SPAIN". 



739 



to hasten the contemplated improvement of 

 the navy. Orders were placed abroad for three 

 new fast cruisers a description of vessels pre- 

 ferred by Spanish officers to heavy ironclads. 

 The new ships are to be armed with 5-inch 

 steel guns, of a design invented by Brigadier 

 Honterio, and with quick-firing shell-guns of 

 the pattern adopted in England. The Norden- 

 feldt machine-guns, of 1-inch caliber, for firing 

 volleys and combating torpedo-boats, and 6- 

 pound shell-guns on the same system, have 

 also been adopted in the Spanish navy. 



Finances. The total revenue for the year 

 ending June 30, 1886, is estimated in the bud- 

 get at 872,514,380 pesetas (1 peseta = 1 franc, 

 or 19-3 cents), of which sum 259,848,000 pese- 

 tas are derived from direct taxation, 134,051,- 

 000 from indirect taxes, 134,000,000 from cus- 

 toms, 263,362,000 from stamps and regies, 

 32,602,380 from Government property, and 

 48,651,000 from treasury receipts. The total 

 expenditure is estimated at 897,146,890 pesetas, 

 of which 274,173,435 are appropriated to the 

 service of the debt. The accounts for 1884-'85 

 were closed with a deficit of 25,500,000 pesetas. 

 The public debt, readjusted under the ar- 

 rangement of 1881-'82, amounted on Oct. 1, 

 1884, to the capital sum of 6,356,253,000 pese- 

 tas, of which 1,971, 151, 000 pesetas represent the 

 permanent foreign debt, 1,946,177,500 pesetas 

 the permanent internal debt, and 1,677,165,000 

 the redeemable debt all refunded at 4 per 

 cent. The other debts include one of 3,000,000 

 pesetas due to the United States. T,he interest 

 charges on the public debt in 1884 amounted 

 to 238,071,429 pesetas. Separate obligations 

 have been incurred on account of Cuba to the 

 amount of over 180,000,000 pesos. 



The revised Cuban budget for 1884 -'85 

 showed an expenditure of 31,960,000 pesos, or 

 dollars, and 27,650,000 pesos of estimated re- 

 ceipts. 



The Municipal Elections. Although in the past 

 the party in power has always been able to 

 manipulate the elections and secure enormous 

 ministerial majorities, the Conservatives were 

 badly defeated in the municipal elections that 

 took place in May. When Sen or Sagasta was 

 in office, he secured a clear Liberal majority 

 in Congress; but when Sefior Canovas del 

 Castillo came in, he obtained a strong Con- 

 servative majority. The bulk of the Span- 

 ish nation favors Liberal views; but the ir- 

 reconcilable differences between the Liberal 

 Monarchists and the Republicans, who are 

 much the strongest section, rendered the Con- 

 servatives, in the opinion of King Alfonso, 

 more capable of government. The Liberals 

 of the various shades united to carry the mu- 

 nicipal elections and record the national con- 

 demnation of the policy of the Government, 

 and especially its clerical tendencies. The 

 temporary coalition was then immediately dis- 

 solved. 



> ministerial Changes. King Alfonso announced 

 his determination to visit the province of Mur- 



cia, where cholera was raging, on June 19; 

 but Sefior Canovas opposed the project, and, 

 as the King persisted in his resolution, offered 

 his resignation. Count Toreno, President of the 

 Congress, was called to the palace. He de- 

 clined to accept the responsibility of forming 

 a new Conservative ministry, and of sanction- 

 ing the exposure of the King to the danger of 

 death and the kingdom to the risks of a long 

 regency. The King renounced the mission of 

 charity, but subsequently he visited Aranjuez 

 in secret, with the approval of the ministers. 



The sanitary measures increased the unpopu- 

 larity of .Sefior Romero y Robledo, who has 

 been subject to incessant attacks since he as- 

 sumed office chiefly on account of the tyran- 

 nical character of the measures he took to pre- 

 serve public order. He decided upon resigning, 

 and on July 13 was replaced by Sefior Villa- 

 verde, previously Governor of Madrid. Sefior 

 Antequera y Bobadilla, Minister of Marine, re- 

 tired at the same time, and was succeeded by 

 Admiral Pezuela. Sefior Pidal, the Clerical 

 Minister of Commerce, who was to Liberal 

 Spain the most objectionable member of the 

 Cabinet, remained in office. 



The Death of Ring Alfonso. The excitement 

 aroused by the German occupation of Yap 

 (see CAEOLINE ISLANDS) had a disturbing ef- 

 fect on the internal politics of Spain, bringing 

 the country to the verge of revolution. Be- 

 fore the conflict was ended by the concessions 

 of Germany and the award of the Pope, and 

 before the kingdom had recovered from the 

 unsettling effects of the warlike fever, the 

 young King of Spain died of consumption, on 

 Nov. 25. The agreement acknowledging the 

 sovereignty of Spain over the Carolines was 

 signed the same day in London and Berlin. 

 King Alfonso's death was a sudden blow to 

 the country, because the fatal disease with 

 which he was afflicted was concealed from 

 the public as well as it could be. Though 

 generally suspected, it was officially denied 

 that he suffered from phthisis. (See ALFONSO, 

 p. 656.) 



The New Ministry. After appointing the dow- 

 ager Queen Regent, the ministers, in accord- 

 ance with invariable custom, tendered their 

 resignations. They advised the Queen-Regent 

 to call upon Sefior Sagasta to form a new Cabi- 

 net, which she did. A Liberal ministry was 

 constituted Nov. 27, composed as follows : 

 President of the Council, Sefior Sagasta; Min- 

 ister of Finance, Sefior Camacho ; Minister of 

 the Interior, Sefior Venancio Gonzalez ; Minis- 

 ter of Marine, Admiral Beranger ; Minister of 

 Foreign Affairs, Sefior Moret y Prendergast ; 

 Minister of the Colonies, Sefior Gamazo ; Min- 

 ister of Public Works, Sefior Montero Rios; 

 Minister of War, Gen. Jovellar; Minister of 

 Justice, Sefior Alonso Martinez. The new 

 ministry was formed of more advanced Liberal 

 elements than Sagasta's former ministry. Sa- 

 gasta, who was the predecessor of Canova^ 

 and held the office of Prime Minister froij 



