Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-06-09
THE WORLD AT LARGE.
Summary Of the Daily News.
WASHINGTON NOTES.

WASHINGTON NOTES.
SECRETARY LONG sent a letter Off
eially commencing Capt. Clark, of the
battieship Oregon, and the men under
his command for bringing the vessel
in safety to Key West Fla, after its
long journey from the Pacific coast.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY took occasion
in interviews with congressional call
ers at the white house on the 31st to
state his conviction that the annexa-
ton of the Hawaiian islands should
be speedily accomplished.
THE war board at Washington, now
that Admiral Cervera's feet was To-
Gated in Santiago de Cuba. was con-
sidering the ACCESSIBILITY of securing
the entrance to the harbor so that the
Spanish vessels could not escape and
then reducing the city and capturing
the Spanish squadron. A hot exchange
of dispatches was going on between
Commodore Schley and Washington
on the subject.
The mon h1y statement shows that
at the close of business May 81, 1898,
the public debt, less cash in the fed
eral treasury. amounted to 81, O37, 773, =
760, an increase over last month of
9,34i, 1Os.
army, has received numerous letters
from patriotic ladies asking what arti-
c1es would be most acceptable for the
use of our sick and wounded soldiers
in the field or in the hospitals. For
the purpose of nswering in general
way these inquiries, he has prepared a
memorandum which will be sent to
persons communicating with him at
Washing ton on this subject.
No official news was received at
Washington on the 1st regarding the
bombardment of Santiago de Cuba by
Commodore Schley and it was not re-
garded as a serious engagement
A WASHINGTON dispatch on the Cd
stated that unless there was a change
in the plans of the war department a
third call for volunteers will be made
necessary before the additional $4,000
volunteers are mustered into service,
enlistments being slow.
A DISPATCH to the New York World
from Washington said that the state
department and the attorney general,
by direction of the president, were
working hard in the preparation of a
form of government for Cuba after the
Spaniards shall have been driven from
the island. The administration does
not believe that Cuba can, Immediately
after peace is declared, organize a sta
BILE government and the president be-
iieves it to be his duty to help the peO-
pie in their efforts.
The secretary of war on the Sd as
signed the brigadier generals of vol
unteers to their stations. Brig. Gen.
Hudson, of Kansas, was assigned to
the Fourth corps. Mobile, Ala, and
Brig. Gen. Nelson Cole, of Missouri,
to the Second corps, Falls Church, Va.
EX-PREsIDENT CLEVELAND has writ
ten letter to the secretary of the COM
mittee appointed to collect funds for
the Red Cross society, the funds to be
used for the relief of soldiers during
the war, expressing his regret at be-
society at Philadelphia and commend
ing the society for it's objects.
EARLY on the Sd the American squad
ron began second bombardment OF
the Notifications at ntiago de Cuba
and lively cannonading ensued for
two hours, which silenced the Spanish
batteries. The collier Merrimac made
a dash into the harbor, but was tor
pedoed by the Spaniards and sunk and
her crew of eight men captured. 1t was
believed at Washington that the Mer-
rimac was sent to her destruction in
accordance with a pre-arranged plar
by Admiral Sampson in order to dis
cover whether the harbor mines were
effective.