AMERICA AND SPAIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11593, 31 May 1898, Page 5

AMERICA AND SPAIN.

THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION. PROPOSED SEIZURE OF THE CAROLINES. TEE FLEET AT MANILA. ARREST OE A WAR CORRESPONDENT. United Press Association—ByElectrio TelegraphCop jrißht. , Eeceived May SO, 9.40 a.m. . LONDON, May 29. Mr E. F, Knight, the “Times” special war correspondent, has been captured by the Spaniards in Cuba. He was being surreptitiously landed on the coast when the boat was swamped. The occupants were arrested by a party of soldiers and imprisoned at Havana. THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION. PROPOSED SEIZURE OF THE CAROLINES. ADMIRAL DEWET SHORT OF SUPPLIES. THE SPANISH SQUADRON. Eeceived May 31,1.30 a.ra. NEW YORK, May 30. The American cruising steamerHarvard has put into Kingston for; repairs to her steering gear, and for, a. supply of coal. WASHINGTON, May 30. The Opposition of Mr Reed, the. Speaker, prevents Congress dealing with the annexation of Hawaii. The, war officials anticipate difficulty in; coaling vessels engaged in transport ing troops for the Philippines at Honolulu unless the group should he immediately annexed. It is reported that Admiral Dewey is short of provisions and ammuni-. tion. President M r Kinley is considering' the question of ordering the seizure of the Caroline Islands. The explosion on board the Baltic more is now denied. LONDON, May 30. The “ Times ” states that Signor Sagasta sanctioned Mr Knight proceeding to Cuba, and that his arrest is due to a misunderstanding. He will shortly be released. The “ Times ” Kingston correspondent telegraphs that Admiral Ceyveras’s fleet is in Central American waters. NEWS BY THE WAREIMOO. THE BLOCKADE OF CUBA. SPANISH PLANS. AN . ALLEGED GERMAN DECLARA-. TION. [Feb Press Association.! WELLINGTON, May 30. News by tbe Warrimoo states that five, hundred submarine mmes are being placed, in San Francisco Harbour. It is expected that the war appropriations for six months will make the deficiency reach 120,000,000d015. Fitzhugh Lee, recently Consul _at Havana, has been nominated as Major--General by the President. The blockade of Cuba is more or less a failure. Numbers of small craft have succeeded in reaching Havana and Matanzas with supplies. In order to get transports for soldiers to the Philippines, the American Government is expected to take advantage of the law giving power to impress steamers suitable for auxiliary cruisers. At the bombardment of Matanzas, the. Puritan first shelled and smashed in the whole side of the fort, and the loss on the. Spanish side was very great. The Spanish plans include a scheme for reconquering Florida. General Parrudo’s proposals have been approved. by General Blanco and the Spanish officials. A Madrid telegram of April 24. says that Germany issued a note declaring that she, would not allow Manila to be bombarded. No attention is paid in tbe States to the growls about the blockade and tbe threats to prevent it. During the Civil War th© same thing occurred, but came to nothing. United States officials are seizing as contraband of war all letters for Spain, and in., this way allege that they have secured important reports from General Blanco and other Spanish officials in Cuba. Prince Bismarck was credited with giving the opinion that Germany ought not to tie. its hands by proclaiming neutrality. THE FIRST SHOT. CONTRABAND OF WAR. THE ANNEXATION OP HAWAII. The first shot in the war was fired by Patrick Mullen, a gunner of the Nash--ville, across the bow of the Spanish steamer Buena Ventura, on the morning of April, 22. The Spanish Government threatens that if Havana is bombarded it will do the same with the great American ports. The dynamite cruiser Nrctheroy was partly disabled by an accident to her machinery. Spanish newspapers complain of the inclusion of coal as contraband of war,, which, it is held, gives an unfair advantage to the United States. They cite the strong opposition of England in 18S6 to the action of Prance during the Tonquin war in declaring rice to be contraband. Un April 28 a deputation waited on President M’Kinley, and for two hours strongly urged him to annex Hawaii. The Government of the Islands is said to be in favour. The President, while favouring annexation, is not disposed to act without the consent of the Senate, especially as there was a strong party opposed to it. He had no desire to become involved in further international complications. The war with Spain, he said, was not being waged for the purpose of acquiring additional territory. At latest advices, nothing was being done, though the importance of Hawaii as a coaling station was becoming daily more fully recognised.