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

viii become the property of this gov
ernment if 1T passes out Of h hands
Of Argentina.
The Spanish minister called at the
state department today and presented
Messrs. Angulo, Valero and Cadenas,
who are the direct representatives Of
the cabinet at Cuba With
this presentation, negotiations toward
a commercial treaty will be opened.
A high officer OF the navy who mas
intimate knowledge Of its affairs said
today: The greatest difficulty is be
ing experienced by the government in
| procuring ships from abroad, but il Is
| hard at work and is making as much
| progress as could reasonably be ex-
| pected under the circumstances. Spain
is rushing work on their war vessels.
| The Pelayo, ITS largest and best bat
t1eship, rs practically ready for sea and
its second biggest ship, the Carlos W,
will be ready in a fortnight or three
weeks. The officials Of the navy depart
ment are doing everything in their pow
er to prepare for any possible con-
| fict."
According to the orders to naval CT
fcers issue by the navy department
today, the battleship Maine is stiH in
existence. At least two of the orders
would seem to give that impression.
| They read as follows: Lieutenant A.
| w. Catlin, Z. C.. M. c., detached Maine,
| and at home; Lieutenant G. F. w.
Holman, deatched Maine, home and
| wait orders" 1t is presumed that the
Inflated battleship will not be strick-
en- from the naval register until after
it has been finally established beyOn1
the possibility of doubt that the shat
tered hull cannot be raised from it's
present bed of mud in the harbor Of
Havana and reconstructed into at least
a semblance of It's former self. AL
though there is scarcely ground for the
hope that the vessel cam be raised and
restored to the nav the department
will not abandon its efforts in that di-
rectfon until the wreckers now at work
upon it report hat it is impossible.
Although there is not much prospect
of raising the Maine with its reported
broken backbone, there is good reason
to believe from the reports of the div
ers that many, if not all, of the guns
may be recovered eventually from the
wreck and put in places where they
may be able to render good srvice.
The enlistments of General William
M. Graham, assuming command of the
new military department of the gulf,
have been received at the army head
quarters here. Although no informal
ton to that effect has yet been receiv-
ed, it is though that Genera Graham
has taken up his station at Aaltnta,
which is to be the headquarters of the
new department. 1t is said here that
no immediate movement of troops, as
a result of the change of the lines of
the military divisions recently put into
effect is contemplated, but that the
movements for the present will be o
fined to tine transfer of artillery troops
to man the Notifications recently COM
pleted.
RECRUITS FOR THE NAVY WANT
ED.
The enlistment branch of the navy
department today issued a large poster
advertising for men for the United
States navy. The recent putting into
commission of the cruisers Columbia
and Minneapolis and the prospective
demands that will be necessary as a
resule of the acquisition Of the Brill
ian ship Amazonas and the American
yacht MayflOWer, requires the enlist
ment of additional men.
SENATE WAITING FOR DEVELOP
MENTS.
The short session of the senate today
was quite unusual for the first work.
ing day of the week. That no one was
prepared to go on with any pending
measure was given as the explanation,
but privately the opinion was stated
by some Of the senators that, while
the Cuban question remained in SUCH
suspense there was no desire to take
UP important legislation. The outlook
as to Cuba was discussed among sena-
tors almost to the exclusion of other
topics and the belief was quite decided
that the administration is preparing
to take a positive position. Severa.
senators made the prediction that the
United States would intervene. Beine
pressed for a reason, they stated that
they had reached this conclusion after
more or less conference with executive
officers, but at the same time sayine
quite emphatically that they a nc
positive information ON this point. 9th.
er senators thought the recognition OIL
cuban independence more probable
than intervention. Almost all oppressed
the view tina some action surely will.
follow the report of the Maine court o.
inquiry regardless of it's purport.
"A COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION
Representative Wheeler, of Alabama,
today introduced in the house the fol
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That a. joint committee,
consisting of seven members of the
senate, to be appointed by the vice
president and sever members Of the
house, to be appointed by the speaker
be created, to consider the question OF
oui ol4ol L Spain SIO"l lIS OuC Oh
the Cuban question. That all messages
heretofore received or which may here
after he received from the president re-
ferring TO this question be referred to
said committee.
Resolved, That such committee be
authorized to send for persons and
paper to take evidence and to admin
lister oaths to witnesses. That said
committee be authorized to employ a
clerk, and one assistant, a stenogra-
pher and messenger, n that said con
mittee report with as little delay as
possible the true conditions which pre-
vail in Cuba, what portion of the Span
ish debt is a burden upon revenues col
lected in the island, the protection
given to Americans n American in
terests in that island by the Spanish
government and the truth regarding
the inhumanitieS and atrocities which
have come to our knowledge through
semi-official and other sources. The
committee will also recommend to con-
gress h action should be taken 10Y