The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-06

washington, May "A SenSatlOn
was caused throughout the city by the
news that came this morning OF the
arrival Of a vessel supposed to be the
dispatch boat McCulloch, at Mrs Bay,
forty miles from Hong Kong, the cable
terminus. The officials Immediately
fell into the air of expectancy waiting
for some word from Admiral Dewey
that would not only confirm officially
the stirring news of the battle of Ma
Mia, as reported by the Press, but tell
ing what had happened since the ca
BILE was interrupted. Up to the close
come from Hong Kong.
Great interest is felt in the reported
return of the Spanish Cape Verde fleet
to CadiZ, but, while admitting the pos
sibility of the fast vessels of the Span
ish flying squadron making the pass
age in the five days that they have
been out from st. Vincent, the naval
officers were disposed to regard with
suspicion news of this kind emanating
from Portgugal, because of the recog-
nized sympathy of the Portuguese with
the Spanish side. 1t would be worth a
good deal to the Spanish admiral COM
manding the flying squadron, suppos-
ing he We're on his way across the At
lantic to throw us off our guard by
having us believe that he had returned
to Spain.
RUSHING AMMUNITION TO DEW
EY'S FLEET.
ed two vessels, the Australia and the
City of Pekin, in San Francisco. which
will be loaded with coal and supplies
and rushed off to Join Commodore
Dewey's fleet. Whether or not they
will carry troops will be determined
positively when the commodore is
heard from upon this matter. The ma
Wy department is hurrying together an
exceptionally large stock of ammuni-
tion to go forward by the City of Pc
kin, to recruit the ammunition OF
Commodore Dewey's fleet. The first
shipment of projectiles left New York
yesterday, and additional shipments
will be made until the full quota of
powder and shot will be in San Fran
cisco within the next ten days. There
will be a total of 10000 projectiles of
various calibre and weight. The navy
department is fortunate in having laid
in an ample stock of projectiles of all
weights and sizes, so that there will be
no delay in getting a full supply ready
for shipment to Commodore Dewey.
The supply of powder is not so readily
obtained as powder has been distribut-
ed to the several fleets and ships as
fast as it has come from the mills. But
owing to the emergency in the case Of
the Asiatic fleet powder intended for
other uses will be sent to Commodore
Dewey. The recent explosions at pow
a "a cd ha M "
department in securing supplies OF
powder, but they have caused some de-
lay in filling the orders of the war de-
partment.
NO CONFIRMATION OF HAWAIIA'S
PROPOSAL.
No new official news has come to
confirm the report from Hawaii that
the islands have been rendered to the
United States for war purposes. 1t is
said that if the incoming mail brought
the proposition to San Francisco, it
would scarcely be trusted to telegraph
there on account of it's Importance, but
would be forwarded by the railway
mails, which would bring it here in
about five days. Without exception,
the naval officers would welcome the
possession of Hawaii just at this mo-
ment, as affording a magnificent base
it is said, President Dole's proposition
must be submitted to congress, so that
it will be for the executive branch in
the end to pass upon this offer.
The fine British cruiser Blake left
Gibraltar today bound straight for
Rio and it is supposed here that she
goes to observe any engagement that
might threaten the Oregon and the
Spanish fleet.
The nomination today of a number Of
major generals and brigadier generals
is an indication of the purpose of the
president to avail himself of the full
number of troops called for by his
proclamS tion and even to follow the
call by another very soon, for il is
evident that there are not enough COM
mands to go around properly among
the officers already nominated.
TEDDY'S TERRORS.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, soon
to be Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, to-
day received several gratifying teie-
grams from the west announcing the
rapid organization of Colwoods regi-
ment of mounted riflemen.
HAwAIIA'S OFFER.
Honolulu, April 27. via San Francisco,
May 4--President Dole has sent a long
communication to President Mckinley
offering to transfer the Hawaiian is
lands to the United States for the pur-
poses of its war with Spain, and to
furnish the American ships Of war in
Pacific waters with large quantities of