The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 11, March 17, 1898 | Page 6

our part that we either do not consider Spain able to care for these poor people, or that we think that she wilfully refuses to do so. Spain could settle the question at once by properly providing for them. This, however, she has not attempted to do.
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March 7th a bill was introduced by Chairman Cannon, of the Appropriations Committee, entitled, "Making Appropriations for the National Defence."
It was as follows: "That there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated for the national defence, and for each and every purpose connected therewith, to be expended at the discretion of the President, and to remain available until June 30, 1899, fifty million dollars."
This bill, it was reported, was the outcome of a conference held at the White House. The situation was considered so serious that it was necessary that an immense appropriation should be made for national defence.
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Talk of the United States buying Cuba has revived during the last week. The Spaniards seem to think better of this than they did some months ago, and it is reported that one paper in Madrid has come out in favor of selling the island to this country.
It is a question whether it would be wise for this country to buy Cuba. It would involve the expenditure of $300,000,000 or $400,000,000; and, again, the people who live on the island might not be a desirable addition to the voting population of the United States. Spain has misunderstood this country in regard to the purpose of our proposed intervention in Cuba. She believes that we would intervene in order to obtain possession of the island. The truth is, that the only reason for our stopping the war would be for the sake of mercy, for the war that is going on in Cuba is uncivilized and horrible.
About twenty-five hundred men have been sent to Cuba recently as reinforcements to the Spanish army, and Spain is putting forth the greatest efforts to stop the revolution before the rainy season sets in. Five torpedo-boats are to be towed from Madrid to Havana. It will be unfortunate for Spain if she has no better luck towing these boats than she had with her immense dry-dock, which we told you about several weeks ago.
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The Vizcaya, which left New York on February 25th, arrived in Havana safely. The Almirante Oquendo, a sister ship of the Vizcaya, has also reached Havana.
The Oquendo is a very powerful vessel, 340 feet long, 65 feet wide, and can steam 20 knots an hour. She is said to have cost $3,000,000. She left the Canary Islands on February 15th, the day the Maine blew up.
The men on board, of course, had not heard of the catastrophe, and when they saw the wreck they could not imagine what it meant. With these vessels and the Alphonso XII. in Havana harbor, it is said the war fever has attacked the city, and the Spaniards there are anxious to fight the United States.
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Conflicting reports have reached us as to whether Spain has bought war-ships in England or not during the last week. It is, however, reported on good authority that Spain has negotiated a large loan in London; the amount is not known. Several vessels have been in course of construction for Brazil and Chile, and now that they are almost completed, it is said that the Spanish Government, by agreeing to pay immense sums, is attempting to secure them. It does not seem likely that Chile would give up a battle-ship just now, as the relations between that country and the Argentine Republic are very strained. There is no doubt, however, but that Spain is increasing the efficiency of her navy, which is beginning to assume very formidable proportions.
The United States is also busy putting the older ships in good order, and rushing the work on those being constructed. The Government, it is reported, has the details of construction of many boats now building on the other side. One report was that the United States had an option on every ship being built in Europe, except, of course, vessels being built for Spain. This report, however, has not been confirmed. For the United States to have the option on a ship means that no other nation will be allowed to buy that ship unless the United States decides that she does not wish to have it herself.
The Spaniards are disturbed at the news of an American squadron at Hongkong, on the coast of China. If you will look on your map, you will find that the Philippine Islands are not very far from Hongkong. These islands belong to Spain, and in the event of a war between