The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-25

| ton and the general subject of Cuba.
The possibility Of a recourse to in
tervention III case Spain declined to
! make suitable response to the repre-
sentations we win make after receiv-
ing the Maine report has been fully
| discussed, although necessarily it has
| been an abstract discussion thus far,
| and no conclusion has been reached or
| is possible until the vital question as
:. to the courts ndings are before the
, president and cabinet. At the same
| time there is a very evident intention
to consider all eventualities, including
| tine recourse to intervention the recog-
| milton OF independence and other meth
, DDS which appear to suitably meet the
! requirements of such a condition. 1t is
! believed to be the intention of the pres
| ident, however, to bring about a very
| material and satisfactory condition in
Cuba by what shall seem to be the
| best and most practicable method of
| obtaining this end. 1t is the hope of
| the administration that Spain herself
1 wili so far realize the situation as to
| see the necessity for such radical ac-
tiOn on her part with respect to Cuba
| as shall command the appreciation of
| this country and, thus, at once put an
| end to all differences.
| Outside of the cabinet meeting the
| day was exceptionally quiet Secre-
| tary Long was able to clear his desk
! at $3.50 O'Clock for the first time since
the Maine disaster occurred, and ne
| left the department before office hours
closed, to enjoy a walk.
| THE HAMPTON ROADS SQUADRON
During the afternoon the bureau of
| navigation posted the notice that the
battleship Massachusetts had sailed
from Key West for Hampton Roads,
following the Texas, which left yes
tprd9v AhOllf rha tiYnp (tOn1nnn-
dore Schley, who has been suggested as
the probable commander of the flying
squadron, centered at Hampton
Roads, called at the department and
had a conference with Assistant Sec
: retary Roosevelt. The cruiser Brook
lyn is at Newport News and the mOn-
tor Puritan is under orders to proceed
there, SO that these vessels will be
near the Hampton Roads rendezvous,
if it is determined to establish the
squadron there. Orders for this move
have not yet been made, however, nor
, has Commodore Schley received any
information from officials that he
would he placed in command of the
squadron.
The navy department continues to
keep informed to the Spanish tor
pedo fiotilla, now stopping at the Ca
! 1aries. 1t can be stated positively
that President Mckinley has protest
ed against the coming of this fotilla
is unwarranted. There has been no
such protest.
A COAL1NG STATION I'm WEST IN
DIES.
Serious attention is being given by
the navy department officials to the
question 'Of the acquisition of a suit
able location for a coaling station
somewhere in the West Indies. Steps
have been taken already to establish
such a station at the Dry Tortugas,
but this, it is said, lis the only deep
water harbor available for big war
vessels between Hampton Roads and
the Rio Grande. Beside, lit is practi-
ca1ly unprotected at present and
fleet would have to be stationed there
to protect the coal stored, which is un-
satisfactory. There are a number of
fine flarbOrs among the West Indies,
said a naval officer today, and one of
these we ought to have for a cOaling
station. Secretary Long is considering
the matter and it is probable that if
! the government can make the neces-
sary arrangements station will be
secured.
POWDER BIDS OPENED.
lat the war department. bids We're
opened in the bureau of ordnance for
supplying 100000 pounds of brown pris-
matte powder for the seacoast fortifi-
cation guns. There were only two bid
; ders, the California Powder Company
and the Dupont Powder Company. The
former concern offered to supply the
powder at the rate of 32175 cents per
pound. Twenty-one days after receiv-
ing the contract they will begin deliv-
ering the powder at the rate of %, 900
pounds weekly. The Dupont Company
bid at 32.175 cents per pound for that
TO no doll o1
at Dover, N. j., and BATS cents per
| pound for that to he delivered at the
Benecia arsenal, California.
TWO MILLION CARTRIDGES.
In day or two the ordnance bureau
Will award the contract for supplying
the department 100000 smokeless
powder rifle ball-cartridges of 80 cal
fbre. Two concerns submitted bids for
furnishing these cartridge the Win
chester Arms Company and the Union
! Metallic Company, both of Connecti-
cut. Their bids were substantially
alike and the contract probably will
be divided between the two companies
T'he war department has received in
formation of the arrival at New York
of the steamer Norkyn with 500
| pounds of foreign smokeless powder
also ordered. This powder is for test
ing purposes at the Sandy Hook prov
ing grounds.
NO OvERTURES TO SPAIN.
Pending a decision on the govern
ments final policy, no overtures or in
timatlons have been conveyed to the
Spanish government, and there is no
official knowledge as to how Spain
would regard a recognition of Cuban
independence, or intervention. The
Spanish minister, Senior Polo, request
ed today that a statement he made that
report to him expressions
thesubjec ctpfindependenc were unwar-
ranted and untrue. SenOr Polo says he
has mot discussed this OR any other of
the pending questions.
THIE KEARSARGE EANDKENTUCKY
presidents Orc,rtt, OF the Newport
News ShipEuilding Company talked
with Secretary Long today on the plans
for the launching of the new battle
ships Keaasarge s,nd' Kentucky at New