The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 60, December 30, 1897 | Page 4

process.
The result of the trial, it is expected, will decide whether the
Government shall buy its armor-plate as of old, or enter into the
manufacture itself.
If the Krupp process is satisfactory, armor-plates will not have to be
made so thick, and the smaller quantity of steel in them will perhaps
make them cheaper and enable the Government and the manufacturers
to agree upon a price that will be satisfactory to both.
* * * * *
The Secretary of the Treasury has handed in the Currency report
mentioned by the President in his Message.
It proves to be very dry reading for all but men interested in the money
market, and would not interest you at all.

He suggests a plan, which is supposed to be a very wise one, for
removing all uncertainty about the soundness of our money. It is,
however, thought that the plan cannot be put into effect at present.
The Secretary of the Treasury has also made a report on filibustering,
which is much more interesting.
Spain has accused us of not taking proper steps to prevent these
unlawful expeditions.
If she can prove the truth of these accusations, she can demand that we
pay her a large sum of money as damages for every expedition that has
reached Cuba.
She would be quite justified in making these demands if the United
States willingly and wilfully helped Cuba to defy Spain, for every
shipload of supplies landed enables the Cubans to hold out so much
longer against Spain.
Under these circumstances, it is interesting to learn from the official
statement of the Secretary of the Treasury that we have done our duty
to the best of our ability.
Mr. Gage's report, like the Cuban remarks in the Message, has an added
interest from the fact that it is absolutely true.
Many of the reports we get through the newspapers have to be changed
or contradicted, no matter how careful the news-gatherers may have
been in selecting their information. This is because the reporters do not
have access to the official documents, and are obliged to base their
reports upon rumors or uncertain information.
When, however, a report comes direct from the Government, there is
no hearsay in the matter. Each department of the Government has the
documents relating to its business, and the reports it issues are made
from the actual letters that have passed between countries--despatches
and diplomatic documents which no outsider can ever hope to see.

Here, then, is Mr. Gage's report on filibustering.
He says that during two years and a half only six American vessels are
said to have successfully landed filibustering expeditions from the
United States in Cuba. Three foreign vessels are said to have been
successful in the same effort.
With the vessels referred to it is said that a dozen harbor tugs, three or
four lighters, a few small steamers, and about a dozen small sloops and
schooners have been associated.
That only six American vessels out of all our large merchant navy
succeeded in reaching Cuba is, the Secretary thinks, a proof of the
law-abiding spirit of the American people.
He says that eight revenue-cutters, with 317 men, have cruised 75,768
miles, patrolling the coast to prevent filibustering. These vessels
captured seven ships and 115 men, and broke up two expeditions.
He goes into the close examination of sixty expeditions which Spain
complains of.
Twenty of these he shows were stopped through the efforts of the
Treasury, five by the United States Navy, four by Spain, two were
wrecked, and one driven back by storm. One which is laid to our credit
the Secretary declines to acknowledge as belonging to us at all.
Of the successful expeditions, Mr. Gage points out that much was due
to the weakness of the Spanish patrol. In all the cases where the
offenders have been caught, he shows that they have either been
punished or are awaiting trial.
Concerning the case of the Silver Heels, the Secretary says that the
Collector of the Port of New York informed him that a representative
of the Spanish Consul stated to him that he did not desire the vessel to
be seized at the dock, but captured after departure therefrom. It was not,
therefore, so much negligence on the part of the Government, as speed
on the part of the Silver Heels, which enabled her to slip away from her

pursuers.
While we are on the subject of the Silver Heels, it will interest you to
know that she has been taken into custody.
She arrived at Wilmington the other day, and was at once seized by the
collector of that port.
An examination was made of the vessel, but nothing was found on
board to indicate that the ship had been engaged in unlawful