The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-18
THE SEMIWEEKLY MESSENGER: FRIDAY. MARCH IS, 1898.

EDduS lSdSCu III III uuS ICT lEIIIlS
for transportation of recruits to the
seaboard and of sailors already in the
service from one port to another, made
necessary by the commission of new
ships. "A problem that confronts the
recruiting office is TO procure the nee
essary force Of enlisted men for man
ming the tive ships w~hichsave to=en pur-
chased from Brazil.
THE WRECK THROUGH SPANISH
AGENCY.
Colonel Myron y. Parker, one of the
leading business men of Washington,
| who accompanied Senator Proctor IN
his recent visit to Cuba, said today that
the Americans ON the island a no
doubt tina the disaster to the Maine
was aused through Spanish agency.
Their belief, however, he said, could
notba traced toany authoritativesource
The insurgents, Colonel Parker thought,
were in better shape than Yer before
| and would be able to accomplish their
independence in time. The Cubans as
a rule, he believed would he glad to
see their island come under the
American flag, and would do what they
could to bring about that result. The
colonel reiterated his statement of last
night that the situation Of the recon-
c~enradoes was deploralble in the ex-
II IA III i IClIliiIcd Ildd -
row limits and practically left to
starve. The generosity of the Ameri-
can people, however, was beginning to
be felt and the extreme distress was
gradually being relieved. He spoke in
the highest terms Of General Lee and
the work The was doing, and also of
Consul Barker who had made great
personal sacrifices for the starving
people within this district.
APPROPRIATION FOR NAVAL RE
SERVES.
Representative Elliott, OF South Car
DINA, called at the navy department
today to talk with the officials aspect
ing the clothing of the naval militia.
Under the existing regulations the de
partment has no authority to expend
any of the small allotment of funds
made by congress for the use of the
naval MALTA, for the purchase Of
clothing. 1t is all consumed in the pur-
chase of boats, equipments, arms,
books, signal flags, etc. For several
years the militiamen have been trying
hard to secure a modification of the
law that would permit of the appli-
cation of at least a portion of the mi
litia appropriation for the purchase of
uniforms. This has been accomplished
at last through the inclusion in the
CiINIi III olil VI q Z
ment. However, this new clause under
ordinary conditions wOul not go into
effect before July LIST next. RepreSen-
tative Elliott is e~ndeavOring to secure
the departments aid in having the sec
ton go into effect Immediately upOn
the passage of the bill, in which case
a considerable body Of the south Caro-
lima militia can be put into active SER
wise at once. The department is thor
| ~, 1o~o,o;t+a1 +o +Io -o0oc,,r
The tug Leyden, a fine steel boat,
has been ordered from Newport to Key
West.
MOVEMENTS OF WARSHIPS.
Cablegrams received at the navy de-
partment today announce that the
Bancroft sailed yesterday from Lisbon
for Norfolk and the Helena from Lis
bon for Key West to join the squadron.
This leaves Admiral Howell at Lisbon
with his flagship, the San Francisco,
as the sole representative of the United
States navy in European waters.
| 1t is now stated at the naVy depart
| ment that the Marblehead, which ar
| rived at Tampa Saturday night, was
| ordered to that place simply to take
| on some stores for the North Atlantic
| squadron.
THE FLYING SQUADRON.
The big armored cruiser Brooklyn ar
| rived at Fortress Monroe this morning
direct from La Guoyra, Venezuela.
She has made a fine run UP and, it is
| expected, will await at Hampton
| Roads the arrival of the Minneapolis
! and Columbia which are just fitting
out at Philadelphia. This force will
form ar excellent nucleus for the pro-
! jected flying squadron in case the
! lpn9r RI m emit decides TO form one
NO SESSION OF THE COURT.
Havana, March 14.-The day was
sultry and cloudy. During the morn
ing there was no session of the United
States ava court of inquiry into the
loss OF the battleship Maine, the 1nem-
berS of the court sitting ON the poop
of the MangrOve discussing various
matters in connection with their work.
HAVANA RELIEF STATION.
Arrangements are in progress to dis
continue a number of the relief stations
in Havana, which are open only at
certain hours, and to establish instead
one large central station, which will
be open for relief at all hours of the
day with four suburban stations Lists
have been secured of the names of the
towns near Havana, of the number of
their inhabitants n of the deStitutiOn
in each. These lists will be extended
throughout Cuba, to embrace all the
localities where suffering exists. A
careful estimate, it is hoped, will be
made of the total number to be pro-
vided for, so that the amount and va
riety of the daily rations can he fixed
according to the money available. 1t
is believed hat the long established
hospitals and asylums of Havan a
be made use of, if assistance is judic-
iously given to their regular managers.
1t is further hoped that by spending
$4,000, Las Coas, NOV the principle place
in Havana for the relief of the recon
centradoes here, can be made a model
refuge, with new beds, good kitchens,
etc.
RUMORS OF MORE BATTLESHIPS
TO ARRIVE.
RumOrS are in circulation here to the
effect that Italian warships are about
to arrive at this port, and it is further
reported that the United States gov
eminent will send either the battleShip
Iowa or Indiana to this har'bor, to stay