The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-01

officers as was the case when the tor
pe-3o fiotiIha sailed for Porto Rico.
News from Washington regarding
Spain's reply to the ultiu1atu1n Of the
United States is eagerly awaited. Cap
tain Sampson. Captain Evans and Cap
tain Chadwick had a long consultation
today on board the flagship. Captain
Evans has been warmly greeted ON his
new ship, the Iowa
Five bodies from the wreck Of tire
Main arrived this afternoon from Ha-
vana and viii he Inferred tomorrow.
The boatswairls mate. John Anderson.
and Seaman Frank Andrews are the
only two of the five that have been
identified.
The Badhe sailed today fer the Tor
tugas on regular survey duty. The
Annapolis will sail tomorrow for Brook
lyn.
There were ninety four passengers
from Havana by the Masrotte tonight
and among them about fifty Americans
who say that Americans are no. safe
in Havana now.
The Mallory Line steamer Nueces ar
rived tonight from New York with
3,069 packages of provisions ard aInmu-
milton for the government.
ANOTHER VESSEL PURCHASED.
Palermo, March 30.-The Giornale
di Stella announces that the United
States has bought the steel steam
yacht AeguSa belonging TO The Florio-
Rubattino company, for a dispatch
boat. The price paid is so0 900 $780,
000)
The Aegusa was built at Greenock
by Scott & Co in 1896. She has a reg
istered tonnage of 675.65, is 2647 feet
long So in breadth and 1S.5 in deplh
and is schooner rigged.
SPAIN CONCEALTNG TEE ISSUES.
Madrid, March 80 4:3O p. MA cab
met council was held this afternoon 10
consider the American proposals.
Another will be held tomorrow at noon,
presided over 10y the queen regent and
at O'Clock tomorrow there will be a
final conference between United States
Minister WOodford. Senior Sagasta,
| the premier; Senior Gullon, the foreign
minister and Senior MOret, the minister
| for the colonies.
The proposition which Spain will an
Swer covers two points only and its
| publication will be a revelation to some
! of those abroad who have been de-
nOuncing Americas aggressive attitude
| 1t is as follows: Spain TO proclaim SIM
! mediately an armistice in Cuba to last
until October, during which interval
| the United States will use it's good of
| flceS with the insurgents to make this
| temporary peace permanent; and,
| second, Spain to do her best toward
| relieving suffering and starvation on
| the island, with America to be allowed
| to assist in this work.
Washington, March 30.-The above
! dispatch was shown to an official Of the
administration whose position is such
| as to give weight to his uuter>ances. He
| said that in view of today's events,
| tine Madrid statement of the president 8
proposition was not to be taken serious
| ly. The ar1niStice scheme referred to
| was the very one which had almost
caused an open revolt in congress.
! The administration was quoted as say
| ing today that an ar,nistice would not
| he pressed. The probable explanation
| was that the ar11listice story had been
circulated by the government in
Madrid for nome consumption.
| SIGSBEE ASSIGNED TO SHORE
| DUTY
| Captain c. ID. Sigsbee who command
| ed the battleship Maine at the time of
| the explosion, has been assigned to
| duty aus aide to Secretary Long.
| ORDER OF CONCENTRATION RE
| VOKED.
| The Spanish legation here late to-
| might received a cablegram from the
| governor general of Cuba saying that
| the captain general reported the pacifi-
! cation Of the eastern provinces 50 far
| advanced that it had been decided To
| reScind the recOncentrado order in
| these provinces and allow all subjects
| of this decree to return to their homes
| in the country. To aid in the re-e3StaIb-
| fishing of the recOncsntradOS upon their
| farms, the cablegram states,the gov
| ernment will grant them protection OF
| the Spanish military forces, augmented
by local relief committees to look after
| their immediate needs. Economic
| kitchens, 1T says, are TO be established
to support the reconcentrados whilt
! waiting for their first crops TO mature
| and they are TO be furnished farming
| implements and seeds by the govern.
nrent. To supply them ready money
such of them as are able, viii be giver
employment of public work and ii i:
asserted by the authrities that theSt
measures will result in the speedy re
lraIbilitation OF the rural communities il
the western provinces.
| This cablegram was not made pub
| lie till more than an hour after mid
night and no official comment upon 1t!
| significance could be secured.
| lSPAIN'S WAR PREPARATIONS.
| Madrid, March 3O.-A severe censor
ship is exercised to prevent the leak
age of news as TO the naval move
ments, while the war preparation
| continue WIFI the greatest ACTIVITY an
as far as possible the greatest sc
| crecy.
| The utmost efforts are making nigh
and day to get the first class ironclad
Pelayo and Carlos V. completed, whe
it is regarded as certain they will b
dispatched with the cruisers Mari
Theresa and Cristobal Colon to jof
Vizcaya and Almirante Oquendo /
Cuban waters, thus forming a squad
ron of six armored vessels. This wav
OF patriotism, with the enrolment q
the volunteer corps, is spreading en-
thusiasm throughout the country. A
seats have been sold for tomorrow
opera performance, realizing abou
81, 900 for the navy, and similar per
| formances are being arranged in othe
cities. The Madrid papers allege tina
the South American republics have al
ready subscribed enough to build
; warship to be called Rio de La Plata
while Mexico has sent huge donations
The Spanish army will give d day
pay.
Orders have been sent to strengther