The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-24

Give No Quarter
Washington, May 22-The rumors
| of great naval battle, current last
night, were disposed OF by the navy de-
partment early today, in the following
official bulletin:
No truth in the published statemen;
concerning an engagement off St. Mich
| olas Mole, Hayti, in which twelve
ships We're sunk.
This was posted not only for general
information, but also TO quiet the
| alarm among relatives and friends of
those on board the American ships AS
| rule the department adopts the eau
tious phraseology of stating that no Of
fetal Information has been received,
but to make assurance doubly sure in
this case, the department declared
there was no truth in the reports. This
indicates that the officials informa ton
is such as to warrant the statement
that the American and Spanish squad
ronS have not met.
The bureau of navigation, was open
throughout the day. but the officials
were engaged on routine work and there
was no evidence of that activity which
would attend the receipt of important
information, nor of that keen expec-
fancy which would indicate the near
approach of the two fleets. In the alb
sence Of exact information as to the
location of the fleets, this serenity in
naval circles was a fair indication that
| the official advces did not give prom
| Use of an immediate engagement. 1t is
evidently the views of the war board
| that an engagement, if it can be
| brought on, will be decisive of the
/ whole war, and there is no purpose to
| allow such momentous results to go off
on a fiuke, or on a too precipitious
move in Difference to public pressure
for results, but to move finally, yet
cautiously and insure a victory when
| there is a fight.
BUSY DAY AT ARMY HEADQUAR-
TERS.
Army headquarters was as busy as
on week days, as the moving Of large
! bodies Of men gives scant time for
| Sunday rest. An extended dispatch
| was received from San Francisco, CIV
| ing the final details of the embarca
tion of troops for the Philippines next
| Tuesday. 1t is stated that the City of
| Pekin, the Sydney and the Australia,
would sail on that day with the Frs
i regiment of California volunteers, The
| First Oregon volunteers, one officer
| and fifty men from the heavy artillery
| of the California volun teers, making
| in all 125 officers and 2,40O men, undeE
| Brigadier General Thomas Anderson.
| Although General Anderson takes
| charge of this command it is under
| stood that General Otis, who is in San
| Francisco, will accompany the expedi-
| ton. The Pekin was originally secur-
| ed by the navy department, but as
| she is 50 large and serviceable as a
| troop ship the army is using her in
| conjunction with the navy. Besides
| the troops, she will carry supplies and
| ammunition for the navy.
General Miles spent the morning in
| his Office. In answer to inquiries he
said there was nothing to announce as
| to his own plans OF the concentration
| Of troops in the south.
| Secretary Alger called at the White
| house at 1920 o'clock and was with the
| president for fifteen minutes. Later
the president. accompanied by VI. T.
| Herrick, of Cleveland, who, with MI
| Sherrick, are guests at the White
| house, went to church. Up 20 this time
| the White house had received no war
| information Of Importance.
| Secretary Day and Assistant Sec
! retary Cridler were at the state Depart
| ment part of the day, but il was said
| by those in authority that no word of
| Importance had been received from our
| consul officers in the West Indies.
| They would be about the first to report
! an engagement in that locality.
| The report from Madrid that the OFF,
| cials there threaten to cut the cable
| from Galveston il our ships isolate
| Blanco 10y cutting the cables at San
| tiago are received with much amuse-
| ment by officials familiar with cable
! routes. The cable from Galveston runs
| to Vera Cruz and other Mexican ports.
| Il is so far west that the Spanish ad
| mirai could not reach it without n
| phenomenal run, an if he succeeded n
| cutting il there would be no strategic
| advantage against the United states,
! as the line is rarely used for govern
| ment bus
| Atlanta. Ga, May 2.-About 1000
| recruits fave arrived at Fort McPher-
son since that post was made the CEN
| traliza ton point for the branch OF the
army Every recruiting station in the
| country from Maine TO California has
sent some men and they are still arrIV-
ing at a rate of 200 a day
| II was not intended to send any Of
the men away until they were uniform
ed and equipped but the need OF the
men for the Philippines has brought
about the necessity Of getting men II
= the regular army regiments in tbs
! west.
| Colonel Cook, the commandant, yes
terday lined up the recruits at the pos
| and asked for volunteers 10 go 10 tn:
| Philippines. Nine hundred Responded
| almost instantly, but only GOO ar'
| wanted to make out the third battaliof