Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/91

WILLIAM McKINLEY 63 Three days later Gen. Woodford telegraphed to the department a communication from the minis ter of state expressing the sincere regret of his gov ernment and entire disauthorization of the act of its representative. On February 17 Senor Polo y Bernabe was appointed to succeed Senor Dupuy de Lome as the Spanish minister to the United States. The excitement caused in the United States by this incident was still fresh when it was quickened into deeper and graver feeling by the destruction of the U. S. battle-ship "Maine" in the harbor of Havana. After the riots in January, 1898, Con sul-General Lee had, as already stated, asked for an American man-of-war to protect the interests of this country. The Spanish authorities were ad vised that the government intended to resume friendly naval visits to Cuban ports; they replied, acknowledging the courtesy, and announcing their intention of sending in return Spanish vessels to the principal ports of the United States. The "Maine" reached Havana on January 25, and was anchored to a buoy assigned by the authorities of the harbor. She lay there for three weeks. Her officers received the usual formal courtesies from the Spanish authorities; Consul-General Lee ten dered them a dinner. The sailors of the "Maine" were not given shore liberty owing to the ill-dis guised aversion shown to the few officers who went