SPAIN AND AMERICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 15

SPAIN AND AMERICA.

Madrid, April 4. Prayers have been offered in ths churches throughout Madrid for the success of the Spanish arms 5n the event of war. The Spanish torpedo fleet now on the way to Paorto R ; co has been ordered to remain ab Cape de Verde until the arrival of four armed cruisers, which will act as convoya to the flotilla. The Spanish GDvernmont are issuing Treasury cotes to the amount of 225,000,000 pasetas. ' The Spanish Goverameufc are receiving many requests for letters of marque. April 5. At the Pope's suggestion Spain has decided to grant the Cuban rebels a truce. The Spanish Government' have declared their readiness to proclaim an armistice in favour of the Cuban rebels on condition of the withdrawal of American warshics from ths vicinity of Cuba. April 6. The family of Mr Woodford, the American Minister at Madrid, have started for Paris. April 7. Owing to a bitch in the negotiations 'the Spanish proclamation granting an armistice' to the Cuban rebels will not be issued till to-morrow. April 8. - Queen Christina and foreign diplomatists are exerting every influence in favour of peace. Several members of the Spanish Ministry favour war. - i Popular outbreaks are inovitable if further concessions are made by Spain. Many Spanish privateers are being equippad. Numerous Frenchmen are applying for letters of marque. National subscriptions have bean opened in Spai». The Spanish Councils-general offer to support, a vote of 25,000,000 pesetas for ac in-creaea-of the navy. Baron Eotbsobild, head of the well-known banking firm at Pane, has presented .the Spanish Government with a cruiser. In the course of an interview Lieutenantgeneral Correa, Spanish Minister for War, said it would be better to fight foreigners than the Spaniards. He expressed iodigaation at. the way the honour and rights of Spaia had been tramptsd under foot. April 9. Fifteen Spanish warships have been ordered j to proceed to Cape Verde to await instruc- i turns. j April 10. . The Spanish Government, yielding to the overtures of the Pope and the Powers in favour of peace, have conceded an armistice to the Cuban insurgents. April 11. I The anti-dynastic party in Madrid are , prompting discontent. The governor of the city conssquantly prohibited all meetings. 1 I Liecf.-general Carrea, Minister for^ War, j and Raar-admirsl Bermeja, Minister for | Marine, at first strenuously opposed granting an armistice to the Cuban rebels, complain- \ ing against the disparagement of Spanish ! arms. The Russian Ambassador, replying to , this, said the valour of Spain was beyond dispute. The Cabinet finally was unanimous. ] .Mr Smalley, the New York correspondent i of Tha Times, states that Mr Woodford, American Minister at Madrid, still believes peace is probable. London, April 4. Reuter's correspondent at Madrid reports that Don Capdepon, Minister of the Interior, states, as a result of 4 suggestion by the United States " Government, that the Pope will mediate batween the two nations, both cf which have accepted his intervention April 5. - A forecast of President M'Kinley's Message has been received from Washington. It says that the President favours recognition of Cuba's independence, otherwise forcible intervention oa the part of the United States. The concessions made by China, in conjunction with the prospect of mediation on the part of the Pope between the UnitedStatea and Spain, caused a sharp rally on the Stock Exchange. Prices, however, receded later when it became known that the mediatory ! action had not been oon firmed. Apparently the Pope made, acd the Spaniards accepted, a tentative offer to mediate. Americans are angry at the suggestion, and declare they will not accept the intervention of any foreign Power. April 6. ! R9port3 from Madrid state peace arrangements between Spain and the United States are likely to be arrived at. Washington, April 4. The Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate have agreed to resolutions in favour of armed intervention on behalf of Cuba. Washington and New York are in a state ; of the wildest excitement, but a more sober ! opinion prevails that the country will be content to await President M'Kinley's action if Congress does not force his hand. : It ie officially denied that the Poge has ' consented to mediate between the United 1 States and Spain. April 5. The tone of Congress is very warlike, and 1 there is a disposition to make the Maine • disaster a easus belli. Wall street and New York circles are still hopeful tbat peace will be maintained. Fifteen warships at Key West are ready to make an attack on Havana immediately war is declared, while five will attack Vinerto Rico, and tha American Asiatic squadron will similarly deal with the Philippines. : The American Government have sent b several vessels to Havana to embark the 1 American Consul-general and other officers, and all American residents desiring to leave. The war feeling ia deepening in America. April 7. President M'Kinley has postponed the delivery of his Message on the Cuban question, until Monday, Consul-general Lee having telegraphed that it is impossible to remove 2000 Americana before Sunday, and 1 that the deliverance of the Message might » precipitate slaughter. Other accounts hint that the postponement is due to President M'Kinley learning j that Queen Christina is ready to make the I concessions demanded and which Signor I Sagasta refused, - There is a more hopeful feeling that peace

will be preserved, and a sharp rally in stocks occurred in Wall street. The Cuban Junta insists that the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Cuba should precede American intervention in the affairs of the island, otherwise the Jan i-a threatens to offer resistance to any j American troops suni zo Cuba. April 8. Sir Julius Fauncgxole, together with five other European ambassadors, has presented President M'Kinley with a pressing appeal I to humanity and moderation of Americans I to ensure peace with a guarantee of re- ; establishment of order in Cuba. '' President M'Kinley, in reply, echoed the ! wish that the negotiations now-proceeding ! would terminate a situation which was intolerable. i April 10. Americans greatly appreciate tha tact displayed by Sir Julian Pauncefote in drafting the recant appeal by the representatives of the Powers to the President in favour of peace. It 13 considered that it was couched in such terms tbat assistance was given to President M'Kinley's efforts to maintain peace without wounding American suscepti- : bilities. The American navy are exhibiting extreme impatience on account of the Maine episode remaining unavenged. . America is providing free transport for a large number of citizens leaving Havana for Florida. j E. J. Phelps, formerly American Minister j at London, states that the rebellion in Cuba would long since have ended if America had not supported the insurgents. He expresses' the opinion that there will ba deplorable political consequencss if annexation "fee attempted in order to displace government by Spaic I April 11. I President M Kinley's friends state that there will bo no delay in sending the PresiI dential Message -to Congress on account of granting an armistice; and that a policy of intervention will not be interfered with. Oa the other hand it is alleged that President M'Kinley's views are really secret. The Jingoes in Congress desirs the independence of Cuba, while a powerful party object to independence on the ground that it would create a second Hayti. The Cuban Junta derides the armistice. N&w Yoek, April 6. The Spanish warships recently despatched to the West Indies have arrived at Porto Rico, one of the Antilles Islands. ' April 7. Rioting has occurred in Havana. The Spanish volunteers are in possession of the city. . . _ Ib is reported at Key West that Consulgeneral Lee and his > staff, together with many Americans, have left Cuba on board the Masootte. ' Vienna, April 7. The Emperor of Austria proposes that a system of autonomy ba granted to Cuba on a similar basis to that now existent in Egypt, Spaia to receive tribute from the ialabd and America to be entrusted with powers similar to those held by England with respect to Egypt. Privateering was abolished by mutual agreement aniong European nationß, except Spain, by the Declaration of Paris in 185b*. The Government of tho United State?, kowevar, refused to accept the first point of the treaty— abolition of privateering — because the European Powers declined to affirm that thereafter all private property should be exempted from capture by ships of war. Auckland; April 9. Prior to sailing for New York the captain of the Abiel Abbott, cabled to the owners in New York for instructions owing to the threatened war between America and Spain. He was instructed to sail, as war was not probable.