The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-03


Madrid. December 1.-At the cabinet
meeting on yesterday, the Minister Of
Marine, Admiral Bermejo, presented the
request of the governor of the island Of
Fernando, Po.. the Spanish penal settle
ment on the west coast of Africa. for
more warships to guard that place.
Premier Sagasta read kilograms from
Havana and from various towns of Spain
congratulate the government upon the
issuance Of the autonomy decrees.
1t is understood that the carlists will
not take any action until Don Carlos the
pretender to the throne. has replied to a
message sent to him a Vienna, relative
to the political situation.
The impartial commenting today upon
the reports of the latest alleged flibuster-
ing expedition of the American steamer
Dauntless, calls upon Premier Sagasta
to make energetic representation the
subject at Washington.
Washington, December 1.-Consul Gen.
eral Lee has made a report to the state
department upon the case of Fernand
Pons, naturaliZed American citizen at
present in Paris, who appealed to the
department of state through his counsel,
Coust Brothers, of New York, to secure
the abatement of an excessive tax levied
upon his plantation in Cuba. The consul
general says that he has been informed
by Captain General Blanco that he had
given instructions to the regione COVER
nor at Guanabacoa, where the plantations
lie, to ssuspend the collection OF t..e
taxes and to send the case to the central
authorities at Havana for their action.
Havana, December 1.-Announcement
was issued from the Spanish headquart-
ers in the palace today. saying that a
force OF insurgents recently attacked
Guisa, town situated about fifteen
RlV mo in b0 of
Santiago de Cuba. 1t was further an
nounced that a Spanish column has left
Manzanillo to engage the insurgents at
Guisa
Another announcement from the palace
describes a movement of Spanish troops
under General Bernai, who was accom-
panied by SenOr Jose Canalejas, the
former Spanish minister and special COM
missioner, who is visiting Cuba to gather
material for a report on the condition
of the island, in behalf of the Spanish
government; and General Hernandez
Velazquez The Spanish force consisted
OF 2,3OO men, accompanied by two maxim
field guns. The column under the per-
sonal command of General Bernal en-
gagged an insurgent force, according to
the report, the heights of Romero
Madama and Pelados, province Of Pinar
del Rio, and later was more severely en-
gagged with the insurgents at La Cuchilla
de Los Caimitos, where the Spaniards
are said to have captured and destroyed
the fortified camp of the insurgent, Cen
|
General Hernandez, commanding the
second column, the report continues, cap
tured and destroyed an insurgent camp
at Aranjuez, and also destroyed 500 huts
and several other insurgent camps in the
immediate vicinity of Aranjuez.
AS result of these movements. con-
tinues the official statement, the insur-
gents retreated in a thoroughly demoral
lied condition after suffering the loss of
many men. The Spanish columns lost a
major and twelve soldiers killed and had
one captain and twenty-nine soldiers
According to the latest advices from
the scene of the engagement the Spanish
cavalry was continuing the pursuit of
the enemy.
Six hundred sick, wounded or otherwise
invalided soldiers have just left Cuba
for Spain.
The insurgents have destroyed with
near Taco-Taco. not far from San
Cristobal, in the province of Pinar del
Rio. Railroad traffic in that vicinity will
be delayed until the culvert is temporar-
ly repaired.
The garrison at Guisa is reported to
have lost fifty killed and wounded.
The Marquis de Apezteguia leader of
the Spanish conservative party, arrived
here today He was welcomed by the
central conservative committee and has
had a long interview with Captain Gen
eral Blanco- He says that the conserva-
tive party ought to stand by the govern
ment in furthering the work OF pacifica-
ton: but he has not made any public
declaration in favor OF autonomy. His
position is that of the central conserva-
tive committee, which recognizes the
necessity Of pacifying the island, but
does not believe that autonomy is the
best way Of bringing that result about.
Today Eva Canele, we'll known
newspaper woman and champion of Gen
eral Weyler. had an interview with Cap
tain General Bianco and asked him to
release the authors of the printed circu-
lars sent out from the printing office of
Ell COmmercio, containing a violent at
tack upon General Blanco, as well as a
| Of the circulars were arrested on Monday
when the police raided Ell Commercio
printing office. Captain General Blanco
| promised to issue an order for their re-
| lease.
| G0rmany's Demands ON Havti