The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-25
WAR PREPARATIONS,
CONTINUED from First Page.)

of the police remarked to one member
Of the party that Florida was ready to
send $4,000 men to Cuba when they
should be wanted. IAN right, may be
they Will be wanted down there before
long" was the reply. Beyond this ex-
preston not a word was uttered that
could be construed as an expression
Of opinion that war was possible or
Imminent.
Lieutenant Mark was asked If the
two officers OF the Maine wThO passed
through Jacksonville Sunday night car
ried a part of the Maine report, to
which he replied very significantly,
that he could no say, but adm d
that two officers were sent from ley
West to Washington.
Colonel F. r. Osborne, agent OF the
Southern Express Company in this city,
received a telegram in the afternoon
requesting him to meet Lieutenant
Mark at the train. 1t was learned
tina Colonel Osborne had been request
ed to furnish an iron safe in which to
place the valuable documents on the
train.
Savannah, Ga, March 24.-Lieutenant
Mark and party passed through Sa-
vannah at ! o'clock this morning, on
time, with the court of inquiry report.
They had retired.
SPAIN WILL DECLARE WAR.
Boston, March 23.-Hon. T. jefferson
Coolidge, ex-minister to France, in an
interview today on the S~panish-Cuba
situation said: II believe we are going
to have war and that Spain will de-
clare it when we interfere with Cuba.
i do not think that the Spanish dynasty
could keep it's place if it did not de-
clare war when the United States I'M
dertakes to free Cuba"
CONTRACT FOR SHELLS
AWARDED.
Washington, March 23.-The bureau
of Ordnance today awarded contracts
for supply of about / 900 cast iron pro-
jectiles for sea coast Notifications. AS
rapidly as completed they will be
shipped to the various places at which
they are needed. Two Virginia COM
panies were given he contracts, the
Petersburg iron works and the Trede-
gar Company, of Richmond, the awards
being distributed as follows: For 1877
10 inch solid shot and 745 II inch NOR
tar shells, the latter of 800 pounds,
each to the Petersburg Company, and
165 of the II inch mortar shells of 800
pounds each and 500 II inch mortar
shells of 1000 pounds each to the Ire
degar
d March 23.-Senor Sagasta,
the premier, is quoted in am interview
as saving: THE government entirely
approves of Captain General BlancoS
conduct in denying that the Maine
magazines were blown up with dyna-
mite, as the Americans have alleged
SPAIN WANTS FRANCE TO MEDI-
TATE.
London, March 24.-The Vienna cor
respondent of The Standard says: Il
am credibly informed that Spain has
informally inquired at Paris whether
France, as her largest creditor and
traditional friend, would, either alone
or inconjunctiOn with other powers,
Mediate at Washington and also wheth-
er it is possible to place a Spanish loan
in France.
THE SPANISH CAMPAIGN.
Havana, March 23.-According to the
official of news from the east
ern part of the island, General PandO
advanced toward San juan, province Of
Puerto Principe, On the 10Th instant
and was constantly and theoretically
engaged with the insurgents. lie zap
tpred the insurgent camps ChOmenda
and Guanoles. The insurgents lost
eight killed, four taken pr'inosenrs, a
large quantity of stores and ammuni-
ton and also their military hospital.
The Spanish troops fOund we'll stocked
farms in the district, with plenty of
horses and cattle.
General Berntal continues operating
toward RaracOn de Sierra, and Colonel
Tjeda is marching toward General Ca
liXtO Garcia, whose whereabouts are
not defined in the official dispatches.
1t is believed that the campaign should
he principally on the western side OF
the trOcha where the Spanish forces
are to be reinforced because General
Maxine Gomez has been calling earnest
ly for more and troops
from the eastern provinces. According
to the statements of captured and sur
rendered insurgents, a considerable
force of insurgents has already passed
the trOcha and it is reported that a
scouting party of thirty insurgents,
carrying orders, is moving eastward.
General Pando, after due considera-
ton. expresses himself hopeful Of be-
ing able largely to pacify the eastern
provinces in about four months. He
expects to enlist many negroes as
lguerillaS to OVerrun the prOVinc of
Puerto Principe and he reports that the
health of the Spanish troops is excel
lent. All the foregoing rma as
to Spanish military movements comes
from Spanish sources.
Captain Sigsbee and the officers of
the Maine are still here, but are earn
estly looking for orders to go north on
the Fern II a mai steamer.
Eel Cerreo and other daily papers ad-
wise the government to eXpel from the
island "all sensational foreign CORE
spondents.'
"a Whitehead torpedo was recovered
from the wreck tiday Some of the div
ers complain of not feeling well. At
present yellow fever is almost unknown
on the island and the season is repard-
ed as remarkably healthful.
Yesterday the steamer Colon arrived
at Caimanero, province of Santiago de
Cuba. with 1,400 troops from Spain.
Eighty sick soldiers were sent back to
Spain today.
POLITICAL EXCITEMENT IN
CUBA.
Havana March 23.-Cuba is now in
the throes of election excitement. Ev-
cry effort is being made to induce the
conservatives to vote, but with little
success thus far. The are
divided into hittar fapti0rS one wing