AMERICA AND SPAIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11558, 20 April 1898, Page 5

AMERICA AND SPAIN .

MASSING- TBOOPS-IN FLORIDA. *>• THE MAINE mCTDENT. THE SPANISH EEBQET. THE SENATE’S EESOHn33DNS.i CUBAN INDEPENDENCE RECOGNISED. HOPE OTTPEACE ABANDONED. 1 United. FressA ssociatf on— Coityrijffrfc. MADRID, Assam. 28.. j Official reports presented to tha Government deny that any mines were exploded beneath tbe and further state that the expert evidence of the divers ahowa tiat dha explosion was internal. ActilaL9^ Spain has abandoned all hop©«<& peace. LONDON, Asm 19. There is much discussion in British, marine circles over the situation in the event of war. Sir J. BadenPowell urges that British portrshoqid 1 he closed to privateers. There is an impression tha&Spam is trying to lure. the American, nanr. into European waters, so as to avoid the difficulty of coaling hervwrseis.-ao far from home. Mr Smalley says that President MTQnley will veto any resokitran recognising independence, and the President holds that even a mandatory resolution does not deprive hinx uf .executive discretion in tbe matter. NEW YORK, Apsil 18. The.-Hcr-o.ZcZ states that there ace; indications that efforts will be- made' to induce the House of Representatives to agree to theresohrtkms of. the Senate, failing which the result will probably be a compromise between the two Houses on the basis of -th* non-teeognition of a; Caban Eapublic. IS. • America is massing troops in Florida. This step is taken to mean that Cuba will be invaded aa soon iaß war is declared. Four hundred Spanish colonists have sailed from Tampa, Florida, ior Havana. Eeccived.April-20^1.10'.a.m. Apeil*-19. Notwithstanding the pressure by President M’Kinley and the_ Speaker, the House of Representatives concurred in the Senate’s resolution, only omitting recognition of the Cuban Republic. The Senate, by a majority of thirty-two, refused to concur with this amendment, and a conference lasting many hours proved resultless.' The Senate then, by a majority of one, refused to appoint another conference. A number of young Republicans in the House were in favour of recognising the Eepubiie. There is an impression that the Hhmse will eventually yield. _ j The American Press cordiaaiyxßcognises that the unfaltering friendship of Great Britain is the chief , obstacle to a European alliance against America. One effect of Boa feeling is a striking change in tbe attitude towards Canada over thn sealing question, America now proposes to immediately pay Canada the award made over the Behring Sea difficulty,* and it is probable that the* proposal trill not meet with any opposition from Congress. Eeceived April 20. L4O a.ua. After another conference between both Houses, lasting many hours; it was agreed to recognise the independence of Cuba, but not to recognise the present Republic. Beceive&April 20,12.40-iwm. Abril 20. Sertor Bemabe, Spanish Minister at ■Washington, has directed the Consuls in various parts of America toarranga for the departure of Spanish residents. SYDNEY, .Apeil 19. The Sydney underwriters have received.*', a cable from New York giving the follow*, ing war risks from New York to Ans*. tralia or vice versa :—American sailing, ships 25 per cent extra, British ships a* quarter per cent extra j San Francisco to. Australia and vice vers& —Sailing ships 23. per cent extra, American steamers-Jib pe* cent extra, British ships or steamers'* quarter per cent extra. ,HOWj WAR WOULD AFFECT NEW/ ZEALAND. AMERICAN CONSULS’ VIEWS. The Auckland correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times ”■ says that the American Consul and ex-Consul in that city have been interviewed for the purpose of ascertaining their views as to the effect upon New Zealand of an outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Spain. Mr Frank Dillingham, the United States Consul, said in answer to questions : “If war does break out it will naturally have the result of strengthening prices for everything in America. For instance, some years ago wheat was as low as 42 cents. It afterwards advanced to 89 cents and 90 cents, and sinca I left eight months ago it has gone up to Idol 15 cents a bushel in New York, and if this war breaks out it must rise still higher. D uring the Fran co-Prussian war wheat in the United States advanced to 2dol 87 cents, and during the American civil war, thirty-five years ago, it went even higher than that. War will necessarily paralyse to an extent all trade of the nations interested. The Abiel Abbot, which left here for New York, /: was delayed some days, really awaiting orders. The captain interviewed me frequently to obtain the latest advices from America as to the probability of war breaking out. He said to me that he would have to pass within sixty miles of Cuba, and of course there was danger of the vessel being . captured by a Spanish cruiser if war broke out- after he left. I think the greatest. danger in the event of war breaking out,. so far as merchant vessels are concerned, will be from privateers.” Mr J. D. Connolly, who for several years was American Consul in Auckland, being asked what would be the effect on this colony in particular if war broke out, said; —“The first outcome of war would he an advance in insurance and shipping freights. The difficulty in getting vessels to-come here direct under those circumstances would result in an advance in the price of kerosene and other American goods, while on the other hand if the vessels did not come so frequently, then, of course, they could not take so much kauri gum as a return cargo. It would increase the cost of kerosene considerably if it had to be sent by rail 3000 miles across the continent and then sent on at steamer rates of freight with war risks addeoOf course the gum could be sent across by British vessels and kerosene brought back.

because even if a port was blockaded a foreign vessel would be allowed to pass provided its- cargo did not include anything that was contraband of war. With regard to the San Francisco mail service, the Mariposa, Alameda and other vessels flying the American flag,would be fair prey to. Spain in the event of-war.” . The Moana flies the British flag. Could not the.others do the same ? “It would be no use if a vessel was stopped byr-a Spanish cruiser, .even if flying‘the British flag. The. . .papers would be de- ■ manded, and they .would show it was _an American vessel, and it would be at once taken. If the' vessels were transferred and registered as. British they could not be reentered again oh the American register withoutA sppckil Act. pf Congress. , vessel bougMl ’caii ,bd registered" in the Stages without the purchasers^-spending-& considerable; stun of mibhey upon repairs. ,ln the case of-the Aiis- - trslia, j-fwAinjitahoe,: Messrs, Spreckels Bros.; hali to spend about SO.OOOdoI 'npon her’be-' fore 1 she 1 went oh the American register, as the -was British built.”