Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-04-09
Naval Vessels and a Force of
Marines Ordered to the 18th
mus of Panama.
Measures Leading to the ReOr-
ganizatiOn Of the Army
Likely to be Inaugu-
rated.
Serious Loss of United States Mail
Matter by the Destruction OF
AspinWall.


TO telegram sent last night by Sec
rotary Whitney, of the navy depart
ment, to the president of the Pacific
Mail Steamship company at New
York, relative TO the number of men
the company's vessels can take to
Aspinwall without delay, the follow
ing reply was received this morning !:
1--WE can carry 200 men IN the city of
Para tomorrow at noon, and 600 in
the Acapulco next. monday :"
Secretary Whitney replied: eve
will ship geo men by your steamer to
morrow noon, with tents and camp
equipage. The Tennessee, with Ad
miral Jouett, will leave New Orleans
probably to day, with extra compile
ment of marines for ,Aspinwall, and
with extra provisions. This viii
place four ships and between 400 and
500 available men at Aspinwall for
land service. As to Mondays steamer
l will communicate hereafter. The
men viii be taken from the Brooklyn
navy yard.
In reply to telegram sent to Com.
mander Kane, Of the Galena, the fol-
lowing was also received to day:
Transit is closed. The steamship
property is safe in my possession also
the railroad property at the north end
OF the island. Ii is advisable to send
another vessel.
When it was learned at the Navy
Department this morning ihat the
Secretary had determined to protect
American interests at the IsthmuS by
force, there was considerable excite.
ment among the naval officers on
duty here. A number of them im~
mediately volunteered their services
to go to Aspinwal, The selection of
officers, however, has been left to the
board of details, which convened at
11:30 o'clock. 1t is understood that
Major Charles Haywood, of the Mar
inc Corps, who is in charge of the
marine barracks at Brooklyn, will
have immediate command of tie mar
ines. A naval officer of rank, how
ever, will probably be detailed to COM
mand the expedition.
THE BURNING OF AsPNwALL.
PANAMA, Adril 2.-Tho particulars
of the battle OF Colon (AspinwalD
and the burning of that city are still
meagerly reported. The attack upon
the rebel chief Prestan by the Colon
blan troops was led by Colonel Ulloa.
Prestan's forces were utterly routed
after a severe engagement. AS soon
as Prestan became convinced that it
would be impossible for him TO main
tain his position he set fire to the city
in various places and then made his
escape. Only few of his followers
succeeded in getting away with him.
The city is almost a complete ruin.
Only three houses are left standing.
Much distress prevails among the peo-
pie who have been rendered homeless.
Every thing is quite here at Panama
and no serious apprehension of attack
from the insurgents is felt Com
munication with Colon remains
open.
PREPARATIONS.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 2.-Cap-
tains Pagan and Cochrane and sixty
men of the United States Marine
Corpse left League Is. and Navy Yard
to-day at three hours notice for New
York, to sail thence tomorrow for
the Isthmus of Panama
NEW YORK, April 2,-There is
quite a hum of preparation at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard and at the main
barracks in Brooklyn. The cause is
said to be an intimation from Wash
! ington that it would be well to have
the available marine corps on this
station ready for transportation TO
the Isthmus of Panama in order to
| protect American interests. If need
/ cd, $50 marines can be sent away at
| two hours notice. The ordnance de
partment is also kept busy supplying
gatling gun and such ammunition as
may be called for.
SERIOUS LOSS or MAIL MATTER.
NEW YoRK, April Gable advices
from Aspinwall received by Post
master Parson reports a serious loss
/ OF mail matter in the destruction Of
that city by the fire on the list inst.
/ The entire mail from the South Paci~
| tic, dispatched from New York on the
21st ult by the steamer Colon. was
destroyed, and also the registered
mail and ordinary paper mail for
Asplnwall sent by the same steamer.
The letter mail was nearly all deliver
ed before the fire broke out. AS ae.
curately as can now be stated the
mail for Central America burned CON
sisted Of $50 packages of registered
mail, ten sacks of ordinary Iotters
and fifty-three sacks Of papers.
WHAT A NAVAL OFFICER SAYS.
WASHINGTON, April "a promi-
nent navy officer in speaking of the
Panama difficulty and the sending Of
a force from the United States, said
to day SIT is a subject of regret
among naval officers tAat the sailors
who will probably form part of the
forces 70 be sent 70 the isthmus viii
not be as well armed as the marines.
or even as well as the forces with
which they viii have TO contend.
Their arms consist OF the short maya