopped firing; a tremendous amount of damage was done--to the Caribbean Sea; their shells did not come within a mile of our vessels.
June 3d the auxiliary cruiser _St. Paul_ returned to New York, after a two weeks' cruise in West Indian waters; she had been detailed for guard and scout duty, and was one of the first to discover the Spanish fleet in Santiago Bay. She left Key West May 18th, and arrived off Santiago about the 20th. The St. Louis had been detailed for similar service, and had been watching Santiago harbor with the expectation that the Spanish vessels would attempt to enter there; she, however, left on the 19th. It is supposed that Admiral Cervera must have entered the harbor in the twenty-four hours between this date and that of the arrival of the _St. Paul_.
As it was advisable that her whereabouts should not be discovered to the Spaniards, the _St. Paul_ cruised backward and forward about twenty miles out; she kept this distance off shore in order that the Spanish torpedo-boats might not make a dash out of the harbor in the darkness and torpedo her. It was not until the 23d that anything was seen of the Spaniards. Captain Sigsbee is quite confident that on this date he identified the _Vizcaya_, the _Christopher Colon_, and several torpedo-boat destroyers within the harbor; they were evidently making preparations for departure, but were too late, as our fleet under Commodore Schley reached the harbor before they could get away.
The only excitement that the _St. Paul_ had was the capture of the collier _Restormel_. The vessel was sighted very early one morning about five miles from the harbor entrance, running with all speed to obtain the protection of the batteries on shore. The _St. Paul_ was too quick for her; crowding on all steam, the collier was soon overtaken and stopped by a solid shot fired across her bows. A prize crew was put on board and the vessel sent to Key West.
The _St. Paul_ is off again; her destination is, however, a secret.
Another "great victory" was reported by the Spaniards on June 4th. In the despatch from Madrid it was stated that one of our most powerful vessels attempted to enter the harbor of Santiago de Cuba and had been blown up by a torpedo and sunk, her crew of six men and one officer being captured. There was something very inconsistent about the statement "most powerful vessel" with a crew of six men and one officer, but apparently the Spaniards overlooked this. The fact of the matter is that Admiral Sampson decided to close the harbor effectually, and in order to do this sent the collier _Merrimac_ to the entrance of the channel and had her sunk there.
This brilliant exploit was planned by a young officer, Lieut. Richmond Pearson Hobson, who with seven volunteers carried it out in a most gallant way.
At this distance and without experience of the fearful effect of modern gunnery, we cannot appreciate what a dangerous errand these brave men undertook. To sail close under the guns of many batteries and forts, through a narrow channel known to be mined, was to face death, and almost sure death--an act which will make their names famous. Yet when volunteers were called for, every man stepped forward and begged to be taken.
At three o'clock Friday morning the _Merrimac_ started. In the darkness she succeeded in getting well in shore before she was discovered; then shot and shell made the water white with spray all around her. But the brave fellows never flinched, and on they sailed until the narrowest part of the channel was reached. Down went the anchor, and soon a dull report in her hold told of the successful explosion of the torpedo which was to blow her bottom out and make her sinking certain.
The crew left and succeeded in clearing the vessel before she went down. But two are reported to have been wounded, and these but slightly. All were captured and taken to Morro Castle.
The great bravery of the gallant fellows was recognized by Admiral Cervera and he sent a boat with a flag of truce to advise Admiral Sampson that the men were safe and would be exchanged. This act of the Spanish admiral has won for him a feeling of great admiration in this country. It was the act of a noble man.
The Spanish fleet is not only bottled up now, but the cork is in the bottle.
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THE FLAG.