The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-19

the Porto Rican affair. There will be
plenty of transports available for the
expedition ,as the government has de-
vised other means of removing the
S~paniards captured at Santiago to
Spain than by carrying them on these
transports. That the navy is ready to
do it's share at short notice goes with
out saying. Porto Rico is not expected
to offer a very formidable resistance.
1t is believed that the moral effect of
today's surrender at Santiago will be
to discourage the defenders of San
Juan. g.
WATSON'S SQUADRON WILL GO
TO SPAIN.
RumOrs were afOat this afternoon to
the effect that the Spanish govern
ment at last had made overtures in
the direction of peace, but their basis
probably was the current belief that
one more reverse to the Spanish arms
Would be sufficient to compel the
Spanish government to sue for peace
and this reverse was furnished by the
surrender of Toral's army. The navy
department has not been effected by
these rumors to the extent of relax
ing any of it's precautions or aban-
dOning any of it's plans, for Secretary
Long stated uneQuivocally that Com
mOdOre WatSOn's eastern squadron
would certainly go to Spain as soon
as it could sail.
THE COUNTRY WE HAVE CAP
TURED.
Santiago with it's fine harbor, is the
main point, while guantanamo is sec
ond in Importance. H. J. Allen, of
Kansas City, who had just come from
Santiago, was with Secretary Alger
during the afternoon and gave him
| rn1o ir+nrnc+iro Ia+aiIc &c +~ tbo
| character of the country 0 surren-
| dered to our troops. He said the
country was so wild and rocky that it
| afforded practically no camping
| ground for a considerable body of
some interesting details as to the
troops and in his opinion there was
| not a point in this sweep of country
| suitable as base of operations for an
army. Except the Spanish force at San
| tiagO numbering about 10. 900. Mr.. AL
| len says there are no Spanish troops
| within the surrendered zone, as it has
| been Overrun by Garcia's forces. The
| Spanish garrisOns are at MaZanillO
| and Holguin, to the west of the sur
| rendered zone Mr.. Allen says these
| Spanish garrisons do not exceed 5000
| men. This he says is General Gar
| cia's estimate. Mr.. Allen left Santa
go only last Saturday. At that time
he says there were two suspicious
1 cases, IiIOuSII " Oc yellow lever Ill
l the hOSpital at SibOney.
The navy department had not heard
up to the close of office hours as to
what extent the American fleet was
participating in the surrender. With
Santiago in our hands, the way will be
clear for Admiral SIMPSONS fleet to
enter the harbor and proceed up to the
wharves, as soon as the torpedoes and
mines at the harbor entrance are re-
; moved. The Notifications of MORO
castle, SOcapa, CayO Smith and others
are included in the surrendered zone.
The possession Of these fine fortresses,
particularly Moro castle, will afford
valuable garrison points for a large
number of men. The terms under
which these strongholds are surren-
dered is not yet known in details, but
it is regarded as likely that their big
guns pass with the surrender. While
the fleet will soon be free to move up
to Santiago city, some doubt it's enter
tanned in nava circles whether any
good could be accomplished by such a
move as it might subject some of our
sailors to the contagiOn existing with
in the city.
CARE FOR THE SICK.
Great attention will now be given to
the care of our sick and fever-stricken
soldiers or the island. In the opinion
Of the army surgeons the sick can be
best treated by removal to the high
ground back of the southern coast,
where the heat is less severe, and
where recover could proceed without
fear of communicating disease to the
rest of the army. Secretary Alger is
anxious to bring the entire army back
as soon as it can be done with safety
to the men themselves, and without
Jeopardy to the other troops in Florida
and to the general public. The active
preparations made to deal with the
emergency are such that it is felt the
question of disease can be COPIED with
successfully, now hat the military sit
uation has been simpliied.
TRANSPORTS FOR PORTO RICAN
:! EXPEDITION.
Washington. July 14.-In the matter
of transports the department is fully
prepared for the next move. The ac-
QUESTION recently of a number of trans
Atlantic liners capable of carrying
several times as many men as the
smaller transports, has put it on an
excellent footing and it was announc-
ed today that no more ships were be.
ing bought for the Atlantic coast
Many of the transports which carried
soldiers in Cuba are now being used
for other purposes, chief among which
is that of bringing the sick AND
wounded to the United States. The
ships available by the department are
distributed about as follows TWEEN.
ty-lve at Santiago; twelve at Tampa
three at Charleston; four at New
York; four at Key West, and other:
en- route to and from different ports.
BIDS TO TRANSPORT SPANISE
PRISONERS. =
The plan Of the war department fol
returning the surrendered army o.
= General Toral to Spain will not ne
, c~essitate the use of American vessels
1t is the purpose of the department t.
ask for proposals from all steamship
companies which desire to compel,
+ for transporting the Spanish troops tt
Spain and the most advantageous bic
will be accepted. The advices of zen
eral Shafter state that the number o.
SnaniSh nriSOnerS will he hetUaen -