Amerioa and Spain.

Manawatu Herald, 29 March 1898, Page 2

Amerioa and Spain.

The American Bed Gross Society has declared that 425,000 Cubans have died <f starvation since, the rebellion on the island commenced, and that 200,000 of the population are in a dying condition from the effects of destitution and starvation. The paople are, it is added, in a pitiable condition, and walking skeletons are to be met with every* where. President McKinley is showing signs of overwork. He will send a message to Congress on Monday next dealing with tbe Cuban question. The chances of war between tbe United States and Spain are increasing. The Bank of Spain lends the Government ten hundred million pesetas (roundly £4,000,000). The Spanish flotilla which recently sailed for the Canaries to await orders has now been instructed to proceed to Puerto Bico. The American newspapers denounce the fresh provocation to war that the movement of the Spanish fleet gives rise to. America is hurriedly purchasing tugs and fast steam yacht?, with the view of improvising them into tor* pedo-destroyers. President McKinley has been requested to strike a blow before the Spanish torpedo flotilla arrives at the East Indies. The Conservatives do not support the President's efforts to promote peace with Spain, and financiers prefer war to the uncertainty which prevails. All tha Amerioan reports agree that the Maine explosion was erter* nal, causing a second explosion in the forward magazine. The Spanish reports deny that the explosion was external. ; President McKinly desires to treat the Maine explosion as an incident in itself, preferring to intervene on behalf of Cuba on humanitarian grounds.