Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-05

verde squadron Portugal News
Not Fully Credited - A British
Vessel Sails in Search of Battle
Scenes.
Washington, May 4.-Great interest
g felt in the reported return of the
cnanish Cape Verde fleet to Cadiz, but
while admitting the possibility of the
fast vessels of the Spanish flying squad
ron making a passage in the five days
thar the vessels have been out from St.
Vincent. the naval officers were dispos-
Cd to regard with great suspicion news
Of this kind emanating from Portugal,
because of the recognized sympathy of
The Portuguese with the Spanish 1t
would be worth good deal to the
Spanning admiral commanding the fly
ing squadron supposing he was on his
way across the Atlantic, to throw us off
our guard by having US believe that he
had retreated to Spain.
The Navy Department now has Sc
cured two vessels, the Australia and
the City of Pekin at San Francisco,
which will be loaded with coal and
supplies and rushed off to Commodore
Deweys feet Whether or not they
will carry troops will be determined
positively when the commodore is
heard from upon this matter.
The Navy Department is hurrying
together an exceptionally large stock
of ammunition OF go forward by the
City Of Pekin to recruit the ammuni-
ton of Commodore Dewey's fleet. The
first shipment of projectiles left New
York Yesterday and additional ship
ments will be made until the full quota
Of powder and shot will be in San
Francisco within the next ten days.
There will be a total of more than 90
600 proiectiles of various calibre and
weights For the four big S-inch guns
Of the Olympia there will be 500 s.
inch steel armor piercing projectiles,
weighing about 900 pounds each. For
more and Boston and other ships there
will be 1000 steel projectiles. The
other shipments will include about TO-
900 six-pound rife balls, 1000 5inch
shells. three thousand 3pound balls
and three thousand one-pound balls.
The Navy Department is fortunate in
having laid in an ample supply of pro-
jecties 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 distributed to the
several fleets and ships as fast as it
has come from the powder mills. But
owing to the emergency in the case of
the Asiatic fleet, powder intended for
other uses will be forwarded to San
Francisco and sent to Commodore
Dewey. The recent explosions at pow
der mills have not crippled the Navy
Department in securing supplies of
powder but they have caused some de-
lay in filling the orders of the War
Department.
The fine British cruiser Blake left Glib
raltar to-day bound straight for Rio, and
p is supposed here that she goes to OBJ
serve any engagement that might
threaten between the Oregon and the
Spanish fleet.
The monitor Wyandotte has been order
cd to Bath, Me-. where she will be
manned by volunteers.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. soon TO
be Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, to-day
received several gratifying telgrams from
'he West announcing the rapid orsaniza-
ton of Col. Woods regiment of mounted
themen. Major Brodie telegraphed from
PRESCOTT Arizona. that at p. IN. to-day
we -FOUR troops of the regiment recruited
IN Arizona would leave for San Antonio.
ieNas, the mobilizing point. From New
M'Nieo came a telegram stating that go
men had been enlisted to-day and they
would leave Friday for San Antonio. and
we troop organized at Guthrie Okla
"oma sent word that it would leave to-
morrow for the rallying point Besides
.t"Jor Brodie, Major Herzey. of New
N'eNi'o' has been appointed. leaving but
que vacancy in the grade or Major in the
'pSlment Applications for enlistment
are coming in from the East in large
runners but the most rigid tests for
4""uhcations are being insisted upon.