142 



CAROLINE ISLANDS. 



incident was now made the most of by the 

 Spanish Republicans, and was also used by the 

 Liberal opposition for political purposes, while 

 anti-German sentiment in France found a vent 

 in inspiring Spanish hostility to Germany. The 

 cities of Spain became the scene of demonstra- 

 tions against Germany, which, besides express- 

 ing a general sentiment that the Germans had 

 presumed upon the military inferiority of Spain 

 to override her well-defined and substantial 

 rights, were the cover of a Liberal assault 

 upon the ministry, a Republican manifestation 

 against the form of government, a Carlist at- 

 tack upon the dynasty, and an outpouring of 

 the French spirit of revenge inspired by the 

 strong French influences in Spain. 



The official press at first expressed the gen- 

 eral indignation, and no steps were taken by 

 the Government to check the outburst un- 

 til the popular mind was dangerously excited, 

 while the conciliatory attitude of the German 

 Government gave hopes of a peaceful issue not 

 derogatory to Spanish honor. When the Gov- 

 ernment began to frown upon the demonstra- 

 tions, they were taken up by all the opposition 

 elements and became extravagant and furious. 

 The German Government was prepared for 

 remonstrances and for a course of bickering 

 after the manner of the colonial disputes with 

 England ; but it was surprised at so angry an 

 ebullition of national ill-will, and was impelled 

 to alter its policy accordingly. 



A demonstration of the political and social 

 clubs of Madrid took place on August 23, the 

 previous prohibition of the Government having 

 been withdrawn. A procession of thirty thou- 

 sand persons marched through the streets, 

 cheering Spain and the army, and stopping to 

 listen to patriotic speeches from the balconies 

 of the political and military clubs. On the 26th 

 demonstrations were held in Seville, Santiago, 

 Cornnna, and other towns. The Government 

 resorted to repressive means to quell the ex- 

 citement. A military officer was disciplined 

 for taking part in the demonstrations, and the 

 Army and Navy Club was closed because it 

 struck all German names from the list of hon- 

 orary membership, including that of the Prus- 

 sian Crown Prince. Gen. Salamanca and other 

 officers sent back German decorations with 

 which they had been complimented. 



On the evening when the official telegram re- 

 porting the German occupation of Yap reached 

 Madrid, September 4, a concourse of people 

 rushed to the German legation, tore down the 

 imperial arms and flag-staff, and publicly burned 

 them in the Puerta del Sol, with cries of " Down 

 with Germany ! " and then gave an ovation to 

 Gen. Salamanca on account of his declarations 

 of hostility to Germany. The police arrested 

 sixty of the demonstrants, a guard was placed 

 at the German legation, and orders were given 

 to suppress riotous demonstrations by force of 

 arms. The following evening a crowd gathered 

 about the royal palace, shouting, " Long live 

 Spain ! " " Long live King Alfonso ! " The Lib- 



eral press called upon the Government to de- 

 clare war. In Valencia the German flag was 

 insulted in the same way as at Madrid. In 

 Saragossa and other towns similar demonstra- 

 tions took place. Many merchants trading 

 with Germany countermanded their orders. 

 The excitement continued for weeks at Barce- 

 lona, Valencia, and other republican centers. 

 Many newspapers were confiscated or de- 

 nounced by the authorities. About two hun- 

 dred persons were arrested for seditious cries 

 in different towns. 



On the day of the Madrid outbreak there 

 was momentary danger of anarchy. The min- 

 isters hesitated to employ the Civil Guard to 

 repress the demonstration, and after they were 

 sent they began to fraternize with the mob. 

 Captain-General Pavia marched to the spot at 

 the head of his troops ; but order was not com- 

 pletely restored for three days. It is said that 

 the ministers proposed to declare war against 

 Germany, but that the King refused to sign 

 the decree, and declared that, if the country in 

 the end insisted upon war, he would abdicate 

 rather than share the responsibility of the ruin 

 of Spain. 



Count Solms, the German minister, de- 

 manded satisfaction for the insult to the lega- 

 tion. Sefior Elduayen, in a note dated Sept. 

 10, informed the German Government that the 

 police officers charged with protecting the 

 legation and the German consulate at Valen- 

 cia had been dismissed, and that the supposed 

 ringleader and fifteen others had been com- 

 mitted to trial for the Madrid outrage. 



The Ministry of the Marine was authorized 

 to purchase two fast cruisers in England. 



Diplomatic* Correspondence. In a note to Spain, 

 dated Aug. 9, Germany made known her in- 

 tention to establish her sovereignty in the Caro- 

 line Islands without prejudice to the claims of 

 other powers. The Spanish Government re- 

 plied, claiming sovereign rights over the islands, 

 and declaring the intention to take possession 

 immediately. The German commander was 

 meanwhile on the way to the Carolines and 

 beyond the reach of telegraphic communica- 

 tion, and the Spanish authorities in the Philip- 

 pines were instructed to take formal possession 

 of the islands if there was yet time before the 

 German flag was raised over them. Immedi- 

 ately upon receiving the news of the German 

 occupation of the Caroline Islands the Spanish 

 Government sent a protest to Germany. The 

 German reply was that no official notice of the 

 occupation had been received, and that, if it 

 had taken place, the German Government would 

 annul the act if it was found that Spain's 

 claims were well founded. The Spanish min- 

 istry thereupon sent a vigorously worded note 

 denying that the Spanish claims admitted of 

 discussion. The German Government replied 

 by telegraph, Aug. 24, that it was prepared 

 to consider the Spanish claims in the most 

 friendly spirit, and added that the German 

 protectorate was established after an investi- 



